Emily Kalnicky

Emily Kalnicky (she/her)

Dr. Kalnicky’s lifelong career interest and passion for developing educational programming and research focused on connecting youth and adults to nature began more than 20 years ago as a volunteer at the Henry Vilas Zoo in her hometown of Madison, WI. She holds a doctorate in ecology from Utah State University, a master’s in natural resources and environmental sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and bachelor of science degrees in zoology, psychology, and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kalnicky has experience teaching youth and adults in the US and abroad, in both formal and informal settings.

Kalnicky has spent her career leading education, evaluation, and research in a variety of museum contexts, from zoos to botanical gardens and conservatories to nature centers. She most recently served as the Evaluation and Research Specialist at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, MN. Before that, she has held many roles at museums and non-profits, including executive director, director of education, and research manager, with a large focus on using data to effectively lead and drive decision-making.