Since 2019, Rachel Haydon has been the general manager of the National Aquarium of New Zealand, a significant marine and wildlife conservation centre located in Napier on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. During this time, she has led the transformation of the aquarium’s operations, conservation education, and strategic vision. A recent graduate of the ZAA‘s Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), Rachel is a well-known and respected leader within the global zoo and aquarium community.
“I’m always impressed by her strong guidance, which is linked with her supportive nature as a leader at her own organisation and within the wider Global Zoo and Aquarium community,” said one person who nominated Haydon. “She is a key influencer in how zoos and aquariums move forward with conservation education and community engagement.”
With previous leadership roles at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Zoological Society of London and the Natural History Museum, Rachel Haydon has spent the last 15 years engaging all ages in science and conservation through schools, museums, zoos and aquariums in Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
She has served as the Oceania Representative for the International Zoo Educators Association (IZE) for the last two years. In that time, she has increased the number of Oceania members and catalysed a strong community of conservation education professionals throughout Australasian zoos and aquariums.
She has chaired the Conservation Engagement Committee for the Zoo Aquarium Association (ZAA) since 2021. Here, she has been instrumental in leading the approach to supporting strategic direction, best practices, training, and support for conservation engagement outcomes across Australasia. She leads the committee to authentically support zoo and aquarium leadership, engagement, and education staff in advancing conservation education practices and advocates for the importance of conservation education in accomplishing conservation goals.