Leadership and Board of Directors

Our mission is to inspire conservation of the natural world by exhibiting and caring for animals, by excelling in education and research and by providing an exceptional visitor experience.

Strategic Leadership

Kevin Mills

President and Chief Executive Officer

Brian Brasher

Chief Infrastructure Officer / SVP, Facilities & Animal Wellbeing

Courtenay B. Lewandowski

Chief Advancement Officer / SVP, Conservation Strategy

Paul Nunez

Chief People Officer

Jason Oddo

Chief Financial Officer

Brian Thill

Chief Experience Officer / SVP, Education

Amie Yam-Babinchak

Chief Marketing Officer

Barrett Christie

VP, Animal Care

Nate Gabriel

VP, Facilities

Kevin Kampwerth

VP, Creative & Exhibits

Lauren McDaniel

VP, Guest Services

Sara McDonald, Ph.D.

VP, Conservation

Jamie Torres, DVM

VP, Veterinary Care

Board of Directors

Jessica Brewer

Chair
President & CEO, 3Together, Inc.

George P. Watt, Jr.

Co-Vice Chair
Senior Fellow, Association of Governing Boards
Former Executive Director, College of Charleston Foundation

Valerie Howell

Co-Vice Chair
Principal, Planet+Purpose Solutions

J. Donald Higgins

Treasurer and Director Emeritus
Former Executive, Harris Bank and Bank of Montreal

Tom Wright

Vice Treasurer
Former Vice Chair, BMO Capital Markets

Lisa Fahl

Secretary
Vice President of Engineering, Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Jonathan M. Zucker

Immediate Past Chair
President, The InterTech Group

Fred Baker

Attorney at Law, Motley Rice

Dan Battista

Executive Vice President and Southeast Regional Leader, Lowe

Jason Bernd

SVP, President SC Region, Novant Health

Dr. Alicia Caudill

Executive VP, Student Affairs, College of Charleston

Anne W. Cleveland

Former Executive Director, Charleston Library Society
Former History and English Teacher, Charleston Day School

Jessica Cutler

Media Consultant, Monumental Sports and Entertainment

Pedro De Armas

Editor-in-Chief, El Informador

Andrew Dewing

Managing Executive Officer and Head of Banking, Mizuho Americas

Suzanne Dickerson

Director, SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance
South Carolina Council on Competitiveness

Steve Durkee

Fishery Management Specialist, NOAA National Marine Fishery Service

Drew Gravitt

Director of Strategic Partnerships, Schneider Electric

Steve Gray

Member at Large
CFO, Asten Johnson

Boyd Gregg

District 1 Councilman, City of Charleston
Senior Business Development Manager, Engie North America

Banks Halloran

Managing Director, Corporate & Institutional Banking, Georgia and SC Market, PNC

John A. Hill

Member at Large
Founder, First Reserve Corporation

Sandy Khan

Insurance Agent, State Farm

Danny Kassis

VP Customer Relations and Renewables, Dominion Energy

Palmer E. Krantz, III “Satch”

Former CEO, Riverbanks Zoo

Harry Lesesne

Executive Director, Darla Moore Foundation

Stacie Marksbury

The Marksbury Family Foundation

Guy Maurice Meares, III “Tripp”

Senior Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo

Dominique Milton

President & CEO, Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC)

Lars Munson

Founder and Portfolio Manager, Tibor Capital Management LLC

Michael Naioti

Relationship Manager, Vice President, TD Bank

Joel Neale

Global Sales Director, Ingevity

Ashley O’Brien

Realtor, The Pulse Charleston
Instructor, Pure Barre

William M. Patterson, Ph.D.

US Diplomat

Cara J. Richard

Community Volunteer

Susan Rohr

Community Volunteer

Jan Roosenburg

Former Vice President, Holland and Holland Ltd.

Sherrie C. Snipes

CEO, Charleston Promise Neighborhood

Pam Wilson

Kiawah Resident and Dedicated Conservationist

Debra White

Strategic Sourcing Professional Services Manager, Sonoco

Directors Emeritus

Larry Colshan

Director Emeritus
Retired Boeing Facilities Director

Pat Conroy*

Author

James Ferguson*

Chairman Emeritus
Charleston, South Carolina

William A. Finn

Chairman, President and CEO,
AstenJohnson, Inc.

J. Donald Higgins

Treasurer 
Retired Banker, Harris Bank and
Bank of Montreal

John Danahy

Former President and COO
of The May Company

Bruce Hecker

Retired Director of Husbandry &
Facilities, South Carolina Aquarium

Sheila Hodges*

South Carolina Aquarium Volunteer

Mason Holland

Member at Large

Peatsy Hollings*

Charleston, South Carolina

Kate Jerome

Author

Robert R. Macdonald

Director Emeritus,
Museum of the City of New York

Layton McCurdy, M.D.

Distinguished University Professor and Dean,
Medical University of South Carolina

The Honorable Robert E. McNair*

Former Governor of South Carolina
Chairman of the Board, McNair Law Firm, P.A.

Mary Alice Monroe

Author

The Honorable Richard W. Riley

Former Secretary of Education,
United States of America Former Governor,
State of South Carolina

Catherine Smith

Director Emerita
Trustee,
Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust

Victor Samra, Jr.*

Member Emeritus 
Retired Managing Director, Lehman Brothers

Ken Seeger

Chairman Emeritus
President, MWV Community Development
and Land Management Group

Hilton C. Smith, Jr.

Chairman Emeritus
President & CEO, East Bay Company Ltd.

Thomas S. Tisdale, Jr.*

General Counsel Emeritus

Theodore S. Stern*

Retired President, College of Charleston

M. William Youngblood, Esq.*

Chairman Emeritus
Partner, McNair Law Firm, P.A.

Jerry Zucker*

Chairman Emeritus
Chairman, President and CEO,
The InterTech Group, Inc.

* Deceased

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