The blooloop 50 Zoo & Aquarium Influencer List 2026

Bridget Coughlin, PhD, became president and CEO of the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, in 2016. Since then, she has overseen all operations and initiatives, leading the Aquarium in its work to inspire compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world.

The Aquarium dates back to 1930, cares for approximately 32,000 animals, and welcomes 1.9 million visitors each year.

In 2026, Shedd became a full IUCN institutional member, following its designation as an IUCN Center for Species Survival: Freshwater in 2023.

As the institution approaches its 100-year anniversary, Coughlin has led the launch of Shedd’s Centennial Commitment, a historic $500 million plan that reinvents guest engagement, expands digital and physical accessibility, and elevates animal care standards.

Advocating for access in all forms, she commits the organisation to providing tens of millions of dollars in free admission each year, champions a wide range of learning methods and styles, and speaks out in favour of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the corporate world.

Her dedication to education and conservation extends beyond the walls of the Shedd Aquarium, with urban outposts and immersive virtual learning experiences that have introduced locals and visitors alike to Shedd's aquatic life on the Great Lakes.

Speaking to blooloop in 2022, on the enduring appeal of aquariums, Coughlin said:

"There is a yearning, emotionally and cognitively, to connect with the natural; to connect with life. We are social beings. That doesn’t have to mean being social with humans. That truly means social in a broader, multi-species sense.”

Shedd Aquarium is a founding member of the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), which Coughlin has guided in its efforts to enhance the protection of marine sanctuaries and minimise plastic waste globally.

As a driving force behind this alliance, she represented 19 US aquariums at the Our Ocean Conference in Malta in 2017 as a member of the US delegation, where she pledged their commitment to end single-use plastics in all corporate activities.

Liza Dadone is the founder of Giraffe Veterinary Services, PLLC, and a veterinary advisor for giraffe for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). She has worked with zoo and conservation organisations, including through fieldwork involving anaesthesia, health issues, community engagement and translocations and reintroductions of wild giraffe.

Dadone spent 12 years at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, where she served as head veterinarian and later vice president. She specialises in giraffe neonate care, lameness management, emergency medicine and rescue techniques. She co-founded the Giraffe Plasma Bank with Dr Priya Bapodra-Villaverde, which helps provide plasma for giraffe calves, and co-led the AZA’s Giraffe SAFE conservation programme for six years.

She is a member of the IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group and has contributed to research on anaesthesia, lameness and preventive medicine. Dadone also presents nationally and internationally on giraffe health and conservation.

One person who nominated Dadone said: "What makes Dr Dadone especially influential is her ability to connect research, clinical practice, husbandry, professional training, and conservation. She helps teams translate evidence into safer procedures, earlier recognition of disease, more proactive care, and stronger collaboration."

Ann-Katrine Garn first joined Copenhagen Zoo in 2007. She has served the institution as a zoologist and a conservation manager before being appointed director of conservation in 2024.

Copenhagen Zoo aims to set new standards in animal care through collaborative initiatives, including the breeding of endangered animals, research and communication, and nature conservation.

In her current role, Garn works with threatened species and protected area management and conservation planning, and facilitates cross-regional cooperation and knowledge sharing both in Denmark and globally.

She has a specific interest in insects and particular pollinators.

Garn has over 25 years of conservation experience. She began her career at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), where she held various roles, including project coordinator for its conservation programmes.

She then joined the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) as a project consultant.

Since 2023, Garn has chaired the IUCN National Committee of Denmark.

In this role, she has spearheaded conservation projects that align Danish conservation initiatives with global standards, including applying IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Danish conservation areas.

She is also a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and IUCN WCPA. In 2026, she was appointed chair of the Standing Committee on Programme & Policy.

Garn also sits on the board of directors for the Red Panda Network (RPN) and has been president of the RPN European Chapter since 2024.

RPN is a world leader in efforts to save red pandas and their habitat, and its conservation programmes extend to over one million acres of forest and half of Nepal’s red panda range.

Dr Nadine Lamberski is chief conservation and wildlife health officer at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), where she leads teams across wildlife health, conservation science, and species recovery. She has more than three decades’ experience in zoological medicine and wildlife conservation.

