ABOUT US
OUR DEDICATED TEAM
Dr. Missy Williams, Founder & Director
Dr. Missy Williams is a primatologist, educator, and passionate advocate for compassionate conservation. She founded the Dania Beach Monkey Sanctuary to protect, study, and care for South Florida’s only population of wild vervet monkeys, while providing a safe haven for those who cannot live freely.
Dr. Williams earned her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where her research focused on primate behavior, ecology, and welfare. Her work has contributed valuable insights into the complex social lives and adaptability of vervet monkeys — both in the wild and in sanctuary settings.
Through her leadership, the sanctuary has become a model for ethical wildlife care and community-based conservation. Dr. Williams is dedicated to promoting coexistence between people and wildlife through research, education, and public outreach, inspiring a deeper respect for the intelligent and resilient animals who share our world.
Her vision for the Dania Beach Monkey Sanctuary brings science, compassion, and community together by creating a future where humans and wildlife can thrive side by side.
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Aaron Mencia, Site Manager
Aaron brings a strong background in wildlife conservation and animal care to the Dania Beach Vervet Project. After earning a bachelor’s in science degree from Florida Atlantic University, he worked as an educator at a local zoo and state park along with primate care at the vervet site. As Site Manager, Aaron assists the director with sanctuary operations, ensuring the vervet monkeys live in a safe and enriching environment. He also helps strengthen connections between the local community and the resident monkeys through public outreach. Passionate about coexistence, Aaron uses education and outreach to promote understanding of South Florida’s free-ranging vervet population. Outside of work, he enjoys contributing to the community by volunteering and photographing urban wildlife. Aaron is proud to help advance the project’s mission to protect, educate, and inspire coexistence with these remarkable primates.
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Dr. Pete Otovic
Dr. Pete Otovic began his career studying the social behavior and communication of non-human primates during his time in a Cognitive Neuroscience PhD program at the University of South Florida. He earned his veterinary degree from the University of Florida and then pursued a residency/board certification in laboratory animal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, where he specialized in the care, anesthesia, surgery, analgesia, and welfare/behavior of a wide range of small mammals and exotics, with an emphasis in non-human primates. He spent a large portion of his career working to improve the welfare of primates living in laboratory animal facilities within both university and industry, but unfortunately was unsuccessful, and the experiences were traumatic. Dr. Pete now spends his time working with primates in sanctuaries and with dogs and cats at rescue facilities.
