The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Ill., has recently elected Dr. Lisa C. Freeman to the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Freeman has been the president at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Ill., since 2018. She joined the faculty in 2010, serving as vice president for research and graduate studies and a professor of biology. During her time at NIU, Dr. Freeman has worked to support all aspects of the university’s mission, emphasizing NIU’s enduring commitment to promoting the social mobility of its students, producing high-impact scholarship opportunities, and engaging with the DeKalb region.
She is widely recognized for her professional contributions and the impact she has made on local communities. Her honors include being named Outstanding Veterinarian of the Year by the Association for Women Veterinarians, acknowledged by local businesses as a Castle Bank Community Leader, and invited to join the influential leaders of The Chicago Network.
Dr. Freeman previously spent time at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., serving in various leadership and faculty roles, including associate dean for research and graduate programs for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
During her academic career, Dr. Freeman has also published research focusing on the role of ion channels in developing diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcers and ovarian cancer, as well as on strategies for encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. The American Heart Association, the National Institute of Health, and the National Science Foundation have funded her research.
Dr. Freeman received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Cornell University. She received a doctorate of philosophy at The Ohio State University in 1989 and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
Photo Credit: © The Chicago Zoological Society
Edited by Sarah Gilsoul, a writer and communications program assistant at AZA.
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