2025 AZA/AAZK Panel Discussion
Sharing Your Passions: A Keeper’s Impact on Conservation and Community
Tuesday, October 7th, Palm ABDE, 8:00-10:00 AM
A unique asset the AZA and AAZK communities bring to the conservation landscape is the strength of, and relationship with, our audiences, including our internal zoo and aquarium staff, boards, volunteers, and vendors; our visiting public; the communities where we are located; and additional communities in which we support conservation priorities. “Conservation is a people problem” and if all voices are not equitably heard and part of the conservation solutions, long-term, meaningful impact is an uphill battle. Achieving the goal of saving animals from extinction will need everyone!
Keepers are uniquely positioned to contribute towards conservation efforts, through their extensive knowledge of ex situ animal husbandry that benefits active reintroduction programs and animals confiscated from illegal wildlife trade; ability to manage small populations for the welfare and wellbeing of the animals in their care, as well as animals in the wild; and role as storytellers for the species in their care and their wild counterparts when interacting with the visiting public. Whether you serve as the studbook keeper, the partner representative for a SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) species program, a member of your facility’s “green team” tasked with offering recommendations on more sustainable practices, or the staff providing keeper chats outside of a critically endangered species’ habitat, your enthusiasm for the animals in your care is valued and perfectly aligned with your facility’s mission to save animals from extinction. Join us at this year’s general session as panelists discuss their various experiences within the conservation community.
Meet the Panelists
Dr. Julianne Passarelli
Dr. Julianne Kalman Passarelli is the Education and Collections Curator at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, California. She manages the educational programs and provides curatorial support to the aquarium’s museum collection. Dr. Passarelli is a marine biologist who specializes in parasitology and ecology of marine fishes. She is a Research Associate at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and an adjunct professor at CSU Long Beach. She is a past President of the Southern California Academy of Sciences (SCAS) and recently co-authored a revision of the book “Miller and Lea’s Guide to the Coastal Marine Fishes of California.” She is a member of the AZA Wildlife and Conservation Committee and is the liaison for AZA SAFE Shark and Ray.
Wayne Warrington
Wayne Warrington is a sustainability and climate action consultant. With over twenty years of experience that began in wildlife biology, he specializes in helping zoos, aquariums, and other cultural organizations reduce their environmental footprint and take meaningful action on climate change. As an advisory member for the AZA Green Scientific Advisory Group, Wayne bridges the gap between conservation missions and daily operations, making sustainability accessible for team members at all levels of an organization.
Sara Bjerklie
An Nguyen
An Nguyen is an Animal Care Specialist at Denver Zoo, where he works in the Carnivore Department with tigers, bears, raccoons, and a Geoffroy's cat. An has nearly 20 years of experience in the field, starting at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood, New Mexico. His career has included roles at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife Safari, the Downtown Aquarium in Denver, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, and Memphis Zoo.
While An has focused primarily on carnivores, he’s worked with a wide range of species throughout his career just about everything except elephants. He currently serves as the Conservation Committee Chair for the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK), a role he’s held since 2021. An is especially passionate about conservation, team development, and bridging the gap between keepers and leadership.
Outside of work, he enjoys snowboarding, spending time with friends, and collaborating with others to build strong, healthy teams.
Sara is a seasoned zookeeper with over 15 years of experience, specializing in the care and conservation of a diverse range of species, with a current focus on Primates.
A dedicated member of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) since 2013, Sara actively contributes to the organization's mission by serving on the Board of Directors as the Conservation Oversight. In this role, she collaborates with fellow professionals to advance conservation initiatives such as Bowling for Rhinos and Trees For You and Me, and works to connect our membership with our Conservation Partners.
Katey Leban
Katey Leban is the Conservation Coordinator for AZA’s Conservation, Management, and Welfare Sciences department, located at the AZA Main Office in Silver Spring, Maryland. Katey serves as the primary contact for AZA’s signature conservation program, AZA SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction, and facilitates the SAFE Granting Program and Conservation Grants Fund (CGF). Katey works closely with SAFE Program Leaders, AZA-accredited facilities, non-AZA program partners, and AZA’s Wildlife Conservation Committee (WCC) to support the integration of all voices into collaborative conservation efforts. Throughout her time at AZA, she has facilitated the creation of 23 new SAFE species programs. Katey holds a bachelor of science degree in marine biology and a master of science degree in conservation technology from Florida Institute of Technology. Katey came to AZA with a varied aquatic background and experience within our conservation community. While part of Brevard Zoo’s Conservation Department, Katey served as the primary coordinator for its citizen science-based oyster gardening project and specialized in nearshore coastal restoration utilizing oysters and native vegetation.