Karen Menard

Monitoring and Research Supervisor

Hometown:
Toledo

First Job
Cashier

Achievement I’m  most proud of:
Completing a Master’s degree while working full time

Dream Trip:
Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve in Peru. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, often referred to as the most biologically diverse place on earth, and is home to more than 800 species of birds and 200 species of mammals.

Notable Pet:
Riley the conure

Favorite Park Visited:
Tapanti National Park in Costa Rica. Great birding and awesome place to get a glimpse of an ornate hawk eagle!

Something few people know about me:
I love snorkeling and underwater life almost as much as looking at birds, mammals and plants on land. I have spent time snorkeling in the Caymans (swam with stingrays), Virgin Islands and Roatan, Honduras.

What brought me to Metroparks:
I was a young volunteer, first; many years later, I realized that I wanted to work in a place that I would be able to combine my love for education, the environment, as well as biology. I started at Metroparks as a summer naturalist intern during my early career as a teacher. Toward the end of the next season, I was hired full-time at Metroparks in the Programs Department.