The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) has named Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, as chairman of its board of directors. Baribault has, until this change, served in the capacity as vice chairman of the board. In moving to this new volunteer role, he will continue to support the mission of Dr. Goodall, further serving and supporting the executive director, Anna Rathmann, offering insights, guidance, perspective, inspiration and oversight, while acting to the best of his ability as an ambassador of hope and helping to make Dr. Goodall’s vision of the future become a reality.
“I am pleased to celebrate my dear friend Paul Baribault as the new chair of the board for the Jane Goodall Institute,” Goodall said. “As the leader of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, one of the top conservation organizations globally, Paul has a valuable perspective on the powerful and unique role zoos play in global conservation. Paul understands what great conservation outcomes look like, and brings an aspirational vision to help organizations reach their true potential as we all work together to improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.”
Over the last six decades, the Jane Goodall Institute has worked to solidify Dr. Goodall’s vision and support her life’s work by rallying individuals to save the natural world. The organization is known internationally for primate conservation, establishing and maintaining the longest-running study of wild chimpanzees. Through critical work in Gombe, Tanzania, Dr. Goodall was able to shed international light on the importance of conserving the species, while including the needs of local people and the overall environment.
As an avowed conservationist, Baribault has built strong ties with organizations dedicated to protecting wildlife around the globe. Currently, he serves as president and chief executive officer of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and is leading the 105-year-old conservation organization into a new era of wildlife protection that focuses on global health and the interconnectedness of human, wildlife and habitat health.
Baribault is a member of the Executive Committee of Jackson Wild, a conservation summit and wildlife film festival; and previously was executive chair of The Aspen Institute High Seas Initiative. In his work as vice president and general manager of Disneynature, he pioneered the development of conservation projects tied to films, collaborating with leading nonprofits to plant millions of trees and help protect millions of acres for wildlife worldwide.
“Jane has been an inspiration to me in ways I will never quite be able to put into words,” Baribault said. “From the minute we met back in 2011, I had no idea the journey our meeting would put me on, and I am still amazed to this day to be able to consider her a dear friend. It has been an honor to serve on her board and incredibly humbling to be asked to become her Chair. Jane’s vision of hope is a powerful call to action for all of us to be of service to the planet and inspire the next generation, in any way each of us can.”