Animal Management
Faculty
Mark D. Irwin, D.V.M.
mirwin@sunyjefferson.edu
Dr.
Irwin grew up on a dairy farm near Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada and has a
long-term interest in zoo animal care and management. His zoo career began
with an animal care student position at The Toronto Zoo. While completing
his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College
in Guelph, Ontario, he continued to work at Toronto Zoo and traveled to
places such as Alberta, Tennessee, and Florida to pursue his zoo interest
and experience. He has work experience on farms, in several private and
AZA accredited zoological facilities, and in a private pet/exotic/zoo animal
veterinary practice. Mark currently teaches the animal management clinical
and related science courses at Jefferson Community College. Outside of
class he is faculty advisor for the Zoo/Exotic/Wildlife (ZEW) club. At
The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, Mark has worked as veterinarian,
director of collections and conservation (animal dept. head) and currently
sits on several committees relating to education and the animal collection.
Monica Grant LeClerc, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
mleclerc@sunyjefferson.edu
Dr.
LeClerc grew up in Connecticut where she developed an early interest in
observing birds. She attended the University of Connecticut, earning a
B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation. She earned an M.S. in Wildlife
Management from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from Brigham
Young University in Utah. Monica's research was in the area of avian ecology.
She lives on a small farm where her family breeds sheep and dairy goats,
rides horses, and participates in 4-H activities. Her employment experience
includes field research, farm work, environmental education, and teaching.
She currently teaches biology, mammalogy, and ornithology at Jefferson
Community College.
Todd C. Vincent, B.A., Ph.D.
tvincent@sunyjeffeson.edu
Dr.
Vincent is from Randolph, New York, and enjoyed a rural upbringing that
fostered a love of nature from an early age. After graduating from Randolph
Central School he attended Hiram College where he earned a Bachelor of
Arts in Biology. Upon graduation he received an invitation to enter the
Doctoral Program of the Department of Zoology at the University of Tennessee,
where he began conducting research on the behavioral ecology of the green
anole, Anolis carolinensis. Ultimately he earned a Ph.D. in Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology with research emphases on lizard community ecology,
invasive species ecology, and lizard reproductive physiology. His main
hobbies are gardening, home improvement, and keeping up with his two boys.
Todd teaches animal management seminars, general biology, and herpetology
at JCC.
Peter Gaskin, B.S., M.S.
pgaskin@sunyjefferson.edu
Mr.
Gaskin is a native of the Watertown area. He received his B.S. from Saint
Lawrence University and his M.S. from SUNY Potsdam and has completed further
studies at SUNY ESF and SUNY Oswego. He has a great passion for biology,
with specific interest in aquatic biology, aquatic invertebrates, and the
eastern coyote. His teaching career began at Watertown high school and
he has since taught courses at other schools including St. Lawrence University,
SUNY ESF, SUNY Oswego and SUNY Utica-Rome. In 1964, he began teaching biology
for Jefferson Community College. Most recently, he has been instrumental
in the formation and development of JCC's animal management program. Pete
retired in 2002, but continues to teach part time, including the animal
management program's Aquarium Science course. His hobbies include music
(guitar and banjo), hiking, wilderness camping, and anything dealing with
canoes (paddling, tripping, building, repairing, talking, and just looking),
touring kayaks, and biking.
Kelly Rusho-Boyer A.A.S., B.S.
kelrus@wildmail.com
Ms. Rusho-Boyer grew up in Clayton, NY along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. There she developed an early interest in the wildlife of the area, as well as a passion for domestic animals while helping to care for cattle, horses, and llamas at home. Kelly earned a B.S. in Zoology from SUNY Oswego and completed an internship at Thompson Park Zoo, Watertown. This was followed by two years in Gainesville, FL earning an A.A.S. in Zoo Technology. Since 2003 she has assisted Dr. Irwin with teaching of classes and Animal Management Clinical rotation. In 2004 she acquired a NYS Wildlife Rehabilitation license. She spends summers keeping track of the wildlife of shoreline, woods and field on Grindstone Island and pursuing hobbies of boating, hiking and gardening.
