Mary L. Burke Elected as Newest Shedd Aquarium Board Chair

CHICAGO – This week, Shedd Aquarium’s Board of Trustees elected Mary L. Burke as the organization’s newest Board Chair. Burke is the Founder and Managing Partner at Lakeshore Food Advisors, LLC – an investment banking firm that focuses on capital needs and services specific to the food and agriculture industry. Burke succeeds David J. Koo, who served as Board Chair since 2022.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to guide this passionate group of leaders and to champion such an important mission—and I can think of no better way to conclude my time as Board Chair than to pass that responsibility on to Mary,” said Koo. “Mary’s dedication to service and to the work of Shedd Aquarium is unmatched. Her support and drive will be essential as Shedd continues to evolve and prepare for its centennial anniversary in 2030.”

Burke first became a Trustee in 2019 and has since served as the Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee as well as a member of the Executive Committee. Just last year, she also co-chaired Shedd’s annual fundraising gala.

“In my time on the Board of Trustees, I’ve witnessed just how powerful and vital Shedd Aquarium’s mission is to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic world,” said Burke. “It is also not lost on me how historic and transformative this moment in time is for this iconic institution. For all these reasons and many more, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead this Board and Shedd into bright, blue futures ahead.”

Shedd Aquarium is governed by the Shedd Aquarium Society. It is composed of volunteer corporate, civic and community leaders that make up the Board of Trustees and has the primary responsibility for governance oversight and fiduciary accountability, as outlined in the Society’s bylaws. The Board provides strategic direction for institutional priorities through work in both governance and programmatic committees.

VISUALS: Find high-resolution photos of Mary Burke can be viewed and downloaded here:

https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e7165875c6676a89b67&C=50

Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez