Today we’d like to introduce you to Georgeanne Irvine.
Hi Georgeanne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ever since I was a child and throughout my life, I’ve always been a storyteller. When I started working in public relations for the San Diego Zoo nearly 48 years ago, the opportunity to become a voice for our wildlife and our worldwide conservation efforts became first and foremost in my career as well as a life-long passion. I have had several different careers with the Zoo throughout my tenure—but all of them have involved sharing stories and inspiring people to care about wildlife and conservation and to support the important work that we do.
My first 22 years were spent in public relations, where I served as a media spokesperson and the editor and writer of our children’s publication, Koala Club News. Some of my highlights include seeing my first wild koalas while documenting the Zoo’s conservation work in Australia; accompanying Joan Embery and animal ambassadors to the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson; introducing celebrities like Tom Cruise, Brooke Shields, Betty White, and Julie Andrews to the Zoo and Safari Park; and handling the multitude of media who covered the first giant panda visit to the San Diego in 1987 and 1988. In addition, I freelanced children’s books for publishers like Simon & Schuster and Scholastic.
That was followed by more than 16 years in philanthropy, where I led a communications team that created the fundraising collateral we used to raise more than $80 million per year to build habitats like Elephant Odyssey and Australian Outback at the Zoo and Tiger Trail and Lion Camp at the Safari Park.
Next, our CEO tapped me and a colleague to create a book publishing division—San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press—for the organization. I was director of publishing for 8 years, overseeing a variety of book projects for the adult and child audiences and writing our non-fiction, award-winning Hope & Inspiration book collection for children. I continue to oversee book publishing but I have a new title as of a few months ago, director of historical affairs. In that position, I will also work to research and preserve the Zoo’s history and bring it to life through talks, articles, and archival projects.
The Hope & Inspiration books are especially near and dear to my heart. They are true stories about animals that live or have lived at the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park. They are illustrated with photos and include facts, conservation information, and things kids and their families can do to help wildlife. Sometimes, I have to follow an animal for several years to complete the story. Many of the animals have overcome challenges in their lives, such as Karen, the first orangutan to have open heart surgery to correct a hole in her heart, or Mosi Musa, a vervet monkey who was raised by his grandmother, or Moka the tiger, who was rescued after being trafficked over the border from Mexico into the United States as a cub. The book concept is to connect children with individual animals like Karen, Mosi Musa, and Moka, and their stories. When kids get to know and relate to these animals, the hope is that they will be inspired to care about that individual, the animals’ species, and wildlife and conservation in general. I have found that kids are not only inspired to love wildlife through these stories but they also learn life lessons, such as being brave, never giving up, and the value of special friendships.
When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family, friends and Boston terriers. My major passions include traveling, photography, storytelling, Broadway musicals and, of course, animals. I live for adventure travel and love seeing wildlife in their native habitats. My worldwide expeditions have taken me to many of the wildest places on earth—from the jungles of Borneo and South America to the mountains of China and the forests of India to the Outback of Australia and the savannas of Africa. I also spend lots of time in Alaska’s wild places to observe and photograph brown bears and other North American wildlife. In addition, I love to go to New York City, where I will see at least seven musicals in four days.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although we continue to have many conservation successes, like bringing the California condor back from the brink of extinction, we are still losing habitats and wildlife on our planet. It’s challenging to get some people and leaders to care about our future and the future of life on earth. I’m a very positive person—filled with hope—and try to look at challenges and obstacles as an opportunity to educate and inspire people to make our world a better place for all life. Our San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance vision is to “create a world where all life thrives” and I feel honored and grateful to play a role in helping fulfill that vision.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m incredibly proud of my career with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. I want my legacy to be about enlightening, energizing, and empowering children as well as adults—through my books and storytelling—to protect our Earth, its wildlife and its extraordinary habitats, which are disappearing at an alarming rate. My dear friend, the late and beloved Jane Goodall, once told me that if we would only give Mother Earth a chance, she will heal. She also said that if everybody did something—no matter how small—to protect our planet, that together we could save our precious Earth. Hopefully, my books and stories will play a role in galvanizing people to take action to preserve and protect nature and make our world a better, healthier place for all of its inhabitants.
What were you like growing up?
I’m a San Diego native, born on Halloween, who often visited the San Diego Zoo as a child. We lived on a canyon in Del Cerro that was rich in wildlife—we only had a split rail fence in the back so animals often visited our yard. As a child, I slept with a dozen stuffed animals on my bed—a lion, teddy bears, a monkey and more. I was incredibly curious and didn’t want to miss out on anything. A photo that always makes me smile features a 5-year-old me looking in a trashcan in the Children’s Zoo to see if anything interesting was in it. I also checked out storm drains to see what might have been washed into them when it rained. Even as a child, I loved sharing stories about my adventures. My parents moved up to Orange County when I was in third grade—I call it my ten-year-leave of absence from San Diego. But, I moved back to San Diego to attend San Diego State University, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism. On my 21st birthday, a Chi Omega sorority sister gave me a Curious George monkey plush, which unbeknownst to me was indicative of my future: a lifelong career at the San Diego Zoo. I still have Curious George sitting on a shelf in my office, peering down at me while I work!
When I started my job at the San Diego Zoo on March 22, 1978, as a public relations assistant, never in a million years did I think I would spend my entire career there. But, it only took a short time to realize that working for the Zoo and inspiring people to care about wildlife and conservation would become my life-long passion and truly a dream job. I’m still as enthusiastic about my work as I was on my first day at the Zoo—and I am eternally grateful for the fulfilling opportunities, adventures, and extraordinary people that my career with the Zoo has brought to my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sdzwa.org
- Instagram: @SanDiego Zoo and @ Sdzsafaripark
- Facebook: @SanDiego Zoo and @ Sdzsafaripark
- Twitter: @SanDiego Zoo and @ Sdzsafaripark
Image Credits
The three photos of me with the koala as well as the photo of me holding the book with the sloth were taken by Ken Bohn, our San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance photographer. The other photos were taken by family and friends–no need to give image credits.
