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Santa Barbara Zoo CEO appointed to Association of Zoos and Aquariums Board of Directors

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Santa Barbara Zoo

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Zoo announced Friday that its President and CEO, Rich Block, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. It is known as the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and eleven other countries.

The zoo said Block has been an active member of the AZA since 1984, and has served on numerous committees including Conservation Education, Roadside Zoo Task Force, Wildlife Conservation & Management and Member Ethics.

Block has worked in connection to zoos for more than 35 years and brings valuable expertise in animal welfare, field conservation, and species survival to the AZA community. 

As a board member, Block will be involved in all the many aspects of the national organization, including accreditation, ethics, animal welfare, and conservation.

 In 2019, AZA’s 240 accredited facilities contributed $231 million to field conservation projects, a collective effort that places them among the world’s largest conservation investors, and is helping to protect species both at home and across the world.

The AZA welcomed nearly 200 million visitors and more than 12 million students on educational field trips, teaching their audience about environmental action.

AZA-accredited facilities contribute nearly $23 billion to the U.S. economy and support around 208,000 jobs for their local communities.

As CEO of the Santa Barbara Zoo since 1998, Block is responsible for the success of the Zoo, concentrating on partnerships and relationships with Zoo supporters. Prior to coming to Santa Barbara, Block was the Vice President for Scientific & Program Development at the Indianapolis Zoo.

Prior to this position, Block worked at the World Wildlife Fund, served as the Executive Director of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, served as Curator of Education at Zoo Atlanta and Curator of Public Relations and Development at the Kansas City Zoo.

For more information about the AZA, visit their website www.aza.org.

For more information about the Santa Barbara Zoo or to donate, visit their website at www.sbzoo.org.

The SB Zoo is located at 500 Ninos Drive in Santa Barbara and is currently open to guests with COVID safety precautions. Tickets must be purchased in advance while the zoo limits the number of guests allowed in the park each day during the pandemic.

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Jessica Brest

Jessica Brest is a digital journalist and assignment editor for NewsChannel 3-12. To learn more about Jessica, click here.

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