Dr. Adkesson is President & CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society and Director of Brookfield Zoo. He graduated veterinary school from the University of Illinois, where he also completed an MBA degree. He completed a residency in zoological medicine at the Saint Louis Zoo and University of Missouri, and is a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine by both the ACZM and ECZM. Mike worked as a clinical veterinarian and department head for CZS for over a decade before assuming his current leadership position.

Dr. Adkesson is a past-president of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and is actively involved in many professional organizations. He is the author of over a hundred peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings. Dr. Adkesson holds an adjunct faculty appointment with the University of Illinois and has trained numerous veterinary students and residents over his career. For over a decade, one of Mike’s passions has been his extensive work with wild Humboldt penguins, Peruvian fur seals, South American sea lions, and other marine species in coastal Peru. He leads the zoo’s conservation programs in the region and works as an associate researcher for Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru.