Committees

AZA Committees are critical to advancing the work of the Association. Serving on a committee is an excellent way to develop professionally, while giving back to the community. The call for committee service begins in March. 

Learn more about the committees from the 2023-2024 Committee Handbook HERE. 

Bylaws and Standing Committees

ACCREDITATION
Evaluates accreditation materials, develops and upholds standards, investigates complaints, trains and assigns inspectors, oversees inspections, reviews inspection reports, and grants certification and accreditation when applicants meet requirements. Note: To be considered for the Accreditation Commission a member must have served on a number of inspection teams and preferably have experience chairing a team. In addition, a member’s primary job function must be one of the following:  Zoo/Aquarium Operations (Director/CEO, Deputy Director, COO, etc.), Curatorial (Animal care/welfare), or Veterinary (Sr. or Primary Veterinarian). 

ANIMAL HEALTH
Ensures the highest quality and most comprehensive animal health care in all AZA institutions by: drafting and reviewing health-related guidelines and policies as requested by the AZA Board, other SAGS and AZA programs; responding to emerging disease issues by drafting protocols, guidelines, and recommendations for AZA institutions; providing review of research or conservation proposals for CGF and other granting bodies; working with Accreditation Commission on development and/or review of health-related accreditation standards; and acting as a liaison between AZA, AAZV, and animal health regulatory agencies, such as USDA and the CDC.

ANIMAL POPULATION MANAGEMENT
Facilitates the professional and scientific management of AZA member institutions’ animal collections. The APM Committee develops, oversees, promotes, evaluates and supports the cooperative animal management, programs and initiatives of the AZA.

ANIMAL WELFARE
Ensures that animal welfare is a central tenet of AZA’s animal programs by: defining and increasing a common understanding of animal welfare; identifying and encouraging the development of animal welfare research projects and assessment tools; educating and engaging AZA zoos and aquariums in using/applying welfare assessment tools; driving the creation of husbandry guidelines for all taxa; proactively identifying and addressing internal and external animal welfare issues; and understanding and influencing public perception about animal welfare in AZA zoos and aquariums.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Ensures the highest quality and constant improvement of AZA conferences to maximize delegate experience, conference host experience, program quality, administrative efficiency and financial excellence.

CONSERVATION EDUCATION
Advances the AZA Strategic Plan through its active team of members and advisers whose mission is to support zoo and aquarium educators, advance conservation education practices, and advocate for the importance of conservation education in accomplishing conservation goals.

DIVERSITY
Creates a culture within AZA that inspires respect and understanding of the value of diversity.  As a core value of AZA, the committee’s work is pertinent to the successful management of zoos and aquariums.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Assists in development of AZA positions on legislation and regulations affecting the membership.

HONORS & AWARDS
Evaluates and honors achievements in the zoo and aquarium profession, including educational programming, animal management, conservation, exhibition design, diversity and marketing.

MARKETING
The Marketing Committee serves to enhance the AZA membership and generate new revenue streams by providing expertise and support for building awareness and participation in AZA and its programs; serves as the industry’s leading voice on marketing trends and opportunities; and shares best practices in marketing programs among the membership.   

MEMBERSHIP
Monitors and reviews membership-related matters including AZA member benefits and assists with recruitment and retention.

NOMINATING
The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and nominating candidates to serve on the AZA Board of Directors and the Ethics Board. The Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors appoints a Nominating Committee, with terms of three years. The Chair-Elect typically makes new appointments in October or November. The Immediate Past Chair serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. Currently, there are nine members of the Nominating Committee, all of whom must all have been professional fellow members in good standing for five years or more.  

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Supports the development, administration, and assessment of the Association’s professional development and training programs.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
Provides public relations advice and counsel to the AZA. Engages in outreach to professionals within the AZA community to share public relations best practices. Leads in the development of public relations programming at AZA conferences and meetings.

SAFETY
Addresses emerging safety issues, and serves as a primary resource for gathering and disseminating example practices in safety within zoos and aquariums.

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Committee members seek to engage 100% of the AZA membership in field conservation, as evidenced through submissions to AZA’s annual field conservation survey; administer AZA’s SAFE Species program through liaisonships by committee members with each SAFE Species program, reviewing program proposals and conservation plans, and providing feedback to AZA’s Board of Directors on SAFE program implementation; and mentor AZA members as they expand, change, and/or developing their conservation programs.

Special Committees

ADVANCEMENT
Provides experience and applies the tools of fundraising and friendraising to the unique challenges of zoos and aquariums.

AQUARIUM AFFAIRS
Provides input and feedback to the AZA Board of Directors on issues that are uniquely aquatic in nature, in order to guide policy; assists the AZA Board in reviewing proposed AZA policies, committee or conservation unit mandates, accreditation standards, etc. for their potential effect on the aquatic institutional membership or on institutions with aquatic collections which typically require unique animal management approaches; and assists AZA in assimilating membership directives into the aquatic institution culture.

AQUATIC COLLECTIONS SUSTAINABILITY
The Aquatic Collections Sustainability Committee (ACSC) guides our members in making ethical and responsible management decisions to assure thriving, sustainable, aquatic populations.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Provides mentoring and networking opportunities for our colleagues; engages new commercial vendors in AZA; explores cooperative purchasing opportunities that may ensure savings for members; and establishes ethics and standards for business operations.

HUMAN RESOURCES
Provides mentoring and networking for HR professionals and input regarding the unique challenges of staffing zoos and aquariums.

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
Advances the use of research and technology to promote the use of good science throughout our profession, identifies best practices and their applications and facilitates communication among our scientific and animal management and education communities.  

TRENDS
Identifies, evaluates and prioritizes industry and external trends to provide actionable, forward-looking data and tools so AZA is strategically anticipating and meeting the needs of its members.

VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
Provides practical resources and support for AZA professionals that work with volunteers.

For more information, please contact Committees@aza.org.