Rita Stacey

Rita Stacey is an experienced professional in the fields of animal welfare and conservation, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Programs & Impact at Brookfield Zoo Chicago since September 2024. Prior to this role, Rita held the position of Chief Conservation and Science Officer at Texas State Aquarium from February 2023 to September 2024, and accumulated over three decades of experience at the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, where Rita served as Vice President of Animal Programs and Curator of Marine Mammals until December 2022. Additionally, Rita contributed to academia as an Adjunct Instructor at Western Illinois University from January 2015 to May 2018. Rita holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Welfare from Grand Canyon University, a Master of Science in Biology from Western Illinois University, and a Bachelor of Science in General Biology from Northeastern Illinois University.