In June 2009, the Zoo lost its executive director, Jeff Swanagan. He was a visionary leader, an inspiring teacher and friend, and a tireless advocate for conservation and animals. While he was executive director for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for only a year, his extraordinary vision and leadership during his tenure will ensure his legacy lives on for years to come.
Jeff had an unwavering belief that zoos and aquariums are about people as much as they are about animals. He knew that people visit zoos not just to see animals, but to spend time together, and, within that truth, Jeff saw endless potential - both to touch the lives of people and to save the lives of animals. He wanted the Zoo to be a place to connect to one another, a place of once-in-a-lifetime memories and experiences.
To capture this idea, he coined the phrase “touch the heart to teach the mind” and then infused that spirit into everything he did. Simply getting people into the Zoo wasn’t enough - he wanted to inspire and engage them, to get them invested in each other, animals, and conservation. Jeff knew that without inspiring people, without touching their hearts, you cannot teach their minds or hope to make the world a better place.
CLICK HERE to make a donation to the Jeff Swanagan fund.