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US nonprofit · EIN 362167016 · Brookfield, ILiSource and licenceOrganisation record IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File (EIN 362167016) - NTEE activity code, address.Board and officers IRS Form 990 annual filings, Part VII (directors, trustees, officers, key employees), read year by year to observe time served.Latest return IRS Form 990 series e-file data - 990 for the year to 31 March 2025: assets, liabilities, staff, website, telephone, pay, grants paid (Schedule I).Finances by year IRS Form 990 e-file data - total revenue and total expenses by tax year.Renewal outlook Computed by Governance Register from the observed filing history and filed revenue. Not a statement that the organisation is recruiting.Deductibility IRS Publication 78 data (code PC), downloaded 18 October 2026.Licence US Federal Government public domain.How we handle data

Chicago Zoological Society

Donations deductible
Revenue
$108m
year to 31 March 2025
Expenses
$78.4m
year to 31 March 2025
Total assets
$317.2m
$94m liabilities
Net assets
$223.2m
assets less liabilities
Directors and trustees
46
6.9 years on average
Staff
791
242 volunteers
Chair observed
≥7 yrs
Cherryl T Thomas
Left since last filing
4
9% of the board
How am I connected?

Chicago Zoological Society's network

40 people17 organisationsi40 people and 17 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (40). Violet dotted lines (18) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.

The board

46 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Time served and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed time served is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 44 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.
NameRole as filedSinceOn the board
Cherryl T Thomas ChairChair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Barbara GraysonTrustee2020
6 yrs
Barbara J BradfordTrustee2018
8 yrs
Barbara Levy KipperTrustee2018
8 yrs
Benita S RomanoTrustee2022
4 yrs
Bert A Getz JrVice-Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Darius A GillTrustee2022
4 yrs
Dr Bonny ChenTrustee2018
8 yrs
Dr Lisa C FreemanTrustee2023
3 yrs
Dr Michael AdkessonPresident and CEO2022
4 yrs
Edward McCormick Blair JrTrustee2018
8 yrs
Elizabeth Hamill BramsenVice-Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Elizabeth S QuinnTrustee2024
2 yrs
Gregory J DidomenicoTrustee2018
8 yrs
Heidi HuizengaTrustee2018
8 yrs
JR Davis IIITrustee2020
6 yrs
James A BryanTrustee2018
8 yrs
Jay D BergmanTrustee2018
8 yrs
Jennifer L BelliniTrustee2023
3 yrs
Jerry ManneTrustee2018
8 yrs
John A CarpenterTrustee2018
8 yrs
John P GrubeVice-Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Joseph A GregoireTrustee thru of 12/242018
8 yrs
Kelley C SchuelerTrustee2018
8 yrs
Kevin M KeeleyTrustee2018
8 yrs
Kevin M KillipsTrustee2020
6 yrs
Mark G SanderTrustee2018
8 yrs
Matthew GambsTrustee as of 10/242025
1 yr
Merrick M ElfmanVice-Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Michael DraiTrustee2024
2 yrs
Michael F DesantiagoTrustee2018
8 yrs
Michael G CanningTrustee2019
7 yrs
Michael P EmmertTreasurer2018
8 yrs
Molly KellerVice-Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Patrick E WhitesideTrustee2018
8 yrs
Randall G VickeryCompany secretary2018
8 yrs
Rita Sola CookTrustee2019
7 yrs
Sasha L GerritsonTrustee2018
8 yrs
Stan PepperTrustee as of 11/242025
1 yr
Stuart B AbelsonTrustee2018
8 yrs
Stuart D Strahl PhDTrustee thru of 3/252018
8 yrs
Sunny ElebuaTrustee as of 10/242025
1 yr
Tim OzingaTrustee2024
2 yrs
Toni Reed Preckwinkle (also filed as Toni Preckwinkle)Trustee2018
8 yrs
Walter W Becky IITrustee2018
8 yrs
William C Kunkler IIIDeputy Chair of the Board2018
8 yrs
Under 5 years5 to 6 years6 years or moreShow all 46 →

