President & CEO

Dr. Mike Adkesson is President & CEO of Brookfield Zoo Chicago – a global conservation leader and one of the world’s premier zoos. He is a passionate advocate on the importance of modern zoos and aquariums as a means for inspiring societal compassion and concern for wildlife and nature. Dr. Adkesson previously worked for many years as a clinical zoo and wildlife veterinarian, and later as Vice President of Clinical Medicine, at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. For over 15 years, Dr. Adkesson has led marine conservation programs in coastal Peru focusing on endangered Humboldt penguins, Peruvian fur seals, South American sea lions, and other marine species. He holds an associate researcher position with Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru and an adjunct faculty position with the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a past-president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and involved in numerous professional organizations.

Dr. Adkesson received his DVM from the University of Illinois in 2004. Following a small animal internship, he completed a residency in zoological medicine at the University of Missouri and Saint Louis Zoo. He is board-certified in zoological medicine by the ACZM and ECZM, and also has an MBA from the University of Illinois Gies College of Business. Mike shares his world with his amazing wife Adriane (DVM, Illinois 2007), 3 children, and an assortment of animals.

The Impact of Zoos on wildlife Health and Conservation

Presentation description to be announced.