Jennifer Tracey has served as the senior director of strategic communications and guest experience at the Toronto Zoo in Canada since 2013. One person who nominated Tracey said she is “reshaping how accredited zoos are supporting their local communities and serving the animals in our care”. They added: “Her commitment to ensuring the Zoo reflects and serves residents from all walks of life and efforts setting a new national standard for animal welfare is moving our site from a place in the city, to a place our community is truly proud of.”
Throughout her career, Tracey has worked in the Senate of Canada, the House of Commons and the Office of the Premier. She has also held senior roles in the nonprofit healthcare sector in Ontario. She now works with groups such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and oversees the development and delivery of a new paid internship programme called The Call (Climate Action Learning and Leadership). She is also a key strategic driver of a new exotic animal wellbeing legislation in Canada.
In the past year, the Toronto Zoo has implemented dynamic pricing and a full membership review. It has enjoyed record retail sales and substantial growth on social media. The zoo’s attendance is also nearly 10 percent over budget. “Her commitment to listen more, raise more and then get things moving strategically so we can do more, is building a new model for our zoo and moving the site from place to purpose,” said one nominator.
The Toronto Zoo is a tourist attraction and conservation organisation that aims to connect people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction. It imagines a world where wildlife and wild places thrive. The zoo has various leading programmes for helping wildlife and its natural habitats, from species reintroduction to reproductive research. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).