Alyssa Tillman

Alyssa Tillman serves as assistant curator at the Aquarium of the Pacific, overseeing the care and management of tropical fishes and invertebrates.

She is an expert in behavioral (animal) husbandry, enrichment, and the specialized care of elasmobranchs (such as sharks and rays) and syngnathids (such as seahorses and pipefishes). Tillman works closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Southern California Wildlife Confiscation Network to provide immediate and long-term care for confiscated wildlife. Through this partnership, she oversees the accession and management of a behind-the-scenes coral collection at the Aquarium. As a program leader for an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), Tillman liaises with institutions across North America to support species management and sustainability. She holds a bachelor of science degree in biology with a minor in ocean science from the Georgia Institute of Technology.