Kathleen Leahy
Framingham,MA
Summary
Training professional with proven record in designing and executing comprehensive training initiatives that drive organizational growth. Valued for collaborative approach and results-driven mindset, consistently meeting dynamic business needs. Skilled in instructional design and fostering positive learning environment, ensuring reliable and adaptable support for teams. Always using LEAN management skills
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Training Coordinator for Small Animals
MGH CCM Employee Services
06.2023 - Current
- Teach new hires
- Scheduling New Hire Trainings and Assessment
- MIT Husbandry
- Room check
- Euthanasia
- Health check
- Writing up health cards
- ABO, OPO, Benadryl
- Nail trim and teeth trim
- Fur pluck, and read the slide
- Body condition score
- Sentinel collection
- Cardiac stick
- Blood collection
- Breeding services
- Ear tag, punch, slice, notch, and ear tag removal
- IP injections
- Facial bleeds
- Oral gavage
- TVI – white mice
- Tickling Rats
- Editing and writing up new SOP's
- Assessment questions for each training
- Work closely with the enrichment team for the Rats and Rabbits
- Order animals
- Schedule trainings and meeting makers with the RAS team
- Nominated for the silver toaster award for lean management.
- Work with non-human primates: large animals
- Part of the Compassion Awareness Committee
- Part of the CCM Podcast
- Collaborate with Vet Staff on training and SOP's
- Developed engaging instructional materials, including presentations, handouts, and interactive activities.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of training initiatives, making adjustments as needed to optimize results.
- Increased employee retention rates through targeted training interventions and career development opportunities.
- Conducted thorough needs assessments to identify skill gaps and develop appropriate training solutions.
- Conducted regular training needs analyses across departments, ensuring that all training initiatives were aligned with business objectives.
- Increased training session attendance, actively promoting sessions through engaging communications and scheduling flexibility.
- Improved training outcomes with introduction of competency-based assessments, ensuring that training objectives were met.
- Trained and mentored 60 new personnel hired to fulfill various roles.
- Helped trained new interns every summer
Lab Animal Technician 3
MGH CCM
04.2019 - Current
- Sedation
- Giving medication
- Medical and behavior evaluations
- Feed
- Urinalysis
- Injections
- TB testing
- Tattoo
- Blood draws
- Coordinate with Biomere/ Edwards in transportation of NHP
- Update database to reflect our census
- Check service box for all animal inquires from the lab (equipment, animals who need to be NPO)
- Order food, bedding and produce
- Billing lab for fees
- Sending out fecal, blood samples.
- Order enrichment
- Order PPE from vendors or from central storage.
- Sanitize necropsy table/ clean and packaged instruments to be autoclave for next use.
- Acting team lead : help distribute work, make sure orders for supplies were done, animal transfers to different facilities
- Allocate orders for new monkeys to come in.
- Protocol transfers
- Talk to lab staff and have weekly meeting to discuss needs.
- Work with attend lab mice and rats
- Fed and watered animals according to schedules
- Examined animals for signs of illness and treated them according to instructions.
- Adjusted controls to regulate temperature and humidity of animals quarters.
- Recorded information according to instruction, such as diet, weight and medications
- Euthanasia rat bilateral thoracotomy, CO2 for mice and cervical dislocations.
- Sentinel blood collection cardiac puncture
- Vaginal swabbing rats
- Oral gavage rats/ IP rats
- Animal identification ear slicing
- Maintain up to 300 cage transgenic colony including monitoring/ setting up breeding, weaning, sexing mice, collecting genetic material for PCR genotyping
- Proficient in data entry using Microsoft Excel
- Did Team Lead Training
- Monitored environmental conditions within animal facilities to maintain optimal temperature, humidity, light cycles, and air quality for each species housed.
- Reduced stress in lab animals through timely feeding, providing enrichment activities, and closely monitoring health conditions.
- Conducted routine inspections of animal housing areas to identify potential hazards or maintenance issues requiring attention.
- Maintained compliance with federal regulations and institutional guidelines by adhering to standard operating procedures during all aspects of animal care.
- Administered medications and treatments as prescribed, contributing to improved health outcomes for lab animals.
- Recognized and reported any signs of illness or distress in lab animals, ensuring prompt veterinary attention when needed.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current with industry best practices and emerging trends in laboratory animal science.
- Developed strong working relationships with colleagues, fostering a supportive team environment that ensured the success of research projects.
- Facilitated communication between research teams and veterinary staff regarding updates on animal health status or protocol modifications.
- Enhanced animal welfare by implementing proper handling techniques and maintaining clean housing environments.
- Provided excellent daily care for diverse species used in biomedical research projects including rodents, rabbits, primates, birds, reptiles and aquatic organisms.
- Implemented new strategies for improving overall efficiency within the laboratory environment while maintaining the highest standards of animal care.
- Followed safety protocols for handling animals.
- Prepared surgical instrument packs and drapes for use in sterile environments by processing in autoclave.
