Dear ZAA Members,
Season Greetings!
I would like to share an update on our Administrative Team. Sarah Haskins has decided to pursue a different opportunity and will be leaving ZAA at the end of the month. I want to publicly thank Sarah for all her hard work over the past two years. She has been a real asset to ZAA, and I hope you will join me in wishing her well in her new endeavor. The other piece of this story is that I would like to welcome Kimber Hendrix as the new Administrative Coordinator! I’m sure most of you know Kimber from her work in the industry, and particularly from her work as the ZAA Awards Committee Chair. Kimber will begin her new full-time position with ZAA on Jan 15th. Please join me in welcoming her. Kimber can be reached after Jan 15th by using the info@zooassociation.org email address.
Additionally, I would like to announce that Ken Kammerer will be stepping down as the AMP/Conservation Committee Chair after many years of service. Ken has done an amazing job of assisting with the establishment of our AMP programs, including the newest one for clouded leopards! He has also organized and connected ZAA’s conservation efforts to create a network of conservation partners. Please join me in thanking Ken for his fantastic work! Please also join me in thanking Joel Hamilton, who has agreed to step up as the new AMP/Conservation Committee Chair. Joel will work with Ken to create a smooth transition, and I am sure Joel will help to elevate conservation as one of ZAA’s pillars. And I certainly also want to thank Stephanie Jeter for committing to serving as the studbook coordinator for the new clouded leopard AMP!
I hope you are all making your plans to join us in Issaquah, WA Feb 11-14th, 2025, for our Semi-annual Meeting and Professional Development Workshops (formerly known as Midyear Meeting). This will be an amazing opportunity to network with colleagues and to attend workshops offered by a wide range of experts, including the following topics: anti-venom, footcare and hoof trimming, USFWS confiscation engagement, animal welfare 101, animal training, emergency darting, education programming, accreditation lead inspector training, animal encounter data collection, and government affairs. Registration is open so don’t delay and miss the early bird rate! Click here to register.
Wishing you all the best of the season,
Kelly
Dr. Kelly George
Executive Director
(941) 621-2021 - Office
(941) 421-2413 - Mobile
