Meet the Zoo Director - October, 2009 - Donna M. Fernandes, Buffalo Zoo

Name: Donna M. Fernandes

Actual title: President/CEO

Name of your zoo: Buffalo Zoo

Location: Buffalo, New York, U.S.A.

URL for your facility: www.buffalozoo.org

Number of species at your facility: 165

Your favorite critter at the facility: maned wolf

Total number of animals at your facility: 1227

Number of visitors annually: 450,000

Number of employees: 65 full-time, 15 part-time, 35 seasonal

Number of volunteers: 647

Annual budget: $6,620,918

Degree(s): B.S. in Psychology (Brown University), PhD in Behavioral Ecology (Princeton University), M.A. in Business Administration (Simmons School of Management)

Experience prior to this position: Curator of Research and Vice President of Programs at Zoo New England (1990-1995), Curator of Animals and Education at Prospect Park Wildlife Center (1996-1999)

Favorite part of your job: Designing new exhibits

One dream wish for your facility: Dedicated funding or a much larger endowment

Family: married to Robert Savage

Pets at home: One Australian shepherd named Liberty

When you retire, you plan to: Exercise more and eat less junk food