Stephen Ross, Ph.D., Board Chair
Lincoln Park Zoo
Steve Ross is the Director of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. With more than 20 years of experience studying animal behavior, Dr. Ross brings a vast knowledge of great apes to Chimp Haven. After service on the board from 2009-2012, he was re-elected in 2013 and in 2014, stepping into the role of board chair.
Since joining Lincoln Park Zoo in 2000, Dr. Ross has been very influential in the great ape world as an expert on chimpanzee behavior and wellbeing. Some of his works include co-organizing “The Mind of the Chimpanzee” conference, contributing to the design of the award-winning Regenstein Center for African Apes and the creating Project ChimpCare, which focuses on improving the lives of privately-owned chimpanzees across the United States. Dr. Ross serves as Chair of the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). He had previously served as a member on the Working Group for the Use of Chimpanzees in NIH-supported Research which provided recommendations to the NIH to scale down the use of chimpanzees no longer needed as subjects of biomedical research.