Shedd Aquarium Names Brad Rutherford Chief Animal Conservation Officer

Shedd Aquarium announces that Brad Rutherford joins its executive team as Chief Animal Conservation Officer this week. Rutherford joins the aquarium amidst its $500 million Centennial Commitment strategic plan, including the Experience Evolution to revitalize the aquarium experience, improve already exceptional animal care through advancements to habitats and surface some of the world’s most pressing conservation issues facing aquatic ecosystems.

“At Shedd Aquarium, animals are the anchors to our mission, vision and everything we do. Our commitment to their care shapes the conservation we advance to ensure their futures, and we aim to inspire action from the people who have the experience to connect with them here,” said President and CEO Bridget Coughlin, Ph.D. “I look forward to welcoming Brad to lead our team dedicated to some of our most visible mission-driven work to support data-driven solutions that spark hope, empower action, connect people to nature and protect aquatic life.”

Rutherford will provide strategic oversight and leadership for the world-class nonprofit’s animal care and welfare, veterinary health, conservation and animal science teams. This includes innovative areas like live food culturing, sustainable seafood sourcing, microbiome laboratory testing, and overseeing the state-of-the-art animal hospital. Beyond the confines of the building, his teams will continue to champion marine and freshwater species with local and global efforts for research, rescue and rehabilitation.

Prior to joining Shedd, Rutherford was most recently the Chief Aquarium Operations Officer at Monterey Bay Aquarium to help complete their strategic plan. Rutherford also served as Chief Operating Officer at Seattle Aquarium for eight years, where he ensured the strongest financial position in the institution's history and greatly expanded its conservation programs. Today, he remains on the board of directors of the Snow Leopard Trust – a non-profit organization dedicated to the endangered species – where he previously spent 16 years as the executive director.

“I have dedicated my career to the conservation of wildlife, both on land and sea, across multiple continents and committed myself to mission-focused work, so I am eager to join a respected, recognized leader in animal care, research, education and welfare in Chicago,” said Rutherford. “I hope to both contribute to and communicate about all the work the aquarium is doing to protect this planet.”

A Chicago native, Rutherford holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University and a master's degree in Social Change and Development from The John Hopkins University.

VISUALS: Find a high-resolution photo of Brad Rutherford here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e71678f586770786ba8&C=50. Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Rachel Mittelstaedt