Oakland Zoo Conservation Projects in the time of Covid

Joel Parrott, DVM, President & CEO and Staff Veterinarian of the Oakland Zoo. Received BS and DVM degrees from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Born in the Adirondack region of New York State, Dr. Parrott spent his high school years in Miami, Florida before moving to Colorado for his college education. Upon graduation from veterinary school, he completed an internship at the Denver Zoo and then went into private practice in Castro Valley. His specialty was exotic animals and he was a consulting veterinarian for the Oakland Zoo until 1984, when he became the Staff Veterinarian and Assistant Director. A year later, he became the Executive Director at the Zoo. In 2011, he became the President & CEO of Oakland Zoo.  Dr. Parrott has overseen many, new developments at the Zoo in the past twenty plus years. An avid conservationist and naturalist, he views the role of zoos as instrumental to environmental education. 

Married to Laura Becker, a practicing veterinarian. They live in Montclair and have two children, Tyler and Lindsey.