Professor Echevarria has been a professional animal keeper and trainer for over twenty years. She has had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of animals, including domestic dogs and cats, small exotic animals, dolphins, capuchin monkeys and great apes.

She is currently the Manager of Animal Care and Training at the St. Louis Aquarium, managing the training and behavioral enrichment of the collection. She is no stranger to the stage, having spent many years hosting the live "Animal Actors on Location" show at Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando, in addition to training animals for movies and television. Professor Echevarria is currently completing her Ph.D. in Environmental Science.