Meet National Zoo Director Dr. Lucy Spelman! "If you really want to do something then you can do it. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl. Look around. There are plenty of girls and women doing amazing things. Don't worry if you don't follow the traditional way of doing something. Stay with it!" - Dr. Lucy Spelman Occupation: Director of the National Zoo in Washington, DC Bachelor's degree: Biology from Brown University (1985) Doctorate: Veterinary medicine from the University of California (1990) Other education: She later spent 3 years in a zoological medicine residency program at the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine and the North Carolina State Zoological Park in Asheboro. Birthplace: Bridgeport, CT. Grew up in West Redding, CT Birthdate: Jan. 8, 1963 Hobbies: Watercolor painting, bicycling, and birdwatching Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my! It may sound straight out of the Wizard of Oz, but it's just a normal day for National Zoo Director Dr. Lucy Spelman. Dr. Spelman is the National Zoo's first female director. "I have the abilty to truly appreciate how amazing animals are," Dr. Spelman says. "From a distance it might be hard to appreciate just how powerful the jaws on a tiger are, how intricate a cheetah pattern is, and how long the neck of a giraffe is. I get to see it all up close" Dr. Spelman grew up in West Redding, CT, where her love for animals and nature was born. Although she was always interested in animals, she says her fourth grade teacher helped get her interested in math and science. The teacher had "old clothes Wednesdays" where students would wear their oldest clothes and spend the afternoon at a local nature preserve. "That's when I made the connection that science and math are part of understanding nature," Dr. Spelman says. Understanding nature is only part of Dr. Spelman's job. Before becoming director of the zoo, Dr. Spelman was the chief veterinarian. She still makes time to go on veterinary rounds every morning and participate in clinical cases two to four times a week, but she now has the extra responsibility of running the zoo-a challenging task with sometimes long hours, she says. These responsibilities include fund raising, doing events, giving speeches, and making plans for the future of the zoo. She says her general goal for the day is showing the zoo to everyone and sharing some behind the scenes magic. She says she likes to show people the "hidden zoo." "There is so much that goes on behind the scenes," Dr. Spelman says. "There are people who trim trees and people who chop food for the tamarin monkeys. There are even scientists who study animal reproduction and behavior. It's more than just what people see on the outside." Dr. Spelman wants for people who visit the zoo to understand that each exhibit is really a program, not just a place. "The zoo has a critical role in a diverse world. It's about plugging into the global conservation effort. We are supporting active research and education. It's about more than just the creature." While she doesn't have a favorite animal, Dr. Spelman did have a large role in bringing the zoo's two new pandas—Mei Xiang and Tian Tian—over from China. She just returned from a three-week trip in China to remote nature preserves. She says working with the Chinese has been a great way to learn and share knowledge. She says running the zoo is a team effort. She has a team of experts that she must communicate with on a daily basis. "If I put together the best team and make the best plan then I feel that I have succeeded, no matter the outcome," Dr. Spelman says.