Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo President & CEO to Retire at the End of June, Interim CEO Appointed

10 June 2024 (Calgary, AB) – After more than two decades of leading one of the most-respected wildlife conservation charities in North America, Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Clément Lanthier will be retiring effective June 30, 2024.

“It has been an exceptional honour and privilege to lead and work alongside the thousands of amazing staff, volunteers, researchers, educators, partners, donors, and others who have dedicated their lives to wildlife conservation and inspired millions of people who experienced the zoo over the years”, said Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo President & CEO, Dr. Clément Lanthier. “I look forward to seeing the organization’s impact growing, the amazing talent flourishing and embracing endangered species stewardship in and ex-situ while continuing to provide fantastic and unique experiences for visitors to the zoo.”

“The Board of Directors has formed an executive search committee to identify a CEO-successor and anticipates the announcement of a new CEO in the coming months,” said Jennifer Koury, Board Chair of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. “We have been very fortunate to have had Dr. Lanthier’s exceptional leadership over the past 20 years and wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”

Jamie Dorgan has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, in addition to his responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Dorgan’s career in animal welfare and conservation management has spanned more than 20 years, the last 18 months as the Chief Operating Officer of Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. He sits on numerous industry committees as well as endangered species recovery teams.

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For more information contact:
Alison Archambault
Director, Brand & Engagement
403.232.7766 | 403.919.9482 | mediarelations@calgaryzoo.com

For more than 30 years, the internationally accredited Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has been a leading authority in wildlife conservation, reintroducing threatened species to the wild and empowering communities to conserve natural resources to positively impact both the environment and local inhabitants.

While our work is global, our roots run deep in the Albertan conservation community. Sitting on 125 acres in the heart of the city, we operate one of the oldest charities in Alberta, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo – a not-for-profit charitable wildlife conservation organization that works to fight the extinction of plants and animals worldwide. In addition to the zoo, we proudly operate the Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC), Canada’s largest conservation breeding and research facility. Nestled on 330 acres in the Albertan prairies, the ABC is a stronghold for biodiversity and a temporary home to some of Canada’s most iconic species-at-risk.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is passionate about inspiring and educating generations of visitors about the importance of biodiversity and conservation. Together, we will continue to be a force of nature for making the world a wilder place. Learn more at WilderInstitute.org and CalgaryZoo.com.