Leadership
Leadership of Zoo Knoxville
Bill Street
President & CEO
Drew Rowan
Chief Operating Officer
Michelle Kolar
Vice President of Education & Conservation
Karl Traeger
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Shane Chester
Director of Operations
Phil Colclough
Director of Animal Care
Melinda Whicher
Director of Horticulture & Grounds
Mike Zieminick
Director of Guest Experience
2026 Board of Directors
Executive Members
- Russ Watkins, Chair
- Chelly Clayton, Immediate Past Chair
- Chris Kinney, Vice Chair
- Greg Ashley, Treasurer
Members
- Whitfield Bailey
- Brent Ball
- Lindsey Boyd
- Chris Caldwell
- Erin Gill
- Debbie Helsley
- Jay Hicks
- RJ Justice
- Ben Kowalski
- Kevin Kragenbrink
- Sandy Martin
- Dugan McLaughlin
- Dave Miller
- Paul Plummer
- Sharon Pryse
- Damon Rawls
- Rich Ray
- Rebecca Tolene
- Marianne Wanamaker
Life Trustees
- H. Pete Claussen
- Sam Furrow
- Greg Isaacs
- Eddie Mannis
- David Moon
- Patrick Roddy
- Gary Wade
- Tim Williams
Honorary Life Trustees – In Memoriam
- Bill Arant
- Bill Baxter
- Lee Congleton
- Natalie Haslam