Zoo President

Her first choice of career path would have helped one animal at a time. Then she envisioned a different way to help many animals at the same time. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Jo-Elle Mogerman (JEM) was born in Chicago, where her father was a custodian (janitor) and her mother a keypunch operator. 

Neither parent was a college graduate when JEM was born but her mother eventually earned an Associate’s degree from a community college. Both parents valued education for JEM. 

CHILDHOOD

JEM describes her childhood as being “a city girl who loved (still does) animals.” Her passion would eventually lead to her first choice of an adult career: a veterinarian. 

EDUCATION

Following high school graduation, JEM focused her college courses on subjects she would need to master to both qualify for graduate school specializing in veterinary science – and then to be a successful veterinarian. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in biology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. JEM then earned a Master’s degree in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in biology from the University of Illinois in Chicago. 

FIRST CAREER PATH NEVER A BINDING COMMITMENT

Watching nature shows on television had motivated JEM to become the next Jane Goodall (a famous English woman who, as a primatologist and anthropologist, studied – during years of close interactions with chimpanzees in Africa, – their social and family interactions, reporting how many primates showed human-like concerns for their families). 

So, JEM’s first career path choice was to become a veterinarian. But she ended up choosing a different way to help many animals at the same time.

CHOOSING A DIFFERENT PATH

While treating animals one at a time as a veterinarian would help each animal – one at a time – JEM began to think about helping animals in a more comprehensive way by being a zoo and aquarium professional. She realized that she would likely be one of a few women – in addition, a Black woman – in this professional field, “which is partly why I went into education rather than being a researcher. Because I recognized that kids related to me, and I also have an obligation to give back. I thought I could be more impactful in my work,” said JEM.

Early jobs for JEM’s revised career path included:

• 14 years in leadership roles at Illinois’ Brookfield Zoo.
• Vice President of Learning and Community at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium
• Director of the Saint Louis Wildcare Park, leading the planning and development of the 425-acre, $230 million project. 

Upon completion of the major project planning involved in her last job, JEM was open to considering other opportunities within her career path. 

On 10/30/23, JEM will take the helm as the Philadelphia Zoo’s President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer). In making the announcement of the zoo’s new leader, the chairperson of the Philadelphia Zoo’s Board of Directors noted that “We embarked on a journey to find the very best person to lead our forward-thinking organization. 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.”

CAREER SATISFACTION

“Sometimes people talk about their legacy,” said JEM. “My legacy is actually people – the young people I have had in my programs who have gone on to do important research or gone on to work in zoos and aquariums around the country.”

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This career story is based on a news article written by Rita Giordano, published in the Philadelphia Inquirer on August 16, 2023