Mission: Connect communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife. Vision: Be a leader in the global movement to save wildlife. (Continued on Schedule O) Houston Zoo, Inc. (HZI) strives to be a zoo that practices exemplary animal care, delivers an outstanding guest experience, creates a workplace that instills respect and teamwork, provides learning opportunities, promotes conservation awareness, and inspires community support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$380.8M
+0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
-6.0% YoY
Grant Count
23
+15.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
-18.2% YoY
About Houston Zoo Inc
Based on IRS filings
Houston Zoo Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in HOUSTON, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $380.8M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 23 grants totaling $1.0M. Net investment income was $5.9M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $380,810,630 | $379,916,374 | $348,888,874 |
| Revenue | $82,689,282 | $82,522,000 | $68,161,300 |
| Expenses | $70,313,815 | $62,823,859 | $54,219,079 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $5,932,584 | $3,748,036 | $1,032,086 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Baylor College of Medicine ($341,112), Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International ($100,000), Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Bird Conservancy The Plains, VA | SPLASH environmental conservation support | $20,000 |
| Baylor College of Medicine Dallas, TX | EEHV research project | $341,112 |
| Capitol Area Council - Boy Scouts of America Austin, TX | Houston Toad conservation support | $68,438 |
| Global Conservation Network Apple Valley, MN | Planning Specialist Group operating support | $12,000 |
| Dallas Zoological Society Dallas, TX | Houston Toad conservation support | $17,387 |
| Fossil Rim Wildlife Center Glen Rose, TX | Attwater Prairie Chicken conservation support | $23,257 |
| International Crane Foundation Baraboo, WI | Operating support | $40,000 |
| Rewild Austin, TX | Species recovery conservation | $10,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE) Calabasas, CA | Texas native cat conservation | $10,000 |
| Texas A&M AgriLife Research College Station, TX | Houston Toad conservation support | $76,601 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Cleary | Board Chair | 1 | — |
| Stacy Methvin thru 624 | Immediate Past Chair | 1 | — |
| Joshua Davidson | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Sami Ahmad | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Saied Alavi | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Greg Armstrong as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| George Basu | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Carlos Bueno | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Bill Butzner as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Beto Cardenas | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Neil Chapman as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kris Chikelue | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Anne Clutterbuck | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Heather Crowder | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Michael Dishberger | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Charles Dresser as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kerry Galvin | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Eureka Gilkey thru 624 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Nicholas Hellyar as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Sanjay Kalavar | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Monica Karuturi as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Peggy Kostial | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Jennifer Laporte | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Claire Liu | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kelley Lubanko | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kimberly McKay thru 624 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Stacy O'Malley | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Byron Pope | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Alie Pruner | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Nancy Pustka | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Ron Rand thru 624 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Sadie Rucker as of 724 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Liz Schwarze | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Jordan Seff | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Bas Solleveld | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Brian Thomas | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Cynthia Walker thru 624 | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Kelli Weinzierl | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Bill Barnett | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Anne Duncan | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Robert Graham | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Jim Postl | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Randa Duncan Williams | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Austin Young | Member Emeritus | 1 | — |
| Lee Ehmke | President & CEO | 40 | $691,246 |
| Sheryl Kolasinski | COO | 40 | $374,936 |
| Jeri Nordbrock | CFO | 40 | $332,237 |
| Roberto Espinosa | Chief Advancement Officer | 40 | $313,227 |
| Lisa Marie Avendano | Deputy Dir., Chief Mission Officer | 40 | $222,535 |
| Kristin Finney | Chief Human Resources Officer | 40 | $301,730 |
| Kevin Hodge | VP Animal Programs | 40 | $241,498 |
| Adrian Cavazos | AVP, Business Operations | 40 | $172,867 |
| Mark Hoffman | Sr. Dir. Plan, Design, Engineering | 40 | $152,464 |
| Trazanna Moreno | Senior VP Marketing, Communications | 40 | $282,556 |
| Benjamin Jones | VP Conservation and Education | 40 | $216,513 |
| James Hutchinson | Sr. Dir. Finance & Accounting | 40 | $194,019 |
| Abraham George | Director of Technology | 40 | $174,428 |
| Audra Jesudason | AVP, Development | 40 | $160,789 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Houston Zoo Inc?
Houston Zoo Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in HOUSTON, TX. It holds $380.8M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Houston Zoo Inc?
As of 2024, Houston Zoo Inc holds $380.8M in total assets with $82.7M in annual revenue. It awarded 23 grants totaling $1.0M in 2024.
Where does Houston Zoo Inc operate?
Houston Zoo Inc has awarded grants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.
What size grants does Houston Zoo Inc award?
In 2024, Houston Zoo Inc awarded 23 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $46K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Houston Zoo Inc's EIN?
Houston Zoo Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1590271. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Houston Zoo Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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