Cherie Dumas Nobles joins the 2026 Advancing Minority Leadership in Aquariums & Zoos Program as one of Canopy’s sponsored participants. She is currently the Research Program Manager at Audubon Nature Institute.
Presented by MIAZS in partnership with Leadby, the AMLAZ Program is an 8-month, high-impact program that accelerates the growth of BIPOC, mid-level leaders. As AMLAZ enters its third year, Canopy is proud to continue our annual sponsorship of three participants in the cohort.
Not many people can say their career began with a gap year that never ended, but that’s essentially what happened to Cherie. In 1999, as a college senior, she landed an internship at Audubon’s Species Survival Center in New Orleans. She fell in love with the work, finished her degree, and when they asked her to stay on, she said yes — just for a year. That was 25 years ago.
Since then, Cherie has been part of some extraordinary scientific work. Her team cloned the world’s first carnivore and developed groundbreaking techniques in in vitro culture and fertilization for endangered species. When that research division wound down in 2015, she pivoted rather than moving on, stepping into the role of Research Program Manager — a position she still holds today. In this role, she manages internal and external research proposals, oversees partnerships with LSU and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and mentors students across programs that span decades.
Cherie Dumas Nobles
How did you first hear about the AMLAZ Program?
I went to an AZA Conference for the first time in 2023 and encountered the Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Science (MIAZS) group there. I fell in love! I made all these plans to join, and then life got in the way. But I kept following them on social media, and I noticed a post about this professional development course. I did a little digging, and I couldn’t believe what I found — It ticked every box I was looking for. I knew that doing this course would help me develop more skills and open doors to leadership roles. That’s what excited me about it.
You’ve spent 25 years at one institution, which is pretty rare in any field. What do you think that kind of longevity gives you?
I can help people navigate what it looks like to stay somewhere for the long haul — to grow and evolve within one organization over many, many years. That’s something not everyone in the cohort will have experienced. Some people move from place to place, which has its own advantages. But I’ve seen my organization change, I’ve changed roles within it, I’ve watched programs start and end. There’s a kind of institutional knowledge and perspective that comes from that, and I hope I can bring some of that to the group.
Are there any particular leadership skills you’re looking to grow through the program?
I am the world’s biggest introvert. So the presenting — having to stand up and speak to a group of people — that’s the part I’m a little nervous about. But honestly, that’s also part of why I’m doing this. I’m hoping the program helps me work on that. Other than that, I’m looking forward to everything.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Learn more about the AMLAZ Program here.
