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Zoo Staff Interests

Members of the Saint Louis Zoo staff contribute their time and talents to American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) programs and other collaborative projects. Media interested in talking to them should contact powell@stlzoo.org or childs@stlzoo.org.

Jeffrey P. Bonner, PhD, president and CEO

  • Board Chairman, International Species Information System (ISIS) 
  • Chair, Madagascar Fauna Group
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Humboldt Penguin Conservation in Punta San Juan, Peru
  • Board Member, Conservation Breeding Specialists Group (CBSG)
  • Member, External Advisory Committee, Duke University Primate Center
  • Council Member, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

William Boever, DVM, director

  • Member, AZA Accreditation Committee
  • Member and past president, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
  • Member and past president, American College of Zoological Medicine
  • Member, American Veterinary Medical Association
  • Member, St. Louis Veterinary Medical Association
  • Member, Animal Welfare Committee, Missouri Veterinary Medical Association
  • Member, Board of Directors, Wildlife Rescue Center
  • Member, American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians

Charles H. Hoessle, director emeritus

  • Past-president and Honorary member, American Zoo and Aquarium Association

ANIMAL DIVISION

William Houston, assistant general curator

  • Coordinator, Lesser Kudu Population Management Plan
  • Coordinator, Addax Species Survival Plan
  • Member, Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group
  • Member, Steering Committee, Buffalo/Bison/Cattle Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Steering Committee, Wild Pig and Peccary Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Antelope and Giraffe Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Board of Directors, Sahara Conservation Fund
  • Institutional Representative, Paraguay Conservation Action Plan
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Sahelo-Saharan Wildlife Recovery

Steve Bircher, curator of mammals/carnivores

  • Member, Steering Committee, Taxon Advisory Groups for Felid and Small Carnivore
  • Member, Management Group, Species Survival Plans for Cheetah, Lion, Snow Leopard, North American River Otter, Sloth Bear and Sun Bear
  • Member, Taxon Advisory Groups for Bear, Canid and Hyaenid
  • Institutional Representative, Species Survival Plans for Jaguar, Polar Bear, Red Panda and Spectacled Bear
  • Institutional Representative, Population Management Plans for Amur Leopard, California Sea Lion and Puma
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Cheetah Conservation
  • Member, American Society of Mammalogists
  • Member, The St. Louis Academy of Science

Ingrid Porton, curator of mammals/primates

  • Co-director, AZA Wildlife Contraception Center at Saint Louis Zoo 
  • Coordinator, Species Survival Plans for Black Lemur (Black/Blue-eyed), and Ruffed Lemur (Black and White/Red)
  • Vice-chair, Madagascar Fauna Group
  • Vice-chair, Contraception Scientific Advisory Group
  • Studbook Keeper, International Studbooks for Black Lemur (Black/Blue-eyed) & Ruffed Lemur (Black and White, Red)
  • Member, Steering Committee, Posimians Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, CBSG
  • Member, Gorilla Behavior Advisory Group
  • Member, Management Group, Species Surival Plans for Chimpanzee, Goeldi's Monkey, Mongoose Lemur, Ring-tailed Lemur, and Macaques
  • Institutional Representative, Species Survival Plans/Taxon Advisory Groups for Black-and-white Colobus, Cotton-top Tamarin and Golden Lion Tamarin
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Madagascar Conservation
  • Member, American Society of Primatologists
  • Member, International Society of Primatologists
  • Member, IUCN Primate Specialist Group
  • Member, Society for Conservation Biology

Michael Macek, curator of birds

  • Coordinator, Screamer Population Management Plan
  • Chair, Piciformes Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, AZA Regional Conference Program Committee
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Crested, Horned and Black-necked Screamers
  • Member, Management Group, Species Survival Plans for Cinereous Vulture, Congo Peafowl, Great and Rhinoceros Hornbills, Humboldt Penguin and Micronesian Kingfisher
  • Member, Steering Committee, Taxon Advisory Groups for Galliformes/Tinamiformes, Penguins and Coraciiformes
  • Member, Taxon Advisory Groups for Anseriformes (Ducks/Geese), Ciconiiformes, Columbiformes, Gruiformes, Passeriformes, Cracids and Raptors
  • Institutional Representative, Species Survival Plans for Bali Mynah, Wattled Crane, White-naped Crane, Mauritius Pink Pigeon, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Blue Crowned Pigeon and White-winged Wood Duck
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation of the Horned Guan
  • Project Co-manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Humboldt Penguin Conservation in Punta San Juan, Peru
  • Member, IUCN/SSC Cracid Specialist Group

Jeff Ettling, curator of reptiles, amphibians and fish

  • Coordinator, Ocellated Mountain Viper Population Management Program
  • Co-Coordinator, Puerto Rican Crested Toad Species Survival Plan
  • Member, AZA Honors and Awards Committee
  • Member, Management Group, Aruba Island Rattlesnake Species Survival Plan
  • Member, Steering Committee, Crocodilians Taxon Advisory Group
  • Institutional Representative, Species Survival Plans for Chinese Alligator, Wyoming Toad and Radiated Tortoise
  • Institutional Representative, Taxon Advisory Groups for Amphibians, Chelonians, Crocodilians, Lizards, Snakes and Squamids
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation of Near East Mountain Vipers
  • Member, The Herpetologists' League
  • Member, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

