Species360 Members elect new and returning trustees for 2021

In 2021, we are pleased to welcome five new and returning trustees elected by our members to serve on the Species360 Board of Trustees. Dr. Kazutoshi Takami (Japan) and Brian Zimmerman (United Kingdom) begin their first term as Institutional Trustees, and Jackson Andrews (United States), Maria Clara Domínguez (Colombia), and Bjarne Klaus (Denmark) are elected to a second term.

In addition, the Latin American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (ALPZA) was elected as an Association Trustee, represented by Dr. Alexandra Guerra (Chile). 

We are grateful to these individuals and to all of our trustees for their ongoing leadership and work on behalf of Species360 and our members. Read more about these leaders, below, and see the full Species360 Board of Trustees here.

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The Species360 Board of Trustees is comprised of 21 leaders representing zoos, aquariums, wildlife conservation, and associations worldwide.

New and Re-Elected Species360 Institutional Trustees

Jackson Andrews, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Tennessee Aquarium (United States): Andrews has been elected to fulfill a second term as an Institutional Trustee of Species360. His industry experience spans more than 40 years, including his current role as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Tennessee Aquarium, and previous roles as Director of Husbandry for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. He began his career at the National Aquarium as an aquarist.

Throughout his career, Andrews has served in various capacities with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in the U.S. He supports animal record keeping as fundamental to animal health and welfare, and key to the science of animal programs. The Tennessee Aquarium was one of the early adopters of ZIMS and has been a key partner in establishing – and continuing to enhance – an effective, easy-to-use tool for aquatics environments.

María Clara Domínguez, CEO, Zoológico De Cali, Colombia, has been elected to fulfill a second term as an Institutional Trustee of Species360. Domínguez is NGO in charge of administering the Municipal Zoo of the city of Cali, Colombia. As Director of Cali Zoological Society, she served as President of the Colombian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (ACOPAZOA) during two periods: 1991- 1996 and 2001 – 2003; President of the Latin American Zoos and Aquariums Association ALPZA 2004 – 2009; and often speaks at conferences and events for ALPZA, EAZA, WAZA and Brazilian Zoos Association, and ACOPAZOA meetings.

The Cali Zoological Foundation has been working with the local environmental and educational authorities during the last few years coordinating the city´s environmental plan through public schools. Under Domínguez’ leadership, they have designed and built an Amazon fauna Park in Mocoa in the State of Putumayo, and received a large portion of Illegal trafficking fauna seized by the environmental authorities during the last 10 years.

Bjarne Klausen, Executive Director, Odense Zoo, Denmark, has been elected to fulfill a second term as an Institutional Trustee of Species350. Klausen returned to Odense Zoo as Executive Director in October 2018 after leading the National Aquarium Denmark – Den Blå Planet, the largest aquarium in Northern Europe, as Chief Executive Officer. He was selected by Odense Zoo for his diverse management experience, deep knowledge of zoos and aquariums, and developing innovative ideas and strategies to strengthen operations to meet ambitious goals and objectives.

Prior to his appointment with Den Blå Planet, Klausen served as the CEO of the shark centre of Denmark, Kattegatcentret, as vice director with Odense Zoo for nearly 20 years, and as an interpreter with Copenhagen Zoo. Klausen has served on numerous committees, task forces and boards for both zoo and aquarium associations as well as Danish tourism organizations. He has held positions with the Danish Association of Zoos and Aquaria – Chairman of the association and Chairman of the Zoology Group and as a Screener.

Klausen’s work with EAZA over the past 20 years includes service as a national and international screener, member of Tapir species and Grevy’s zebra species committees, Chairman of Pelecaniformes TAG and the Reintroduction Advisory Group, which he founded. He is also a member of CPSG and RSG in IUCN and served as a member of the CPSG Technology Task Force.

Dr. Kazutoshi (Kazu) Takami, Director and Veterinarian, Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park, Japan, has been elected to a first term as an Institutional Trustee of Species360. Dr. Takami became director of Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park in April 2020 after serving in many leadership roles, including registrar, curator and senior curator and veterinarian over the last 25 years with Osaka Municipal Tennoji Zoological Gardens. Prior to his work with Tennoji Zoological Gardens, he was the veterinarian at Shizuoka Municipal Nihondaira Zoo.

