Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is proud to welcome Megan Rachal as our new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Senior Vice President of People and Culture! In her new role, Megan will lead the strategy and vision for all aspects of our employees' work experience, serving as a catalyst for initiatives to enhance our workplace culture. Her leadership will be instrumental in our journey to becoming the employer of choice in the region and within the zoo and aquarium industry. The search, selection and hiring process was facilitated through a partnership with Hanold Associates, LLC, a retained executive search firm specialized in recruiting contemporary C-suite leaders with a significant focus on human resources leadership. Megan rose to the top among a pool of qualified candidates, as a proven and energetic, people-first leader, with expertise within and outside of the zoo and aquarium industry. “I am thrilled to be joining the leading Zoo in the country to have the opportunity to support its dedicated staff,” said Megan Rachal. “My experience in the zoo and aquarium space, and within executive leadership, will lend itself well as I dive in. From my very first visit, it was evidently clear that this Zoo is a special place for both locals and tourists, and I am honored to become a part of this team and institution.” Megan’s unrivaled passion for supporting the needs of a mission-based workforce, and her deep personal connection to the conservation of the natural world makes her an excellent fit for this position. “Our people are our biggest asset, and Megan brings fresh perspectives, industry best practices, and experiences supporting the needs of a mission-based workforce,” said Dr. Luis Padilla, president and CEO of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. “Megan will be instrumental in advancing workplace culture initiatives to elevate the impact of our organization.” We are thrilled to have her on board as we embark on this exciting period of transformational change! 

And our one-millionth visitor of 2024 is… Six-year-old Jane of Elkhorn, Nebraska! She arrived shortly after 9:30 a.m. with her four-year-old brother Parker and her grandparents, Tom and Shayla Hansen, who are also Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium members. Tom and Shayla have been bringing their family and friends to the Zoo for more than 30 years now and today was no different. Other than they were running a little behind this morning. At the Zoo, they were meeting up with a group of friends. But turns out, they were right on time! As for their first stop on today’s adventure, the baby elephants. Jane said they're her favorite and she's very excited to see them!

Our day campers were in "deep water" last week! In celebration of #SharkAndRayAwarenessDay, our six- to eight-year-olds made waves learning all about density! Together, they recreated the layers of the ocean, learned about the marine life found in each zone and what happens when our oceans “mix.” Sharks and rays are elasmobranchs, a group of fish with skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone. And, as their name suggests in Greek, they feature plate-like gill structures ("elasm" means plate and “branchia,” gills). To learn more about our remaining camps, upcoming classes and other education opportunities: https://lnkd.in/g87jBUtD #TogetherForSharks #SAFEsharks #SharkSuperHeroes

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium welcomes Megan Longo as our new Senior Vice President of Guest Experience, Brand and Revenue! Megan will lead the charge in developing mission-aligned strategies aimed at fostering brand loyalty through exceptional guest experiences. With a national search led by Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc., Megan emerged as the top choice, bringing expertise in customer-centric leadership, communications and strategic operations. “I look forward to illuminating our Zoo’s outstanding position among top zoos and aquariums worldwide, and advancing the experience and value we bring to our guests,” Longo said. “The opportunity to merge mission-driven business strategy with high quality guest outcomes creates a harmonious framework to uplift our organization’s incredible legacy for generations to come. It will be an honor to lead this work with Dr. Padilla and his team.” Dr. Luis Padilla, our president and CEO, added: “We are excited to have Megan as the architect behind a brand that our community equates with how we deliver on our mission of inspiring, educating and engaging people to have a better appreciation of animals and their habitats.” Join us in welcoming Megan as we embark on an exciting new chapter of growth and opportunity!

We are thrilled to announce our new vice president of education—Jocelyn Harrison! Jocelyn rose to the top from a deep pool of qualified candidates following an extremely competitive national search process. Our Zoo community knows her from her current role as lead education program manager, directly overseeing visitor and volunteer engagement since 2020. Her background is equally impressive. Jocelyn has a strongly rooted science and research background from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she completed both her undergraduate and master’s degrees. She also brought experiences in conservation education from the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo and Central Park Zoo in New York, and locally from Fontenelle Forest. Not only that, she embodies the type of leader our organization needs to succeed well into the future and deliver on our mission. We are excited to see our efforts and impact grow under Jocelyn’s vision and leadership!

We did it—for the second year in a row! The 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards' #1 Zoo, #1 Zoo Exhibit and #1 Safari Park in the nation are… Our team members took a moment to celebrate Wednesday morning with Zoo guests, local media and other members of the community, all of which, with help from EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU made this exciting achievement possible for another year, sweeping all three categories. “We are honored to share the title of number one Zoo, Zoo Exhibit and Safari Park in the nation with our community yet again,” said Dr. Luis Padilla, our president and CEO, at today’s celebration. “Being recognized for the best Zoo Exhibit for five years in a row, featuring different exhibits, is a testament to who we are and how we find different ways to connect and inspire people to develop a sense of wonder and respect for animals and the natural world. We have something truly unique here in Omaha and we are excited to share it with the entire world.” #BestZooYearTwo

Omma has a little warrior at the tip of her trunk! Meet Hondo, the name of our newest African elephant calf. Pronounced “hon-doh,” the name as chosen by a Zoo donor and their family and in African countries, means “warrior” or “fighter.” Hondo, who is two weeks old today, now tips the scale at 248 pounds. He and the herd continue to serve as a reminder of continued growth and the Zoo’s overall commitment to this endangered species since its return to Omaha in 2016. Stop by to see Hondo and the herd and please, don’t forget to vote for your #1 Zoo: https://lnkd.in/eJfCBdxi ~ Ends tomorrow, March 4, at 10:59 a.m. ~

Omma's calf has arrived! The little one, a male, arrived just before 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. He made his public debut on Tuesday with mom and the rest of the herd while taking in the sunshine and exploring the mud wallow for the very first time. "With this calf, our herd is entering a new chapter," said Ryan Sears, curator of large mammals. "Growing our herd by five in just two years is a significant achievement. Not only for us, but for the population of African elephants within zoos everywhere. Our Zoo is helping to ensure a diverse population of elephants for years to come." Visit our newest addition and don't forget to vote: https://lnkd.in/eJfCBdxi

Help us become #1 in the nation—AGAIN! We’ve been nominated for “Best Zoo,” the Desert Dome for “Best Zoo Exhibit” and Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park for “Best Safari Park” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. ✔️ Best Zoo: https://lnkd.in/gYkNACCS ✔️ Best Exhibit – Desert Dome: https://lnkd.in/g7QkB83E ✔️ Best Safari Park: https://lnkd.in/gJDvRsee Voting ends Monday, March 4, at 10:59 a.m. Each person can vote once per day, per device, per category for the run of the contest.

Now seeing stars in an AZA SAFE Program near you! The Sunflower Sea Star Program has been approved for launch by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Animals with a designated program under SAFE, “Saving Animals from Extinction,” are at risk of extinction. Working alongside other zoos, aquariums and field experts, we’re excited to share our expertise and help reestablish populations of these sea stars to the West Coast under this united front. There to help guide us in the right direction: Ben Morrow, one of our aquarists and elected co-leader of the Sunflower Sea Star Program. Between 2017 – 2020, 5.75 billion sunflower sea stars died from sea star wasting disease, a 94.3% global decline. To learn more beyond our video: https://lnkd.in/gJuBP5jK #AZASAFE #AZASunflowerStar #SeaStar