A new leader is at the helm of Honolulu Zoo.
The City and County of Honolulu on Tuesday announced that John Berry, a former director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Smithsonian National Zoological Park, has been appointed as the zoo's next director.
Berry, also a former U.S. ambassador to Australia, was most recently the president of the American Australia Association, but has held a number of senior leadership positions in the federal government and also brings with him "extensive" conservation experience, per the city.
According to the Tuesday announcement, in his role with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Berry worked with the Inspector General's Office to "reconcile decades of financial records and helped to conserve millions of acres of wildlife habitat through public-private partnerships."
Meanwhile, at the National Zoo, Berry "successfully led the zoo through a major organizational turnaround, securing tens of millions of dollars in public and private funding for critical improvements, including new elephant, seal and sea lion exhibits, expanded conservation programs, and strengthened international partnerships," the announcement continued. "He also played a key role in negotiations with China over giant pandas and helped expand global wildlife conservation and research initiatives"
Additionally, Berry also previously served as director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where he oversaw human resource policy for more than 2 million federal employees and managed health and retirement programs serving millions of Americans; assistant secretary for policy, management and budget at the U.S. Department of the Interior; and deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary for law enforcement at the U.S. Department of Treasury.
"John Berry is a transformational leader with an extraordinary record of public service, conservation leadership, and organizational management,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in the announcement. “His experience leading the Smithsonian National Zoo, negotiating international conservation partnerships, overseeing complex organizations, and building world-class teams makes him uniquely qualified to guide the Honolulu Zoo into its next chapter. We conducted a thorough search locally and nationally and found an individual whose credentials are second to none.”
Berry replaces former Zoo Director Linda Santos, who retired late last year, a city spokesperson told Aloha State Daily. He began his duties on Tuesday.
Berry, who received a bachelor's degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland and has a master of public administration from Syracuse University, has a connection to the Islands.
According to the city, his family recently moved to Hawai‘i, where they had spent most holidays over the last three decades, and when he was assistant secretary for policy management and budget at the Department of the Interior, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton to help lead the Native Hawaiian Reconciliation process.
“I am very honored and excited to be joining the passionate team of professionals at the Honolulu Zoo,” Berry said in the announcement. “Together with many partners, we can help advance wildlife conservation throughout Hawaiʻi.”
According to its website, 42.5 acres within Kapi‘olani Regional Park was designated as the Honolulu Zoo in 1947. The city had assumed responsibility for the park in 1914, the site notes, and the first park director, Ben Hollinger, began collecting animals, starting with a monkey, bear and an African elephant.
In the past year or so, the zoo has also taken steps to modernize, launching a new mobile app in May 2025 and a new online ticketing system in November.
In April, the zoo received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In an announcement at that time, the city said the accreditation is a "highly respected benchmark for zoos and aquariums worldwide, with fewer than 10% of licensed animal exhibitors earning this distinction."
The accreditation process includes an extensive, multi-day on-site inspection and comprehensive review of all operational aspects, the city said in April.
According to the 2024 State Data Book, the Honolulu Zoo welcomed 501,967 visitors in 2023, the most recent year that data was available.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