Martha Fischer, curator of mammals/ungulates

  • Chair, Equids Taxon Advisory Group
  • Vice-chair, Antelope and Giraffe Taxon Advisory subgroup for Arid Land Antelopes, Gazelles and Pronghorn Antelope
  • Coordinator, Grevy's Zebra Species Survival Plan
  • Coordinator, Speke's Gazelle Population Management Plan 
  • Secretary, Elephant Species Survival Plan/Taxon Advisory Group
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Grevy's zebra
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Speke's gazelle
  • Member, Sterring Committee, Taxon Advisory Group for Bison/Buffalo/Cattle, Wild Pig and Peccary, and Rhinoceros
  • Member, Management Group, Species Survival Plan for Babirusa, Banteng, Bongo, Addra and Mhorr Gazelle, and Okapi
  • Institutional Representative, Species Survival Plan for Addax, Arabian Oryx, Chacoan Peccary, Black Rhinoceros, and Visayan Warty Pig
  • Institutional Representative, Deer Taxon Advisory Group
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Equid Conservation in the Horn of Africa
  • Member, Board of Directors, International Elephant Foundation
  • Member, East Africa Conservation Action Partnership
  • Member, Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group
  • Member, IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group
  • Member, IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group
  • Professional member, Elephant Manager's Association 

Jane Stevens, curator of invertebrates

  • Member, Steering Committee, Terrestrial Invertebrates Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Aquatic Invertebrates Taxon Advisory Group
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation of the American Burying Beetle
  • Member, Coleopterists Society
  • Member, Missouri Prairie Foundation

 Alice Seyfried, curator/Children's Zoo

  • Coordinator, Echidna Population Management Plan
  • Co-chair and Newsletter Editor, Children's Zoo Interest Group
  • Chair, Marsupials and Monotremes Taxon Advisory Group
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Short-beaked Echidna
  • Advisor, Conservation Education Committee
  • Member, Management Group, Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Plan
  • Member, Management Group, Queensland Koala Species Survival Group
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation in Papua New Guinea

Rae Lynn Haliday, registrar

  • Director, St. Louis Chapter, The Association of Records Managers and Administrators
  • Chair-Elect 2006-2007, Zoological Registrars Association
  • Member, Institutional Data Management Scientific Advisory Group
  • Chair, Government Ownership Committee
  • Registrar Advisor, Prosimian Taxon Advisory Group

Terri Hunnicutt, zoological manager/great apes

  • Member, Keeper Advisory Committee, Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan
  • Moderator, Husbandry Listserv, Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan 

Joseph Knobbe, zoological manager/primates

  • Vice-coordinator, Baboon Species Survival Plan
  • Institutional Representative, Macaque Species Survival Plan
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Hamadryas Baboon
  • Member, Steering Committee, Old World Monkeys Taxon Advisory Group

Cathi Jeltes, zoological manager/River's Edge

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Somali Wild Ass
  • Coordinator, Somali Wild Ass Population Management Plan
  • Professional member, Elephant Manager's Association

Diane Wilson, zoological manager/antelope area

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Guenther's and Kirk's Dik-Dik
  • Coordinator, Guenther's and Kirk's Dik-Dik Population Management Plan

Bob Merz, zoological manager/invertebrates

  • Member, The Nature Conservancy
  • Member, Missouri Prairie Foundation

Anne Tieber, zoological manager/birds

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Bearded Barbet

Melissa Miller, senior keeper/bird department

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Lesser Kudu

Eric Jeltes, keeper/birds

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Sarus Crane
  • Coordinator, Sarus Crane Population Management Plan

Mark Wanner, zoological manager/herps and aquatics

  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Green Tree Python

Research Department

Cheryl Asa, Ph.D., director of research

  • Co-director, AZA Wildlife Contraception Center at Saint Louis Zoo 
  • Member, IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group
  • Reproduction Advisor, IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group
  • Reproduction Advisor, Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival Plan
  • Member, Scientific Advisory Groups for Behavior, Biomaterials Banking, Reproduction, and Research Coordinators Committee
  • Project Manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for MesoAmerican Conservation, Bosawas
  • Chair, Contraception Scientific Advisory Group
  • Member, Survival Service Commission, CBSG
  • Member, Science and Technology Committee
  • Member, Editorial Board, ZOO BIOLOGY
  • Member, Taxon Advisory Groups for Buffalo/Bison/Cattle, Canid/Hyenid, Antelope and Giraffe, Small Carnivore and Equid
  • Member, Executive Advisory Board, International Center for Tropical Ecology UMSL
  • Founding member, Mesomerican Society of Biology & Conservation
  • Member, Society of Conservation Biology
  • Consultant, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mexican Wolf Recovery Team
  • Member, U.S. National Park Service Channel Island Fox Recovery Team

