The Executive Leadership Development Program

“We joked that our individual executive coaching sessions were therapy,” said Jo’Elle Mogerman. “We knew in that laughter that it was challenging, but we were going to be better professionals as a result.”

Mogerman was a participant in the first cohort of the Ted A. Beattie Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) and is currently the director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park in St. Louis, Mo.

The ELDP supports the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' promise to empower zoo and aquarium professionals to be leaders in their field. The goal: growing leaders within the community rather than hiring from outside.

In 2013, it was known that in the next five years, 30-to-50 senior executives would be retiring. Jackie Ogden, then chair of the AZA board of directors, and the late Ted Beattie, then chief executive officer of John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Ill., approached executive development consultant and coach Tracy Smith to develop a program that would prepare leaders to step into those roles.

“In 2013, I went to the AZA Annual Conference and did focus groups to understand what was needed,” said Smith, president of Ryden Consulting Group. “What are the skills needed for a director, where do people feel like the gaps were, and what competencies were unique to AZA and AZA leadership? I put a model together of what the program could look like to meet those needs and we had our first cohort in January 2014.”

Eight of the ten people in the first program are currently directors or chief executive officers, and four of those participants are currently on the AZA board of directors.

Doug Piekarz, president and chief executive officer of Akron Zoo in Akron, Ohio, is one of those first participants who advanced to a director role and also now sits on the AZA Board.

“It was a great cohort to be a part of because we weren’t all the same,” said Piekarz. “All of our gaps were different. It created conversation when we were together. The executive coach did personal coaching individually, then action learning team coaching, and then broad group coaching―the end result was an accelerated leadership learning opportunity.”

The ELDP involves many aspects of professional development, including structured learning, executive coaching, mentorship, peer groups, and individual development. The admission process includes receiving support and approval from your current executive and being interviewed.

Smith said the candidate selection process looks at the candidate’s experience, education, current role, size of facility they are coming from, years in the business, and diversity.

“I think the program is based around executive competencies, and we have created a really robust individual development process,” said Debbie Leuzzi, an executive development consultant to the program. “It’s not just an action plan, it’s a self-discovery process to learn your strengths and where some of your development priorities or gaps are. Then, thinking about ‘what are the experiences I need, who are the people I need to build relationships with, and what other formal learning can I benefit from?’”

A New Generation of Leaders

ELDP also supports AZA’s promise to advance diversity, equity, access, and inclusion practices and selects candidates with a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences.

“You can see that by the folks who have graduated the program, it is meant to create equity among potential candidates for the future,” said Piekarz. “ELDP is a pipeline that can help us diversify those who hold C-level positions and executive director positions across our profession.”

Mogerman also values how ELDP is changing the leadership landscape throughout AZA.

“There was this single archetype of a leader and ELDP has created pathways for people to see themselves as CEO without looking like that one archetype,” said Mogerman. “When I think about some of the more recent CEOs, I see different questions being asked and different solutions to challenges. You see different ways of thinking and different approaches which is refreshing and will help to move us forward.”

Andrea Rodgers, senior vice president of external affairs and marketing at John G. Shedd Aquarium, was a participant in the 2019 cohort and agrees that the increase in the diversity of backgrounds and expertise is valuable to the community.

“An important part the continued relevancy and strength of the profession is that diversity of thought and experience at that top level of leadership,” said Rodgers. “That doesn’t just mean male versus female leaders, it is diversity of thought and diversity of perspective.”

Benefits of ELDP

Mentorship from a current executive is a major benefit of the program. Charles Hopper, chief operating officer at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego, Calif., is a current ELDP participant and is thankful for the mentor relationship he has built.

“Dolf Dejong is my mentor, and an individual who is changing our industry and shaping it for the better. Mentors are selfless and giving, and it’s indicative of the types of individuals that are not only accepted to the program, but continue to give back to the program to help shape it,” said Hopper. “Having someone who has been a part of the process, who has gone through the program, and understands the importance of that mentor relationship, is invaluable.”

ELDP creates a camaraderie amongst graduates who continue to offer each other support and advice long after the program ends. Smith has also helped connect participants from different cohorts and encouraged them to meet at an AZA Annual Conference and expand their peer groups.

“That whole idiom of it being lonely at the top, ELDP helps address that through the many relationships and peer groups it builds,” said Piekarz. “None of us can ever stand alone and we get more accomplished together. ELDP has now created a group of people who have trust and peer status―that is only going to make this profession better.”

The benefits of ELDP extend beyond the year-long program. Participants are encouraged to bring back the materials and resources to their institutions and teams.

“There is a trickle-down benefit of participating in the program,” said Rodgers. “I can’t tell you how many of the exercises, books, and lessons that I have passed down within my institution. It’s not just about who is serving in that cohort, it is about taking it back to your organization for the larger benefit.”

Luis Padilla is currently participating in the program. He began the program as vice president of animal collections at Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Mo., and halfway through was promoted to president and chief executive officer of Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Neb.

“ELDP put me at a different level of readiness,” said Padilla. “It gave me exposure in terms of people knowing that this was the type of position that I was ready for and interested in. I had the technical skills and leadership and management skills, but ELDP helped me elevate to an executive presence. By the time I was interviewing and meeting with different team members and selection committees, I was in a better place than I would have been before starting ELDP.”

Professional Development Opportunities

If you aren’t interested in or quite ready for ELDP, don’t forget about the other professional development opportunities offered by AZA. Hopper applied to the program for the first time a few years ago. At that time, he was not in the right place in his career to participate, but he continued to take advantage of other professional development opportunities and stay in touch with Smith and Leuzzi. He would advise any other hopeful to not be discouraged if you aren’t accepted the first time.

“I sit on the Professional Development Committee as well and these are incredible training programs and opportunities,” said Hopper. “I would encourage people to tap into the leadership pool inside of their organizations and to invest both time and finances towards professional development and growth. ELDP is an incredible program, it just may not be right for everyone in their organization, but there are other programs that can help prepare someone.”

Looking Towards the Future

ELDP continues to change and develop with the leadership landscape. Smith and Leuzzi receive extensive feedback from each cohort, and many graduates continue to work with the program as leaders or mentors.

“I hope that ELDP continues to evolve every year,” said Smith. “As we see demographics change, as we see the number of openings, as we see zoos and aquariums continue to grow and to evolve, the program grows and evolves with it. We always want to meet the needs of the community.”

Hero Photo: Luis Padilla. Photo Credit: © Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

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