Zoological Society and Essex County Turtle Back Zoo Welcome New Members to Leadership Team
(April 3, 2012 – West Orange, NJ): The Zoological Society of New Jersey and the Turtle Back Zoo announced today the fulfillment of two key positions. Adam Kerins comes on as the new Executive Director of the Zoological Society of New Jersey and Maria Durci will take on the role of Education Curator at the Turtle Back Zoo. Both bring tremendous experience in their fields and promise to be valuable assets their respective organizations.
“We’re very excited to introduce Adam and Maria to the community,” said Dr. Jeremy Goodman, Director, Turtle Back Zoo. “They each bring a level of expertise and energy to their positions, making them key additions to our team.”
In his position as Executive Director, Kerins will plan the Society’s operational budget and serve as the primary contact for business leaders. Kerins plans to develop a strong relationship between the Turtle Back Zoo and the surrounding community, and will organize activities to raise funds for the Zoo’s 50th anniversary and the new Sea Lion exhibit. As Education Curator, Durci will oversee the Zoo’s educational programming, staff, volunteer programs, educational animal collection and more.
Prior to joining the Zoological Society of New Jersey, Adam Kerins worked as the Vice President of Development and Marketing for the Staten Island Zoological Society where he supervised fundraising and marketing functions. Kerins earned his MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University and his Bachelor of Science at the University of Delaware. He currently resides in Morristown, New Jersey.
Before coming to the Turtle Back Zoo, Maria Durci acted as Program Director of the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania where she headed program development and the integration of key partnerships as well as customer service and staff training initiatives. Prior to working for the Girl Scouts, she served as the Education Curator at the Erie Zoo for seventeen years. Durci is certified in Early Childhood Education and performed graduate coursework at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is a resident of Waterford, Pennsylvania.
For more information, contact Allison Greco, The S3 Agency, 973-257-5533, agreco@theS3agency.com.
About The Zoological Society of New Jersey
The Zoological Society of New Jersey, Inc. was started in 1973. Its purpose is to promote the general welfare of Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, a facility of the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs; to stimulate the public's interest in the growth, improvement, and development of Essex County Turtle Back Zoo through education and research with an emphasis on natural conservation of all species of animals; to support and sponsor fund-raising events to help in the financing of new facilities, purchase of equipment, and acquisition of animals; to encourage membership in the Society by persons interested in the promotion of the physical and aesthetic qualities of Essex County Turtle Back Zoo; and to stimulate the public interest in the development and enjoyment of Essex County Turtle Back Zoo and of animals everywhere.
About The Turtle Back Zoo
Turtle Back Zoo, New Jersey’s #1 Zoo, is AZA-accredited and features over 800 animals from around the world. Turtle Back Zoo is part of South Mountain Recreation Complex, located in West Orange, NJ. Opened in 1963, Turtle Back Zoo is committed to providing an enriching recreation experience that fosters excellence in wildlife education and wildlife conservation for present and future generations.
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