After a comprehensive national search, Philadelphia Zoo has found its new President and Chief Executive Officer in Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman, who will assume these roles beginning October 30, 2023.

Mogerman will succeed Vikram Dewan, who has led America’s first zoo successfully for 16 years.

Mogerman will be the 15th President in the Zoo’s 164-year history and its first woman president.

“As we launched our national search at the beginning of the year, we embarked on a journey to find the very best person to lead our forward-thinking organization,” said  Joanna McNeil Lewis, Chair of the Philadelphia Zoo Board of Directors. “Dr. Mogerman’s impressive career and accomplishments speak for themselves, but it was her clear commitment to community, animal welfare, staff development, and operational excellence that made her the right fit for our renowned Zoo.”

Mogerman will arrive at Philadelphia Zoo after serving as Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park in Missouri for the last four years. Before that, she was Vice President of Learning and Community at Shedd Aquarium. She also spent almost 14 years in various leadership roles at Brookfield Zoo in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield, Illinois.

“I look forward to leading Philadelphia’s exceptional team to advance the Zoo’s mission and further its impact on the region while also contributing to conservation in ways that are meaningful locally, regionally, and nationally,” said Mogerman.

Visit the Philadelphia Zoo’s press page to learn more about Dr. Mogerman’s background and experience.

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