Karen Bauman, laboratory manager

  • Coordinator, Fennec Fox Species Survival Plan
  • Studbook Keeper, North American Regional Studbook for Fennec Fox
  • Secretary, Canids/Hyenids Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Taxon Advisory Groups for Anseriformes, Antelope and Giraffe, Bison/Buffalo/Cattle, Canid and Hyaenid
  • Member, Scientific Advisory Groups for Biomaterials Banking, Institutional Data Management, and Reproduction
  • Member, IUCN/SSC Canid Specialty Group 
  • Member, International Society for Biotelemetry
  • Member, Remote Sensing & GIS Working Group, The Wildlife Society
  • Member, American Society of Mammalogists
  • Member, U.S. National Park Service Channel Island Fox Recovery Team

Joan Bauman, endocrinologist

  • Member, Contraception and Reproduction Scientific Advisory Groups
  • Chairman, Education Committee, Clinical Ligand Assay Society

Conservation Division

Eric Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACAM, director of WildCare Institute

  • Board Member, AZA Giant Panda Foundation (2003-2006)
  • Veterinary Advisor, Rhinoceros Taxon Advisory Group
  • Associate Veterinary Advisor, Tiger Species Survival Plan
  • Member, Veterinary Specialist Group of IUCN
  • Member, European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians
  • Member, Executive Board, World Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
  • Scientific Advisor, International Zoo Yearbook
  • Co-Editor, Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, 4th through 6th Editions
  • Member, Veterinary Subcommittee, CBSG Advisory Board
  • Project Co-manager, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Avian Health in the Galapagos Islands

Animal Health/Nutrition Department 

Randy Junge, DVM, director of animal health and nutrition

  • Vice-chair, Biomaterials Banking Scientific Advisory Group
  • Veterinary Advisor, Ruffed Lemur Restocking Project, Madagascar Conservation Action Plan
  • Veterinary Advisor, Reintroduction Scientific Advisory Group
  • Veterinary Advisor, Species Survival Plans for Lemur (Black/Blue-eyed Black), Cheetah, Micronesian Kingfisher, and Ocellated Mountain Viper
  • Veterinary Advisor, Prosimians Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Association of Avian Veterinarians
  • Member, American Society of Primatology
  • Member, Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians
  • Member, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
  • Member, American Zoo and Aquarium Association Animal Health Committee
  • Diplomate, American College of Zoological Medicine

Martha Weber, DVM, staff veterinarian

  • Veterinary Advisor, Species Survival Plans for Ruffed lemurs (Black and white, Red)
  • Veterinary Advisor, Pelicaniformes Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Contraception Scientific Advisory Group
  • AAZV Representative, AZA Animal Data Information System Committee
  • AAZV Co-chair, Zoological Information Management System Committee
  • Member, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

Mary Duncan, BVMS, veterinary pathologist

  • Pathology Advisor, Species Survival Plans for Black Rhinoceros and Okapi
  • Pathology Advisor, Old World Monkeys Taxon Advisory Group
  • Member, Biomaterials Banking Scientific Advisory Group
  • Member, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
  • Member, AAZV Education Committee

Ellen Dierenfeld, Ph.D, staff nutritionist

  • Nutrition Advisor, Species Survival Plans for Asian Wild Horse, Babirusa, Bali Mynah, Cheetah, Giant Panda, Hornbill (Great and Rhinoceros), Lion-tailed Macaque, Rhinocerous (Black and Sumatran), Tiger
  • Nutrition Advisor, Taxon Advisory Groups for Ape, Canid & Hyena, Ciconiiformes, Elephant, Felid, Marsupial & Monotreme, Rhinoceros
  • Member, Nutrition Scientific Advisory Group
  • Member, American Zoos and Aquariums Association Program Committee
  • Member, Animal Data Information Systems Committee Interest Group
  • Scientific Advisor, Zoo Conservation Outreach Group
  • Scientific Advisor, The Lubee Conservancy
  • Scientific Advisor, International Rhino Foundation, Nature Conservation Trust
  • Member, Comparative Nutrition Society
  • Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Reptilian & Amphibian Medicine and Surgery
  • Member, Editorial Board, Zoo Biology
  • Member, Editorial Board, Smithsonian Institution Press
  • Member, CBSG

Education Department

Louise Bradshaw, director of education

  • Member, AZA Regional Conference Program Committee
  • Education Liaison, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for MesoAmerican Conservation, Bosawas
  • Member, AZA Executive Conference Committee
  • Member, Graphics Advisory Group
  • Advisor, Conservation Education Committee
  • Instructor and Course Administrator, Conservation Education Academy
  • Member, The St. Louis Academy of Science

Marketing Department

Ginnie Westmoreland, director of marketing

  • Member, AZA Development and Membership Committee
  • Member, AZA Conference Management Subcommittee

Facilities Management

David F. McGuire, A.I.A., director

  • Member, Green Practices Scientific Advisory Group
  • Member, Aquarium and Zoo Facilities Association

Management Information Systems

Jerry French, manager

  • Advisor, AZA Zoo Information Management System