Juanita is a very active board member of the Orangutan Conservancy. Upon graduation from UCLA Juanita went into the garment business where she spent 25 years as a designer, patternmaker and dress manufacturer. In 1987 she became a docent at the Los Angeles Zoo where she currently gives tours, not only to elementary school children, but also to college anthropology students. She lectures on primates and does behavioral research at the zoo. In 1992 she took her first trip to see orangutans in the wild and has been working on their behalf ever since. She is currently the co-treasurer of the Orangutan Conservancy and does community outreach for the organization.
