People

Structure

The core of the SSP is made up of institutional representatives from each zoo holding gorillas. These representatives report the status of their groups to an elected steering committee made up of a chair, vice-chair, secretary, and seven other elected members. 
In addition, the SSP has a number of advisors on issues important to the management of gorillas.

The current steering committee is:

  • Kristen E. Lukas, Ph.D. (Chair, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
  • Rachel Daneault (Vice-Chair, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
  • Jill Moyse (Secretary, Lincoln Park Zoo)
  • Roby Elsner (Studbook Keeper, Oklahoma City Zoo)
  • Carig Demitros (Brookfield Zoo)
  • Ron Evans (Cincinnati Zoo)
  • Jodi Carrigan (Zoo Atlanta)
  • Hugh Bailey (Woodland Park Zoo)
  • Beth Schaeffer (Los Angeles Zoo)
  • Tracy Fenn (Jacksonville Zoo)
  • Dusty Lombardi (Columbus Zoo and Aquarium)

The current advisory committee is:

  • Veterinary Advisory Team
    • Tom Meehan, D.V.M. (Brookfield Zoo)
    • Pam Dennis, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
    • Hayley Murphy, D.V.M. (Detroit Zoological Society)
    • Sam Rivera, D.V.M., D.A.C.Z.M. (Zoo Atlanta) 
  • Gorilla Behavior Advisory Group
    • Rachel Daneault (Chair, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
    • TBD
  • Population Management Center Advisors
    • Sarah Long (Lincoln Park Zoo)
  • Reproduction Advisor
    • TBD
  • Contraception Advisor
    • Monica McDonald (Saint Louis Zoological Park)
  • Nutrition Advisors
    • Michelle Shaw, Ph.D. (Taronga Zoo)
    • Deb Schmidt, Ph.D. (Saint Louis Zoological Park)
  • Pathology Advisor
    • Linda Lowenstine, D.V.M., Ph.D. (University of California at Davis)
  • Conservation Advisors
    • Tara Stoinski, Ph.D. (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International)
    • Richard Bergl, Ph.D. (North Carolina Zoological Park)
  • Research Advisors
    • Nancy Hawkes, Ph.D. (Woodland Park Zoo)
    • Elena Less, Ph.D. (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
  • Education Advisors
    • Staci Weich (Zoo Atlanta)
    • Katie Corr (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
    • Ben Jones (Dallas Zoo)