Rita Stacey Vondra, Ph.D. is the Senior Vice President of Programs & Impact, leading both the Animal Care & Programs team and the Education & Community Engagement team. With over three decades of experience working for world-class accredited conservation centers, Rita brings a strategic and collaborative approach to animal care, education, conservation, and community outreach. Her dissertation research focused on the human-animal bond, supporting Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s mission to connect the public with wildlife.  
  
Rita has a long history with Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Starting in 1990, she was an animal care specialist with marine mammals at Seven Seas, and over the years had other roles in Reptiles and Birds, The Swamp, and The Living Coast. In 2009, she became the Curator of Marine Mammals, then served as Vice President of Animal Programs in 2022. Most recently, she served as Chief Conservation and Science Officer at the Texas State Aquarium.   
  
Her influence extends internationally through her work as the Co-Chair of the Accreditation Commission and as an accreditation inspector for the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. In addition, she is the Grey Seal Studbook Keeper and accreditation inspector/cetacean expert for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She also held an adjunct instructor position at Western Illinois University, authored multiple professional publications, and delivered numerous presentations at professional conferences.  
  
In addition to completing her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in General Psychology from Grand Canyon University, Rita earned her Master of Science in Biology from Western Illinois University and her Bachelor of Science in Biology with an environmental emphasis from Northeastern Illinois University.