Lamberski joined the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s veterinary team in 2001 and became part of the organisation’s executive leadership in 2016. In 2020, she took on her current role, leading the combined conservation science and wildlife health teams. The Alliance’s conservation work is organised into eight regional hubs.

A graduate of the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Lamberski is board-certified in zoological medicine and holds specialist qualifications from the American College of Zoological Medicine and the European College of Zoological Medicine. She is a past president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis. She has contributed to more than 100 scientific publications and presentations and is co-editor of Fowler’s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine.

Her work also includes wildlife health and biobanking initiatives, including efforts to use genetic material to support species conservation.

"The future of wildlife conservation is effective leadership—authentic, transparent, empathetic, nimble, and resilient leadership that makes space for all voices to be heard," said Lamberski.

Debborah Luke, PhD, serves as senior vice president of conservation at The Florida Aquarium, overseeing its conservation efforts locally and internationally. With more than 30 years’ experience in marine and environmental conservation, she has led programmes including the Aquarium’s Coral Breeding and Restoration programme and its Sea Turtle Conservation programme.

One nominator said: "As a scientist, she applies a grounded, data-driven approach in the Aquarium’s science initiatives, conservation field programs, sustainable business practices, and public messaging.

"She is a proven collaborator whose reach extends beyond the Aquarium to partnering organisations around the globe."

Before joining The Florida Aquarium, Luke served as senior vice president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for nearly a decade. During her time there, she supported the formation and launch of SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction), an initiative that brings zoos and aquariums together to address conservation challenges.

Luke also leads the pioneering partnership between The Florida Aquarium and Tampa Electric (TECO) at the Florida Conservation and Technology Center in Apollo Beach. The collaboration, featured in blooloop, brings together conservation and industry expertise, supporting marine research and conservation through the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center and Coral Conservation and Research Center.

Professor Dr. Koichi Murata is a renowned wildlife veterinarian, researcher, and institutional leader, director of Yokohama Zoological Gardens (Zoorasia) in Japan, and chair of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).

Beginning his career as a zoo veterinarian at the Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo, Murata has spent more than four decades serving the sector in both institutional and academic roles.

In 2011, he was appointed director of Zoorasia, a member of WAZA and SEAZA and one of Japan’s largest and most progressive zoological parks.

Under his leadership, the institution has become a national pioneer in digital animal record-keeping and scientific management.

The early adoption of the global Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) has set new benchmarks in data-driven nutrition, welfare monitoring, and international conservation breeding programs for endangered species.

Zoorasia welcomed the birth of a proboscis monkey in 2021. This species is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

In 2022, Murata was named the 17th chair of JAZA. In this role, he leads national initiatives to raise institutional welfare standards, expand peer-reviewed zoo research, and strengthen collaboration between Japanese institutions and international bodies.

Murata is also an advisor to the Preservation and Research Center (PRC) for the City of Yokohama, a researcher and board member for the Okinawa Churashima Foundation, and a member of the Countermeasures Committee for the Invasive Alien Species Act.

He is a member of IUCN/SSC/Conservation Translocation Specialist Group, regional coordinator for East Asia of IUCN/SSC/Wildlife Health Specialist Group, and part of the OIE (WHOA)/Working Group on Wildlife.

James Musinguzi is executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), which manages Uganda’s wildlife resources and protected areas. He previously served as executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) before the two organisations merged in October 2024. Following the merger, Musinguzi became director of community conservation and ex situ wildlife services at UWA, a position he held until his appointment as executive director, effective April 2025.

With over 20 years’ experience in conservation, Musinguzi joined UWEC in 2006 as an education officer and was later named manager in charge of environment conservation education. He became acting executive director in 2010 and was confirmed as substantive executive director in 2013. During his tenure, he led the centre’s work in conservation education, public engagement and wildlife conservation.

In 2016, Musinguzi was re-elected to the executive committee of the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZA), serving as chair of its Central African, East to West Coast chapter. In 2018, he was elected chairperson of PAAZA.

A person who nominated Musinguzi said: "He has always been a strong supporter of zoos in the region and has represented Africa on many occasions. He has been steadfast in his support of the African Zoo Association and of WAZA. UWEC is a shining light in Africa - one of the very few African zoos that have become WAZA members. James is committed to conservation and a leader in Africa. He has made a real impact in Africa and beyond."

