Dr. Beth Stevens retired in 2017 from her position as Senior Vice President of Corporate Citizenship for The Walt Disney Company. In her position at Disney, Beth was responsible for the company’s environment and conservation programs. This included developing environmental strategy and policy, as well as overseeing conservation programs and initiatives that protect wildlife and wild places, and help young people develop lifelong conservation values. Under her leadership, Disney set aggressive environmental goals and targets, engaged employees across the globe on sustainable practices, supported conservation projects in over half the countries of the world and launched major campaigns to inspire environmental stewardship in kids.

Beth joined Disney to help with the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Her first role was as Conservation and Science Director, and then General Manager for Disney’s Animal Programs. In August of 2001, Beth was promoted to Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Animal Programs division.

Prior to Disney, Beth was senior vice president of conservation, science and education at Zoo Atlanta. Beth started her career as a curatorial intern at The National Zoological Park in Washington, DC. Beth currently serves on the Jane Goodall Institute Board of Directors. Beth served as President and Chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 2006, and served on the board from 2000-2007. She has also served on the boards of the International Rhino Foundation and Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park, FL. Beth received her bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Duke University and went on to study behavioral physiology as a German Academic Exchange student at the University of Tuebingen, West Germany. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Biology.