Jaclyn Wegner
Senior Director, Conservation Action
With over a decade of experience managing conservation efforts and environmental education programming, Jaclyn Wegner oversees the conservation action team.
Education
M.Ed., DePaul University
B.S. Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
“It takes all of us working together to turn collective action into impactful solutions for a healthier, more equitable future for people and our planet.”
Jaclyn Wegner manages the implementation of a comprehensive vision for conservation action priorities, programs, campaigns and more. She oversees the team responsible for programs such as Shedd Aquarium Action Days, Kayak for Conservation and Let’s Shedd Plastic. These conservation efforts, among others, contribute to aquatic habitat restoration, foster community-based stewardship, and address systemic environmental challenges for people, animals and our shared blue planet. Further, these opportunities allow guests to get closer to Shedd’s mission while bringing them in nature, on the water and into communities throughout the Chicagoland area.
Before coming to Shedd in 2014, Wegner worked at Lincoln Park Zoo where she focused on a diverse portfolio of conservation education programs for a variety of key audiences. Throughout her career, she’s also been active with several volunteer experiences for organizations like Chicago Park District as a Humboldt Park Volunteer Steward and the Cultural Access Collaborative (formerly Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium) as a founding steering committee member.