PRESS RELEASES

Dallas Zoo Names Lisa New as CEO

DALLAS (Nov. 27, 2023) – Following a comprehensive national search for a new leader for the organization, the Dallas Zoo has named Lisa New to the role of chief executive officer, with an official start date of January 15, 2024. She will be the Zoo’s first female CEO in its 135-year history. New succeeds someone she often has recognized as one of her mentors, Gregg Hudson, following his almost 17 years of leadership at the helm of the Dallas Zoo. Hudson passed away in early 2023.

New joins the Dallas Zoo after serving 10 years as the President and CEO of Zoo Knoxville.

“Our search committee felt we had an enormous task in front of us back in May when we began a national search for the Dallas Zoo’s next leader. Lisa quickly rose to the top of our list given her impressive career accomplishments that represent everything we were seeking in our new CEO,” said Dawn Moore, chair of the Dallas Zoo board of directors. “We found ourselves with the opportunity to bring in a well-respected and recognized leader with the ideal mix of skills to propel our Dallas Zoo to the next level, and we jumped at the chance. We can’t wait to see what Lisa and our talented Dallas Zoo team will achieve!”

A distinguished career at Zoo Knoxville saw New ascend from an entry-level position on the zoo’s Conservation Science team, through the animal care and welfare ranks, into leadership roles, and eventually to leading Zoo Knoxville as its President and CEO for the past decade. Under New’s leadership, the team at Zoo Knoxville executed a bold strategic plan that included a comprehensive campus master plan, a marketing and rebranding effort, a $39 million capital campaign, and some of the most ambitious construction projects in the zoo’s history.

“It is a great honor and responsibility to be entrusted with the legacy that is Dallas Zoo,” said incoming CEO Lisa New. “During my initial meetings with the search committee, it quickly became apparent that the Dallas team and I shared the same values. That is, a strong commitment to the wellbeing of our animals, our staff, and our guests to foster a culture that engages our community and protects wildlife. Several years ago, my friend and mentor, the late Gregg Hudson, inspired me to align my passion, profession, vocation and mission; if you are good at it, if the world needs it, and you get paid for it, that’s not a livelihood, that is your purpose. It has guided me ever since, and I am excited to begin this chapter with an iconic institution that has a long history of setting the standard that others follow.”

Several new habitats built at Zoo Knoxville under New’s leadership earned architectural and exhibit usage and design awards. Most recently, reimagining Zoo Knoxville as a destination experience that serves as a catalyst for the revitalization of East Knoxville and is an anchor attraction for the community has been a key initiative for New, driven by her passion for inspiring people to care about wildlife and wild places.

“This kind of forward-thinking and ingenuity about the role zoos play in making connections – connections between people, ideas, inspiration, and among communities – is exactly what we need as we move into the next phase of the Dallas Zoo’s future,” said Dallas Zoo board chair Moore.

“Lisa has been a visionary leader who changed the trajectory for Zoo Knoxville,” says Russ Watkins, incoming chair of the Zoo Knoxville board of directors. “Over the last 10 years, she has successfully executed an ambitious plan that transformed our zoo. From the time she took the helm in 2013, our attendance has increased by 52 percent and our revenue has grown by 105 percent. She has laid a foundation that will ensure we continue to thrive, and she should be very proud of her legacy here in Knoxville.”

New has a long history of working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), including most recently becoming the chair of the AZA board of directors in October 2023. Her prior work has included serving as the vice-chair of the AZA Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP), as well as vice-chair of the AZA Gorilla SSP. In addition to serving on the AZA board of directors, she is currently active as a steering committee member of the AZA Ape Taxon Advisory Group, an AZA Accreditation Inspector, and a steering committee member of the Elephant Task Force.

“Lisa New has been an amazing leader for Zoo Knoxville, helping us become a national leader in conservation and education, not to mention one of biggest attractions in our community,” said city of Knoxville mayor Indya Kincannon. “I wish Lisa well as she moves on to a new city and thank her for the legacy she’s leaving behind.”

About the Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo is dedicated to Creating a Better World for Animals. Consistently named one of the nation’s Top 10 Zoos by USA Today, it is the largest zoological experience in Texas. The Zoo has been accredited continuously by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums since 1985, and includes a 106-acre park, more than 2,000 animals, keeper chats and animal encounters, and opportunities to engage, explore, and learn through the Zoo and its robust schedule of education and conservation programs. The Zoo is located at 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway (I-35 at Marsalis Ave.) and is open seven days a week, with seasonal hours. For more information, visit DallasZoo.com.

About Zoo Knoxville

Zoo Knoxville is a nonprofit entity situated on 53 wooded acres just east of downtown Knoxville. Zoo Knoxville features exhibits of wild animals in natural habitats and is world renowned for its efforts in conservation and species survival. Zoo Knoxville is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education. Knoxville’s largest attraction, the zoo is open every day except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Currently, the zoo is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. For more information visit zooknoxville.org.