As a treat for anyone who's kept their subscription to the show alive, Chris and Ari are proud to present a very special episode of the TEC Talk Podcast!

Your hosts were back together for the 2026 ABMA/IAATE Joint Conference in Cincinnati, OH, so we stole some time away from our many friends and colleagues on the final night of the trip to talk about all the amazing stuff that happened during the week. And hey, we even dressed up for it!

Want to hear more episodes of the show that we "retired" in 2025? Watch this space - you never know what might happen next!

In this super secret, extra special bonus episode (actually episode 281, but Chris needed a good round number to end on), Ari rallied as many of Chris’s colleagues, friends, and family as she could, with help from his wife Bethany, to share messages of congrats on his new role as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, and a little about how he’s impacted their lives and careers.

It’s impossible to capture how much Chris means to all of us, but hopefully this episode offers a glimpse into the immense impact he’s had on people all over the world. Stay tuned at the end for a throwback recording from 2006 of Chris on a popular radio show, plus some extra NEI Mom content!

Chris, we will miss you. Huge congrats!

This is it, the last official episode of the NEI TEC Talk Podcast (at least for now)! With Chris headed off to his new position as Executive Director of the Virginia Zoo, he and Ari decided it was time to sunset the NEI TEC Talk Podcast. After nearly 300 episodes, countless incredible guests, and so many conversations about training, enrichment, and connection, they're wrapping things up. We have so many people to thank who supported the podcast over the years, especially you, the listeners!

Thank you so, so much. We are forever grateful.Keep us in your feed for future bonus episodes - you never know when one might pop up!