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As a 14-year veteran of Oakland Zoo, Nik Dehejia’s role as Chief Executive Officer is integral to all Zoo operations. Nik’s passion for advancing the Zoo into the future, both in wildlife conservation and as a visitor destination, has been key to establishing Oakland Zoo as we know it today.

On a recent Oakland Zoo-sponsored ecotour to Africa, Nik met with many of the Zoo’s frontline conservation partners there, seeing firsthand the profound impact the Zoo’s ongoing support makes for wildlife abroad. A member of the prestigious AZA Honors and Awards Committee and the AZA Trends Committee, as well as a board member of the Regional Parks Foundation, Nik’s twin goals of Taking Action for Wildlife and over-arching future progress, drives successful projects across Oakland Zoo. His leadership has strengthened the financial position, the relationship with the local community, and the increased equity and inclusion across the organization.

Nik holds an MBA from U.C. Berkeley and has been a board member for Heyday Books, Community Initiatives, and Slide Ranch. Before Oakland Zoo, Nik worked in international public policy at the World Resources Institute and World Bank, in corporate responsibility at Business for Social Responsibility, and in a more traditionally commercial role at Levi Strauss & Co.