Redefining Relevance: Bold Perspectives on Purpose, Impact & Community

Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman is a native Chicagoan who grew up with a love of animals. Mogerman applied that love to her academic pursuits, obtaining a B.A. in biology from Macalester College, an M.A. in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in biology with a focus on foraging ecology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition, she is currently adjunct at DePaul University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, teaching an online course that engages students as citizen scientists.

On October 30, 2023, Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman became the Philadelphia Zoo’s 15th President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Mogerman is the first woman and woman of color to serve in the Zoo’s 164-year history.

Prior to coming to Philadelphia Zoo, she served as the first African American female zoo director as the Director-Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. There she led the effort to build from scratch a new safari experience, animal science and conservation breeding facility. At John G. Shedd Aquarium she oversaw the vision and strategic direction for all learning and community programs. From her nearly 14 years at Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo, she brings extensive executive experience in informal education and community relations and is well-versed on topics related to the conservation and zoological community. Dr. Mogerman currently serves the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as the Chair of the Wildlife Conservation Committee. She has served as chair of the AZA’s Diversity Committee and a member of the Ethics Committee. She currently serves on the boards of Wild Earth Allies and Alliance for the Great Lakes (as Chair). She has garnered more than 10 awards for these organizations, programs and projects under her lead.

Alex Sarian is the President & CEO of Arts Commons, one of Canada’s foremost centers for arts and culture. In addition to overseeing the 560,000 square foot facility, which hosts over 600,000 guests to its 2,000 events annually, he is also responsible for leading the $660 million Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project—the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history. Scheduled to break ground in downtown Calgary in December 2024, ACT continues to attract attention from around the world for its record-breaking vision, and has secured the country’s largest philanthropic gift ever made to the performing arts sector. At the time of his appointment in 2020, at the age of 36, Alex became the youngest executive to oversee a major performing arts center in North America.

Prior to moving to Canada, Alex spent nearly two decades in leadership roles in New York City, most notably as the senior executive at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts responsible for international consulting, regranting initiatives, artistic programming for young audiences and families, community engagement, and the institution’s famed education department.

Alex has worked on cultural projects in 15 countries spanning five continents and has taught at New York University, Pace University, and City College of New York. He has served on governing boards and special advisory committees for institutions including Tourism Calgary, the Calgary Downtown Association, SXSW, Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, and the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize. A proud member of the 2022 class of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40, he received undergraduate and graduate degrees from New York University, is a graduate of the CommunityShift program at Western University’s Ivey School of Business, and was an inaugural graduate of the Impact Program for Arts Leaders at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

His debut non-fiction book, The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts & Culture (ECW Press) will be available in bookstores in October 2024.