Mark Schick
Senior Director, Animal Operations and Habitats
Education
B.S., Biology and Marine Ecology, University of Alabama
Expertise
Animal care, marine ecology and aquariums, coral conservation
Mark Schick brings more than 30 years of experience in marine aquariums to his role as senior director, animal operations and habitats at Shedd, where he oversees aquatic animal collections and the teams responsible for their care. In his nearly three decades at the aquarium, he has played a critical role in the development of six special exhibits ranging from lizards and amphibians to seahorses and jellies. He also designed and established Shedd’s live foods program.
Schick is part of the core team currently managing the implementation of Shedd Aquarium’s Centennial commitment strategic plan, a $500 million renovation plan for the aquarium’s 100th anniversary.
Throughout his career, Schick has worked with a wide range of species, building deep expertise across diverse animal groups. Beyond his operational leadership, he is deeply committed to coral science and conservation, conducting research both at the aquarium and in the field. He has been involved in multiple conservation initiatives, including with the SExual COral REproduction (SECORE) International where he was part of the first team to successfully raise sexually spawned Elkhorn corals. He also is an active board member of AZA’s Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group.