Meet the CZS Team: Stephanie Kesselem, Advancement Officer| Cleveland Zoological Society

A lifelong animal lover, Stephanie went from catching frogs to fostering dogs, and from dreaming of becoming a veterinarian to finding her niche in sharing the Zoo with donors. She cites golf cart tours as one of the best parts of her job. Even after a busy summer of carting around campus, she can barely contain her passion for imparting fun facts about the animals - and insights into their behavior - to her guests.

meettheteamstephanie

Favorite animal: Orangutans

Favorite spot at the Zoo: Wilderness Trek

Dream wildlife travel destination: The Serengeti to witness The Great Migration

Stephanie’s story of joining the Zoo Society involves a bit of serendipity. She had always loved the Zoo and even participated in Zoo Crew as a teen. In early 2022, she visited as a donor and connected with Carly over – you guessed it – a golf cart tour. It was there that she learned of a just-posted opportunity with the Advancement team, and she has been a key member of the Zoo Society ever since.

A true renaissance woman, Stephanie spends her free time doing ceramics, practicing her Greek, volunteering in her community of Bratenahl, and working with her hands on everything from art to home improvement projects, to making a mean pot pie.

Meet the CZS Team: Stephanie Kesselem, Advancement Officer

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