Salisbury Zoo Commission
The Salisbury Zoo Commission is a 501 (c)(3) with the mission of raising funds to support the Zoo’s Education Department and conservation initiatives.
The Commissioners are appointed through the Mayor’s office with approval from the City Council. They provide oversight to the Zoo. The Zoo Commission was founded in 1976 and became a non-profit in 1984. The Zoo’s revenue programs; events, membership/sponsorship, education programs, gift shop/concession, produced by the Zoo Commission provide approximately 35% of the overall operating funds for the Zoo.
Zoo Commissioners
Dr. Clifton Griffin – Chairman
Karen Lutz – Secretary
James Maybury – Treasurer
Linda Wainer
Hemalatha Bhaskaran
Donald Pulver
Dave Harris
Chelsye Phillips-Hutton
Amy Heger
City Council Rep: Michele Gregory
City Staff Liaison: Jamie Nichols, Development Supervisor
Ex-Officio Members: Allen Swiger, ABCD director; Chuck Eicholz, Zoo director; Kelly Colbert, education curator
Salisbury Zoological Park Docent Association
Docents support the education, recreation, and conservation missions of the Salisbury Zoological Park. As tour guides, program presenters and Certified Animal Team members, docents provide educational information to scheduled groups at the Salisbury Zoological Park and assist with the Ambassador Animal Collection. They give educational talks on and off Zoo grounds and they rove throughout the Zoo to educate Zoo visitors about the Zoo’s animals. They help to mentor new docents as they go through their training.