Letter From The CEO
Envisioning the Next Twenty-Five Years
Our CEO looks forward into the next 25 years and what that means for the Aquarium.
The Aquarium has grown up. The first 25 years were about getting established, connecting with the community, building world-class exhibits and education, leveraging animal husbandry expertise for conservation, and growing a volunteer program that is the heart and soul of our operations.
It is time to envision the next twenty-five years–a daunting challenge under today’s breathtaking pace of social and technological change. It is worth noting that when the Aquarium was founded, social media was non-existent. Today, social media is a mainstay of our business.
As we look to a future replete with possibilities, our values provide an anchor. Those values are science, inspiration, innovation, community, and fun. Energized by these values, we have just completed a strategic plan that identifies our priorities for the next twenty-five years:
The experience guests have when they engage with our staff and our animal exhibits is core to everything we do. We imagine a journey of continuous improvement in the guest experience at our exhibits, while simultaneously making animal wellbeing our highest priority.
Drawing on paid staff, volunteers, and the local community, we will become a leading force for marine conservation in California. This will include a California Marine Species Report Card, more and more species head start programs, and expanding our community science efforts.
Sustainability will be lived and shared as a way of life. Plastics, emissions, waste, and consumption choices all need to change. We will be a leader in that change.
Colleges reach less than one half of our population. The Aquarium reaches everyone. Our education team is committed to making everyone feel they can find opportunities in science and technology so that everyone understands they have a voice in selecting our future.
What we do at the Aquarium of Pacific has never been more necessary. We connect people to nature. Deprived of nature—our happiness, our mental acuity, and our well-being is also deprived. Most of us cannot afford to enjoy safaris, scuba diving, or even backtracking treks. At the Aquarium, we can deliver a special connection to animals and nature that everyone can access. That is truly priceless.
We have done a lot. We can do so much more. Stay tuned and join us on the quest.
Peter Kareiva
Dr. Peter Kareiva joined the Aquarium of Pacific in August 2020. He holds a B.A. in zoology, M.S. in environmental biology, and Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology. He is committed to science that engages the public and believes that connecting to nature is the one thing that can overcome the deep political and social divides that plague the nation today.