Pride In Our People: Mya

Our digital series, Pride In Our People, features the incredible staff at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium through written first-person narratives and/or podcast interviews.

Today, we are featuring Mya, an events coordinator!

This is her story…

I started working at the Zoo in 2016 performing a bunch of different tasks in the Visitor Services Department. At the time, a huge part of this was managing the main parking lot, and being out there you learn how important communication is between both employees and guests!

Toward the end of my first summer, I was trained as a receptionist, which is a huge responsibility. The Zoo receptionist does more than just answer phones – they are the person that updates the entire staff of important happenings that affect the safety of staff, visitors, and animals.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down, I was not sure what that meant for me. When we got word that we would have drive-through admissions, I was happy to return to work. That year was a learning curve for everyone, but it was amazing to see what we could put together for the community to enjoy while keeping both guests and animals safe.

I decided to further pursue my field of work while continuing at the Zoo. At the beginning of 2023, I applied for an internship with the Marketing department on the Events team. After a few months of being an intern, I was offered an Events Assistant position due to my history at the Zoo and knowledge of its operations. In December of 2023, I graduated from Carlow University with a Communications degree and a specialization in Digital Media. After six years of being a seasonal/part-time employee, I have taken on the role of Events Coordinator full-time. I’m excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to share my ideas for the community to enjoy.

My favorite part about working at the Zoo is being able to connect with a range of different people and departments. Being at the Zoo for a few years, you get to know many people from other departments throughout the Zoo and it helps being able to know who to call for information, extended details, or in case of an emergency.

Thank you for all you do, Mya!