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Seminars & Classes

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Training in the Gray: Advanced Concepts for Maintaining Motivation and Avoiding Undesirable Behaviors

Instructors: Thad Lacinak and Angi Millwood Lacinak

7 November 2026

The Role of Precision in Teaching Resilient Behavior

Instructors: Thad Lacinak and Angi Millwood Lacinak

8 November 2026

The Enrichment for Your Animal's Mind: Teaching Cognition Concepts to Enhance Welfare

Instructors: Dr. Katie Christman and Dr. Kelley Winship

12 November 2026

Training in the Gray:
Advanced Concepts for Maintaining Motivation & Avoiding Undesirable Behaviors

Instructors: Thad Lacinak and Angi Millwood Lacinak

When: Saturday, 7 November 2026 - 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando, 10100 International DriveOrlando, FL 32821
Cost: $85 (register for two or more seminars and save $10 on each)

Description: In complex behavioral environments, such as zoos and aquariums with various social dynamics and scheduled guest demonstrations, predictability and established habits can thwart progress and lead to behavioral breakdown. This seminar class explores the science behind consequences of actions and schedules of reinforcement, including the appropriate circumstances for their uses. We also explore proactive and reactive approaches to modifying (or better yet, avoiding) aggression in animals. As a component of the aggression management discussion, we will review application of LRS (Least Reinforcing Scenario) and explore frequent mistakes in its application.

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Meet the Presenters

Angi Millwood Lacinak, PhD

Precision Behavior

Angi has worked in zoos and aquariums for 30 years. In 2009 she co-founded Precision Behavior, where she consults on issues of animal behavior and welfare in zoos, aquariums, and service animal facilities globally. Previously, she served as Manager of Marine Mammals at the Atlantis Resort, The Palm, in Dubai, as the Animal Training Coordinator at the Fort Worth Zoo and was a member of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s opening team, among other roles. Angi has presented numerous workshops and papers nationally and internationally at conferences, for zoo staff, college students and business professionals as well as serving as an instructor for AZA professional courses. In 2005 she received the Animal Welfare Advancement Award from the Animal Behavior Management Alliance. She participated in a television special, Great White Shark: Beyond the Cage of Fear, released in 2013 and was featured in a 2019 documentary, Elephant Trainer in the Room. She holds a B.A. in Drama and English from Jacksonville State University and was awarded M.A. and PhD degrees in Anthrozoology (the study of animal-human relationships [AHRs]) from the University of Exeter. Her research interests include AHRs, perceptions of animal welfare related to animal training scenarios, and all aspects of behavior modification. Her research has been published in several scientific journals. Angi is a professional member of IMATA and the ABMA.

Thad Lacinak

Founder and Principal, Precision Behavior

Thad brings almost 50 years of executive management and pioneering accomplishments to the field of behavior modification. At Precision Behavior, he specializes in positive reinforcement application for animal facilities, school systems, parents, and corporations worldwide. In 2008, Thad retired from a 35-year career at Busch Entertainment Corporation as Vice President and Corporate Curator of Animal Training for all U.S. SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks. He was instrumental in developing their industry-leading techniques, husbandry procedures, the original concept for Discovery Cove and the spectacular killer whale shows, one of which received the prestigious THEA Award. Frequently sought by the media for his expert opinion on a variety of animal-related issues, Thad has been an invited guest on shows such as Larry King Live, PBS radio, The Kelly File, and many others. He was featured in a television special exploring interactions between humans and sharks, Great White Sharks, Beyond the Cage of Fear. He produced and hosted the documentary, Elephant Trainer in the Room, exploring the two polarized approaches to teaching elephants in human care. Lacinak is a member of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association where he served as Vice President, and he was a founder and President of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance. In 2001, Thad co-authored a New York Times' bestseller with Ken Blanchard and Chuck Thompkins, Whale Done! that sold over a million copies in eighteen languages. Whale Done Parenting was released in the Fall of 2009 and The Whale Done School was released in the Spring of 2012.

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The Role of Precision in Teaching Resilient Behavior

Instructors: Thad Lacinak and Angi Millwood Lacinak

When: Sunday, 8 November, 2026 - 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando, 10100 International DriveOrlando, FL 32821
Cost: $85 (register for two or more seminars and save $10 on each)

Description: Training animals at a professional level requires thoughtful, purposeful, precise application of behavior modification techniques. Topics in this seminar class will include a variety of strategies for teaching new behaviors including when each technique may be most appropriate. Additionally, habits that yield high behavioral success will be explored, such as advanced bridging concepts. reinforcement variety, targeting duration, and stimuli desensitization.

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Angi Millwood Lacinak, PhD

Precision Behavior

Thad Lacinak

Founder and Principal, Precision Behavior

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Enrichment for Your Animal’s Mind: Teaching Cognition Concepts to Enhance Welfare

Instructors: Katie Christman and Kelley Winship

When: Thursday, 12 November, 2026 - 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando, 10100 International DriveOrlando, FL 32821
Cost: $85 (register for two or more seminars and save $10 on each)

Description: This seminar class focuses on building clear, effective plans for cognitive behaviors. Training cognitively challenging behaviors is a powerful enrichment tool and plays an important role in enhancing animal welfare. Participants will learn how to define specific cognitive concepts, map criteria, and select reinforcement strategies that support success. Through practical examples, the session explores a range of applications, including teaching win-stay/lose-shift tasks and a how-to on introducing animals to video-based gameplay. The seminar also addresses key session logistics, such as designing data sheets and determining appropriate session frequency to achieve measurable results. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use templates and proven frameworks, giving them the confidence to design, implement, and evaluate their own cognition-based training programs

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Katie Christman, PhD

Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of California, San Diego

Katie Christman earned her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, where she studied dolphin echolocation and auditory perception. With over 13 years of experience in marine mammal training and research, she brings together scientific expertise and hands-on training experience. She has contributed to more than 30 publications, book chapters, and conference presentations focused on marine mammal hearing and cognition. All of this work relied on animals learning complex cognitive tasks such as match-to-sample, two-alternative forced choice, yes/no, and go/no-go paradigms. Over the course of her career, Katie has developed and refined practical, evidence-based training techniques, including errorless learning, strategic reinforcement, precise timing, and maintaining consistency across trainers. She also emphasizes adapting training plans when an animal is not progressing, ensuring each individual can succeed. She is especially passionate about the role cognitive training plays in animal welfare. Through her work, she has seen firsthand how engaging animals in cognitive tasks not only supports research, but also builds the animal’s confidence, increases engagement, and improves husbandry behaviors.

Kelley Winship, PhD

PhD in Experimental Psychology from the Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi

Kelley Winship received her PhD in Experimental Psychology from the Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Lab at the University of Southern Mississippi. With over 15 years of working in the marine mammal field, from intern to trainer to scientist, she has focused her career on cognitive training as enrichment to achieve good welfare. Kelley designed the first marine mammal-centric computerized enrichment system, which has successfully been used with sea lions and bottlenose dolphins. In 2024, she started a company to provide this type of enrichment to other species, including dogs, seals, and even killer whales. Additionally, Kelley has spearheaded the creation of a long-term marine mammal cognitive health assessment to monitor cognitive ability. With this study, she has overseen the successful training of a variety of different conceptual rules, such as body awareness behaviors, spatial memory, and a reversal task.

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PLEASE NOTE: It is important to understand that while these animal training seminar courses are presented by IMATA, they are not part of the IMATA conference. The courses are separate from the IMATA conference, and participants must pay a tuition fee that is separate from conference registration. Conference registration is not required to enroll in the animal training seminar courses.