Dr. Takami also teaches as a part-time lecturer with Toyohashi University of Technology and with his alma mater for his Veterinary Medicine degree, Osaka Prefecture University, where he is a guest researcher as well. He earned his Ph.D. in Zootechnical Science from the United Graduate School of Agricultural Science at Gifu University.

Dr. Takami has served in leadership roles with the Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (JSZWM) and their Infectious Disease Control and International Exchange Committees; the Asian Society of Conservation Medicine (formerly the Asian Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine); the Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums Educators (JZAE); the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) on their General Affairs Committee, Information Committee, Conservation Committee, with their Global Conservation Affairs division, and as their TAG Chair for Gruiformes/Ciconiiformes/Galliformes/Anseriformes; WAZA on their Conservation and Sustainability Committee; and as an active member with CPSG representing Japan.

Brian Zimmerman, Director of Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, United Kingdom, has been elected to a first term as an Institutional Trustee of Species360. Zimmerman has been the Director of Conservation and Science of the Bristol Zoological Society (BZS) since July 2020, with Executive Board responsibility for BZS’s two animal collections at Bristol Zoo Gardens and the Wild Place Project, as well as its veterinary services, its Institute of Conservation Science and Learning (including the Learning, and Field Conservation and Science departments).

Prior to joining BZS, Zimmerman was the Chief Zoological Officer at the Zoological Society of London, with responsibility for the curatorial team and species planning at London and Whipsnade Zoos.  He joined ZSL as the Head Keeper of the Aquarium in 1999 and eventually became Curator of the Aquarium.  At ZSL, he created the Fish Net Programme, an international consortium of zoos, aquariums, research institutions and NGOs working to save threatened freshwater fish species from extinction.  He developed projects under the Fish Net Programme in Greece, Turkey and Madagascar, undertaking monitoring, translocation and establishing security populations of some of the most threatened species on Earth.  Through consultancy and with other partner organizations, he has conducted biodiversity surveys in Nepal, Liberia and Turkmenistan and worked to develop an alternative sustainable livelihood program in Brazil utilizing ornamental fishes for the aquarium hobby. 

Zimmerman was the Chair of the BIAZA Aquarium Working Group for several years and Chair of the EAZA Fish and Aquatic Invertebrate Taxonomic Advisory Group (FAITAG) for seven years.  He also serves on the EAZA Conservation Committee.  He is currently the Chair of the Freshwater Fish TAG for EAZA and sits on the Committee of the European Union of Aquarium Curators.

2021 MEMBER ASSOCIATION TRUSTEE – ELECTED BY MEMBERSHIP

The Asociación Latinoamericana de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios (Latin American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, ALPZA) has been elected as an Association Trustee of Species360. ALPZA) was founded in December 1990 and today has 47 institutional members representing 13 countries and territories; 8 national and regional zoological associations; 12 zoos and aquariums from outside of Latin America; 2 corporate members; 15 individual zoo and aquarium professional members; and  9 conservation allies, including Species360.

Dr. Alexandra Guerra, Executive Director, will represent ALPZA as a trustee to Species360. As executive director, Dr. Guerra leads the Latin American community of zoological parks and aquariums, raising standards for animal welfare, conservation, research, education, sustainability, and safety. She is a Chilean veterinarian with additional degrees in Ethology and Animal Welfare obtained at the Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile.

Throughout her studies and professional career, Dr. Guerra has worked in the disciplines of Education for Animal and Environmental Conservation, and Animal Welfare. She has actively collaborated in different teaching bodies of the Universidad Mayor de Chile and has supported the development of various training workshops for specialists in collaboration with the local authorities of the country. Colleagues describe Dr. Guerra as an extremely responsible, committed, and persistent person, which led her to be chosen as one of the “100” young leaders” of “El Mercurio”, a national newspaper, a recognition that highlights the influence of new generations and their efforts to achieve a better society.