Shelter Agent
Animal Rescue League of Boston
06.2016 - 01.2018
- Attend shelter animals of 40 animals
- Fed water animals
- Clean disinfected cages/kennels
- Worked with domestic and farm animals
- Help with giving medications to animals
- Draw up vaccines
- Assisted the vet tech
- Euthanizing of sick or highly sick or aggressive animal
- Processed remains by cremation
- Work with undesirable behavior in animals
- Talk to people about the shelter animal
- Help with adoption of animal
- Injections IP, IC, and IV
- Subcutaneous injections for fluids
- Knowing symptoms of parvo
- Working close with the vet
- Worked with drugs as DTK and Fatal Plus
- Coordinate with one of the shelters from the south to transport adoptable animals
- Coordinate with the transport group.
- Quarantine animals as protocol of the state.
- Help transportation shelters transportation team to bring animals to the vet, spay/ neuter and to be picked up.
- Inspection of the transportation truck.
- Maintained accurate records of client communications, transactions, policies, and other relevant documentation for seamless operations within the agency.
- Delivered exceptional customer service by proactively addressing concerns and fostering a positive experience throughout all interactions.
- Enhanced client satisfaction by promptly addressing inquiries and providing accurate information on the adoptable animals.
Animal Technician
Mass General Hospital
06.2011 - 06.2016
- Attended lab mice
- Fed and watered animals according to schedules.
- Cleaned and disinfected cages.
- Examined animals for signs of illness and treated them according to instructions.
- Adjusted controls to regulate temperature and humidity of animals’ quarters.
- Recorded information according to instructions, such as diet, weight and medications.
- Maintains animal inventory records and Room Maintenance Records
- Euthanasia Rat bilateral thoracotomy, CO2 for mice and cervical dislocation.
- Sentinel blood collection cardiac puncture
- Blood collection facial from mice(retro orbital)
- Vaginal Swabbing Rats
- Proper restraints of mice and rats
- Oral Gavage Rats
- Animal identification ear slicing
- Maintain up to 300 cage transgenic colony including monitoring/ setting up breeding, weaning, sexing mice, collecting genetic material for PCR genotyping
- Worked with lab doing intraperitoneal injection for sedation
- Proficient in data entry using Microsoft Excel
- Aides team lead in training of new staff, order supplies and acts as interim team lead when requested by management
- In the process of getting my LAT certification
- Reduced stress for animals during handling by utilizing appropriate restraint techniques and methods.
- Improved animal health by conducting routine monitoring and maintaining detailed records of animal behavior and wellbeing.
- Ensured proper animal nutrition by preparing and distributing specialized diets according to species-specific requirements.
- Monitored breeding programs, facilitating successful mating and offspring care for various species.
- Safeguarded both animals and staff by adhering to strict safety protocols while handling hazardous substances or equipment.
- Participated in continuing education opportunities to stay current on industry best practices, applying new knowledge to daily responsibilities.
Kennel/ Sales
Pet Express
10.2009 - 02.2011
- Sold pets and pet accessories, equipment, food and remedies.
- Advised customer on care, training, feeding, living habits and characteristics of pets, such as dogs, cats, birds, fish and hamsters.
- Fed and provided water for pets.
- Prepared sales slips and sales contracts received payments and obtained credit authorization.
- Cleaned up to 20 cages and tanks.
- Suggested remedies for certain animal diseases and recommended services.
- Greeted customers on sales floor and ascertained make, type and quality of merchandise desired.
- Displayed merchandise, suggested selections that met customer’s needs and emphasized selling points of article, such as quality and utility.
Desk Receptionist
Salem State College
09.2008 - 05.2009
- Maintained sign in log
- Searched bags of students and guests entering the dorm for alcohol, drugs, and weapons.
- Operated telephone switchboard to answer, screen and forward calls, providing information and taking messages.
- Coordinated dorm events with campus police
- Consistently maintained a professional and welcoming environment, fostering positive first impressions for visitors.
- Served as a reliable point of contact for both internal employees and external guests, fostering strong relationships across the board.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by efficiently managing the front desk operations and providing exceptional service.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Art Therapy Candidate
Salem State College
Salem, Massachusetts05.2015
Skills
- I am familiar with Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, Outlook, Articulate, Audacity, and Microsoft Teams
- Verbal and written communication
- Coaching and mentoring
- Presentation
- Training material updates
- Schedule management
- Materials preparation
- Leadership training
- New hire on-boarding
- Customized training
- Feedback collection
Accomplishments
Green Belt Certified in Lean Management
Poster was nominated for the NEBLAS symposium
Affiliations
AALAS member
CAT member (Compassion Awareness Committee)
Certification
In process of getting my LAT certification
Timeline
Training Coordinator for Small Animals
MGH CCM Employee Services
06.2023 - Current
Lab Animal Technician 3
MGH CCM
04.2019 - Current
Shelter Agent
Animal Rescue League of Boston
06.2016 - 01.2018
Animal Technician
Mass General Hospital
06.2011 - 06.2016
Kennel/ Sales
Pet Express
10.2009 - 02.2011
Desk Receptionist
Salem State College
09.2008 - 05.2009
Bachelor of Arts - Art Therapy Candidate
Salem State College
Went to NEBLASS symposium to show poster on Honoring the animals
I was selected to show my poster called Hands On! Honoring the Non Human Primates in which I created a system of honoring our animals and creating a footprint or a handprint to remember the animals that have sacrificed in order for our advancement in medical research, it became so big that we are doing such things for other animals. Example for pigs we do what we call are Piggy Picasso which they will make little paintings with there snouts. I am currently working on hand prints/ feet for rabbits and smaller animals such as mice and rats.
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