Susana Acle Olivo is director of biology, veterinary medicine, and research at Bioparc Acuario de Gijón, an aquarium in Asturias, Spain.

She has been at the institution for more than two decades and served as head of veterinary medicine and research before being promoted in 2024.

Acle Olivo was responsible for preparing Bioparc Acuario de Gijón for admission to the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) in 2025.

Her duties also include leading the biology department’s internship programme and overseeing agreements with official research institutions worldwide.

Further demonstrating her commitment to research and education, Acle Olivo recently earned a PhD in Chemical, Environmental and Bio-food Engineering from the Universidad de Oviedo.

She also co-directs and teaches extension courses in Marine Environment Conservation and Aquarium Management at Universidad de Oviedo.

Acle Olivo has carried out important studies on the impact of microplastics in the marine environment.

She created CRAMA, the region's first rescue and rehabilitation centre for marine animals. It cares for endangered species such as turtles and seals.

Additionally, she is a vital champion for the zoo and aquarium sector, both through her political and social advocacy and appearances as a prominent public figure.

“Her continuous contributions across public advocacy, mass media communication, international diplomacy, and critical field science make her a vital driver of change, proving the irreplaceable socio-environmental value of 21st-century urban aquariums,” says one nominator.

André Stadler is the director of Alpenzoo Innsbruck, the only zoo in the world dedicated to Alpine animals.

Located in the Austrian state of Tyrol, the institution is home to more than 2,000 animals and welcomes around 300,000 visitors every year.

Stadler holds a degree in Biology from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and a doctorate from Universität Duisburg-Essen.

He now lectures on Zoo Biology at the University of Innsbruck and extends his focus on science education and communication to the Alpenzoo Late Morning Show podcast.

His almost two decades of experience in zoological management, species conservation, and professional association leadership began at Zoo Wuppertal, where he served as curator.

Since then, he has been heavily involved in global zoological and conservation organisations.

His leadership roles include various advisory and executive positions; since April 2018, he has been a member of the Advisory Board for Zoo Biology, Zoology and Ecology of the Schönbrunner Tiergarten-Gesellschaft, and Treasurer of OZO.

He also joined the WKO Examination Commission for Animal Keepers in June 2018, mentors Baku Zoo in Azerbaijan, and previously mentored Zoo Kaliningrad from 2012 to 2019.

Stadler assumed the chairmanship of the EAZA Technical Assistance Committee in April 2019, securing seats on the EAZA Ex Com, M&E, and Council. That same year, he was appointed to the Vdz Board.

His global influence grew further when he joined the WAZA Council in October 2021, representing Europe and Western Asia, and became Secretary of WAZA in October 2023.

Furthermore, he joined the EAZA Conservation Translocation Working Group in February 2023 and was appointed to the Animal Welfare Council of the Republic of Austria in June 2023.

Stadler is also a member of the IUCN SIS, Deer, and Small Mammals Specialist Groups.

In 2024, the IUCN Center for Species Survival (CSS) for Small Mammals was founded at Alpenzoo Innsbruck. This major project demonstrates Stadler's dedication to translating zoo-based conservation into measurable biodiversity impacts.

Marcel Stawinoga is communications manager and species conservation coordinator at Zoo Dortmund, where he works across public communication and conservation projects. He is also known as Der Zoolotse (The Zoo Guide), using social media and other platforms to explain zoo work, conservation and biodiversity.

Stawinoga founded Plumploris e.V. in 2018 and remains its chairman. The organisation works to protect slow lorises and operates rehabilitation projects in Bangladesh, where Stawinoga has participated directly in the rehabilitation and release of animals. In 2026, he was among the authors of a study published in Global Ecology and Conservation examining the survival of released Bengal slow lorises. He has also worked on EAZA’s Vietnamazing campaign, contributing to communications around the initiative’s conservation work in Vietnam.

Stawinoga regularly speaks about zoos, conservation and communication and has published research on the role of social media in communicating about zoos. His work combines conservation fieldwork with public engagement, including through Zoo Dortmund’s Zoohören podcast, which explores conservation, animal welfare and the role of modern zoos.