she glows

By Haiden Steingass | Photo by Mollie Shutt

Amy Lazoff, director of development at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, is making Fort Wayne a great place to live. From executing strategies to sharing her passion for community building, she shares what makes her so passionate about the organization and her community.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your job?

I get to witness that amazing moment when a child connects with an animal. That smile of pure joy mixed with curiosity about the natural world is an incredible sight to behold.

As a Fort Wayne native, I have a lot of childhood memories that involve trips to the zoo. When I became a mom, I bought our first family membership when my son was just a few weeks old. It wasn’t a question about if we would come to the zoo as a family, it was a given.

What strengths do you have that help you do well?

I think there are a couple of things. The first is my belief in our mission of connecting kids and animals, strengthening families and inspiring people to care about the world around them. But, beyond that it would probably be my ability to not only see the big picture strategically and plan for that, but also to rapidly determine the milestones that need to be accomplished along the way – coupled with an attitude of flexibility. Plan A doesn’t always work, and my job requires the ability to quickly create and move to plan B or C.

Why is it important for kids to connect with animals?

Once a child connects with an animal, a bond is formed. This bond allows a child to learn empathy and inspires them to learn more about their favorite animals across the globe. A child’s natural curiosity takes over as they learn what these animals eat, how they’ve adapted to their natural habitats, why they are important to their ecosystems and so much more.

That natural curiosity which stems from the connection formed with their favorite animal helps them learn about more than just the animal itself; it is teaching them how to think critically about the world around them. Those important critical thinking skills will spill over into other areas of learning.

What other benefits for kids and parents are gained from taking a trip to the zoo?

A trip to the zoo is also fun! Kids get to run, jump, get a little dirty and just be kids. Those are all benefits that stem from a zoo visit.

Of course, we also hope that the connections children make with animals when they come to the zoo will help them become better stewards of nature as they age. After all, to paraphrase a decades old quote from Wendell Berry, “We have not inherited the earth from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children.” a