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The US’s oldest zoo has named Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman as its new president and CEO, with Mogerman set to become the first female in the role in the attraction’s 164-year history
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 25 Aug 2023
Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia Zoo has announced the appointment of Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman as its president and CEO, with Mogerman set to become the first woman in the role in the animal attraction’s 164-year history.
Set to take up her new position starting October 30, Mogerman will succeed Vikram Dewan, who steps down after 16 years in the role.
Mogerman is the zoo’s 15th president and joins from Missouri’s Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park - scheduled to open in 2027 - where she has acted as director since 2019. In that role, Mogerman was responsible for leading and planning the US$230m (€213.2m, £182.5m) development of the 1.72sq km (0.7sq mi) destination.
“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 organisation,” said Joanna McNeil Lewis, chair of 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.”
Prior to her role at Saint Louis Zoo, Mogerman was the vice president of Learning and Community at the Shedd Aquarium and spent nearly 14 years in leadership roles at the Brookfield Zoo.
“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.
“There’s a lot of amazing work underway at Philadelphia Zoo and together with the community and the zoo team, I am certain we will catapult the nation’s first zoo into a model for zoos of the future.”
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