Officers and senior leadership

18 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.
NameTitle as filedOn the filings
Andrea S RodgersSr. VP Guest Experience Operations2025
Cathleen BrueggemannSr. VP Developmentsince 2024
Cynthia W ZeiglerChief Advancement Officer through 12/21since 2018
David E BurnsSr VP Financesince 2018
Dr Sathya K ChinnaduraiSr. VP Animal Health Welfaresince 2023
Frank W ZeiglerSr. VP Animal Programs thru 2/2022since 2018
Heather BilcerVP Financesince 2024
Jennifer L BaaderVP Government Affairssince 2018
Jerome E JohnstonVP Guest Services Operationssince 2018
Leah RippeVP Marketing Communicationssince 2018
Mary A CroninMaster Planning Coordinatorsince 2020
Melissa LewkowichVP Risk Facilities Mgmtsince 2024
Michael OwensVP Information Technologysince 2018
Randall WellsVP Marine Mammal Conservation2025
Richard G GambleChief Operating Officer/Exec. VPsince 2018
Sandra L DornheckerVP Human Resourcessince 2018
Sarah Breen-BarteckiSr. VP Conserv Pgms, ResearchFundingsince 2018
Shannon HestonVP Information Technology2025

Pay and hours

year to 31 March 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.
NameTitle as filedHours a weekPay from the organisationRelated organisationsOther
Dr Michael AdkessonPresident and CEO40$693k$105k
David E BurnsChief Financial and Admin. Officer40$389k$83k
Cathleen BrueggemannSr. VP Development40$318k$47k
Andrea S RodgersSr. VP Guest Experience Operations40$245k$33k
Jennifer L BaaderSr. VP Govt Affairs40$236k$31k
Sandra L DornheckerSr. VP Human Resources40$226k$29k
Dr Sathya K ChinnaduraiSr. VP Animal Health Welfare40$215k$45k
Heather BilcerVP Finance40$195k$6k
Randall WellsVP Marine Mammal Conservation40$194k$29k
Melissa LewkowichVP Risk Facilities Mgmt40$186k$31k
Shannon HestonVP Information Technology40$182k$39k
Jerome E JohnstonVP Guest Services Operations40$177k$11k
Cherryl T ThomasChair of the Board2$0
William C Kunkler IIIDeputy Chair of the Board2$0
Elizabeth Hamill BramsenVice-Chair of the Board2$0
Merrick M ElfmanVice-Chair of the Board2$0
Bert A Getz JrVice-Chair of the Board2$0
John P GrubeVice-Chair of the Board2$0
Molly KellerVice-Chair of the Board2$0
Michael P EmmertTreasurer2$0
Randall G VickerySecretary2$0
Stuart B AbelsonTrustee2$0
Walter W Becky IITrustee2$0
Jennifer L BelliniTrustee2$0
Jay D BergmanTrustee2$0
Edward McCormick Blair JrTrustee2$0
Barbara J BradfordTrustee2$0
James A BryanTrustee2$0
Michael G CanningTrustee2$0
John A CarpenterTrustee2$0
Dr Bonny ChenTrustee2$0
Rita Sola CookTrustee2$0
JR Davis IIITrustee2$0
Michael F DeSantiagoTrustee2$0
Gregory J DiDomenicoTrustee2$0
Michael DraiTrustee2$0
Sunny ElebuaTrustee as of 10/242$0
Dr Lisa C FreemanTrustee2$0
Matthew GambsTrustee as of 10/242$0
Sasha L GerritsonTrustee2$0

About

Legal name
Chicago Zoological Society
EIN
362167016
Address
3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, IL, 60513-1060
State
Illinois
Mission
To inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. (as filed on the Form 990)
Activity (NTEE)
D500 Animal-related
IRS classification
501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
Classified purpose
Animal-Related
Size band
9 (IRS master file code)
Formed
1921
Principal officer
Michael J Adkesson (as named on the Form 990)
IRS ruling date
1 September 1941
Status
Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
Form 990 filings on record
7, latest 2025
IRS Publication 78
PC (contributions deductible)

Most connected

Longest observed on the filings

≥8years on the filingsCherryl T Thomas
≥8years on the filingsBarbara J Bradford
≥8years on the filingsBarbara Levy Kipper
≥8years on the filingsBert A Getz Jr

Latest return

year to 31 March 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 31 March 2025. US dollars, as filed.
Total assets
$317.2m
Total liabilities
$94m
Net assets or fund balances
$223.2m
Contributions and grants received
$62.2m
Program service revenue
$40.6m
Grants and similar paid out
$194k
Employees
791
Volunteers
242

Filed finances

1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.
Tax yearTotal revenueTotal expensesSurplus or deficit
2024$108m$78.4m$29.6m

As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.

Grants paid

2 listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.
RecipientPurposeAmount
Pangolin Conseravtion and Research FoundationPangolin Conservation$17k
The Biodiversity GroupPangolin Conservation$7k