Director, Cameron Park Zoo Cameron Park Zoo, City of Waco | Waco, Texas We are pleased to announce that Brendan Wiley has been named the Director of the Cameron Park Zoo, effective November 27, 2023.Brendan began his career in the zoo field as a zookeeper at the Kansas City Zoo in 1994, where he worked with a wide variety of animals, including birds, sea lions, and elephants. Eventually, he was responsible for about half of the 212-acre zoo’s staff and animal collection.In 2005, Brendan left the Kansas City Zoo to become the Executive Director of Animal Haven, a nonprofit animal shelter on the Kansas side of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. At Animal Haven, Brendan was responsible for fundraising, fiscal responsibility, and organizational optimization through programmatic development.Most recently, Brendan has served as the Director of the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center. Since he arrived at the zoo in 2010, attendance has grown by 159%, the operating budget has grown by 267%, and between 2017-2022, $21 million of infrastructure projects have been developed. He also supported their recent re-accreditation with AZA.When asked what he’s looking forward to as the new Director of the Cameron Park Zoo, Brendan shared, "You only have to be in Waco for a minute to realize how valued the Cameron Park Zoo is by the community. I felt that. I can't wait to get started. The future of the Cameron Park Zoo is bright and full of opportunity. I'm truly looking forward to working for the City of Waco, getting to know the Cameron Park Zoo team, and working with the Society to inspire dreams and continue the Cameron Park Zoo journey."Read the full announcement here.Natalie Leonhard led this search with Sharon Hansen and Kendra Moleé.