What is the key to establishing and sustaining a strong board relationship?
Over the past few months, we’ve been hosting conversations with board members and CEOs to have open dialogue about their experiences — both the challenges and successes of navigating Z&A leadership roles. At the 2025 AZA Annual Conference, we gathered a panel of CEOs and their board chairs from zoos and aquariums across the country to share their perspectives publicly and give an inside look into the components of a strong collaboration.
Here are some common themes and highlights that emerged in these conversations:
On Clarifying Roles and Managing Expectations:
Establishing clear lanes from day one is essential. Boards don’t run the organization — their job is to support the CEO, provide oversight, and serve as a sounding board. As the CEO, it’s your job to come in with a plan and keep your board informed while retaining operational leadership. Board chairs want their CEO to build a strong team and to let them lead.
Some boards may need more handholding on the expectation and process of fundraising than others. Be direct and clear about fundraising expectations for your board. Match tasks to board members’ interests to drive engagement and ownership. Trust fuels fundraising, and trust stems from strong communication.
And on the topic of philanthropy: Keep in mind that we can also educate guests not just about the animals, but about the philanthropy required to carry out our missions and create ‘wow’ experiences. Create little philanthropists of the kids who are coming in and set them up on a trajectory for life. Conservation takes all of us. Sometimes board members come in just expecting their job to be “fun,” but these ideas of conservation + cultural attraction can and should be mutually reinforced.
“Our job as board members is not to run the zoo or aquarium. We are here to govern, to support, to enable.”
On the Importance of Communication, Building Trust, and Getting Aligned:
Trust is built through regular, candid contact and by delivering on commitments consistently. State your vision from the start and reinforce it often to keep board and staff aligned. Be authentic and transparent — share what you know, what you want to know, when you’ll know more or when you need more information.
A good flow of communication requires proactive engagement: Set up regular 1:1 meetings, organize board retreats, and set aside time for more informal conversations.
As one panelist noted: “No surprises — for the board chair or the board. The CEO has to have their Chair on speed dial.” Create frameworks for hard conversations and always keep your board chair in the loop. If you’re about to make a decision that could get you fired or lead to controversy, call your board chair first.
“At the end of the day, the key to any relationship is communication, transparency, and trust.”
On Creating a Strong Culture & Partnership to Move Forward:
The core foundation of this partnership: Transparency → builds trust → enables alignment → drives results.
In the Z&A world, there are always going to be crises that test the CEO/board dynamic. In this panel conversation alone, we heard stories about theft, animal escapes, bomb threats, the pandemic, and sudden CEO passings. Healing after traumatic events requires stability and an openness to change; and again, keeping the flow of communication open and transparent is crucial.
Overall, boards are seeking visionary leaders who can inspire, communicate, and empower their teams. There are many valid paths to effective leadership. Operating styles may differ, but healthy relationships are characterized by mutual respect and collaboration.
“Authenticity and effort matter — listening to people, learning what was special about the past, and co-creating the future.”
Thank you to all our panelists who contributed their stories and insights at AZA 2025:
- Charles Hopper, President & CEO, Santa Barbara Zoo
- Jim Jackson, Chair, Santa Barbara Zoo Board of Directors (Vice President/COO, Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort)
- Roger Germann, President & CEO, The Florida Aquarium
- Dr. John Couris, Chair, The Florida Aquarium Board of Directors (President & CEO, Florida Health Sciences Center)
- Dr. Hayley Murphy, Executive Director & CEO, Detroit Zoo
- Anthony Earley, Chair, Detroit Zoological Society Board of Directors (Senior Executive, US electric and gas utility industry)
- Lisa New, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Zoo
- Dawn Moore, Immediate Past Chair, Board of Directors, Dallas Zoo
- Jason Patlis, Director, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
- Clayton Fowler, Chair, Maritime Aquarium Board of Trustees (CEO, Spinnaker Real Estate Properties)
