Shedd Aquarium Society
Shedd Aquarium's mission is to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic animal world. This is driven by the organization's vision of a world thriving with aquatic life sustained by people who love, understand and protect it.
Key facts about Shedd Aquarium Society
In short: Shedd Aquarium Society gave $325K across 3 grants in 2024 (avg $108K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 36-2167918
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $325,018
- Grants made (2024)
- 3
- Average grant
- $108,339
- Median grant
- $92,360
- Total assets
- $780,057,975
- Primary geography
- Illinois (65% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$780.1M
+10.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$325K
+28.9% YoY
Grant Count
3
-25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$108K
+71.8% YoY
About Shedd Aquarium Society
Based on IRS filings
Shedd Aquarium Society is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $780.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 3 grants totaling $325K. Net investment income was $21.9M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2020) to $325K (2024). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $325K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chicago Park District ($212K). Together the top 3 received $325K.
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 9 (56%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Park District Chicago, IL | Program Support | $211,550 |
| Insight by Anderson LLC DBA the Coral Reef Aquarium Fisheries Campaign Groton, CT | Program Support | $92,360 |
| Alaska Sealife Seward, AK | Program Support | $21,108 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $780,057,975 | $703,914,325 | $628,183,114 |
| Revenue | $101,974,802 | $92,974,657 | $94,920,299 |
| Expenses | $72,794,544 | $66,994,472 | $57,622,512 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,888,406 | $15,981,297 | $10,086,197 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Shedd Aquarium Society is led by Bridget Coughlin PhD, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 14 of 61 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bridget Coughlin PhD
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$567K (2019) → $874K (2024)
David J Koo
Chairman of Board
Trustee → Chairman of Board, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Singla
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anders Gustafsson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Nocella
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna M Livingston
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brent Gledhill
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian A Kenney
Trustee
Chairman of the Board → Chairman of Board, 2022
Chairman of Board → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Foulkes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David L Epstein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen L O'Connor
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginevra Reed Ralph
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
H John Gilbertson Jr.
Trustee - Part-Year
Trustee → Trustee - Part-Year, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane L Warner
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Krulewitch
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Hesselmann
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Holmes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph S Braik
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Lawler
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Simios
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary L Burke
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary S Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy S Searle
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard E Erwin
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard J Tobin
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah N Garvey
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Weller
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas N King
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracie Haas
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Souder
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyrone C Fahner
Trustee - Part-Year
Trustee → Trustee - Part-Year, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William J Chase
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce St Clair
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Stainton
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert H Jordan PhD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Wright
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannel Clubb
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Lyons
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cara Pan
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Smith
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dominic Curcio
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John D Fumagalli
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Kuhrt
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Neil Book
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Yoon
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Nabors DMin
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rahul Goyal
Trustee - Part-Year
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
CHARLES Knapp
Vice President & Conservation Research
Vice President - Conservation Research → Vice President & Conservation Research, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$154K (2019) → $186K (2024)
Gary Gordon
Chief Financial & Administrator Officer
CFO → CFO, Treasurer & Secretary, 2021
CFO, Treasurer & Secretary → Chief Financial & Administrator Officer, 2023
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$290K (2019) → $384K (2024)
Meghan Curran
Chief Marketing & Experience Officer
Senior Vice President - Marketing, Sales & Guest Relations → Senior Vice President - Marketing & Sales, 2021
Senior Vice President - Marketing & Sales → Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$217K (2019) → $376K (2024)
Nancy Anschel
Senior Vice President & Human Resources
Senior Vice President - Human Resources → Senior Vice President & Human Resources, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$215K (2019) → $261K (2024)
Peggy E Sloan
Chief Animal Conservation Officer
Chief of Animal Operations → Chief Animal Conservation Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$207K (2019) → $261K (2024)
Robert Wengel
Senior Vice President, Facilities & Security
Senior Vice President - Facilities & Security → Senior Vice President - Facilities & Secur, 2021
Senior Vice President - Facilities & Secur → Senior Vice President, Facilities & Security, 2022
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$211K (2019) → $256K (2024)
Danielle M DuMerer
Vice President & Technology
Vice President - Technology → Vice President, Technology & Information Security, 2022
Vice President, Technology & Information Security → Vice President & Technology, 2024
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$172K (2020) → $223K (2024)
Sarah Hezel
Vice President, Design & Exhibits
Vice President - Design & Exhibits → Vice President, Design & Exhibits, 2022
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$175K (2020) → $216K (2024)
Catherine J Casey
Vice President & General Counsel
On filings since 2022
45 hrs/week
$204K (2022) → $224K (2024)
Lisa Junkin Lopez
Vice President, Learning & Community
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$172K (2023) → $180K (2024)
Christine White
Senior Vice President, External Affairs & Marketing
New on the 2024 filing
45 hrs/week
$150K (2024)
Loraine Smedley
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2024 filing
45 hrs/week
$290K (2024)
Patricia Fraser
Vice President & Guest Relations
New on the 2024 filing
45 hrs/week
$186K (2024)
Former officers (26)
- Former: Andrea Rodgers (2019–2023) — Senior Vice President, External Affairs & Marketing
- Former: Anne E. Krebs (2019–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Harvey L. Miller (2019–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Kelly McLaughlin-Kennedy (2019–2023) — Vice President, Philanthropic & Strategic Initiatives
- Former: Lloyd A. Semple Jr. (2019–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Richard L. Keyser (2019–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Susan E. Morrison (2019–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Zaldwaynaka Scott (2021–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Michael Nabors PhD (2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Gavin D. K. Hattersley (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Paul J. Carbone (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Regina Rodriguez (2019–2022) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Sandra L. Simon (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Rodd M. Schreiber (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: William C. Steers (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Cynthia Fronczak (2021) — Vice President & Controller
- Former: Lisa Junkin-Lopez (2021) — Vice President - Learning & Community
- Former: Cheryl Mell (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President - Conservation Partnerships
- Former: Robert Stein (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President - Guest Experiences & Communications
- Former: Gerald Padbury (2019) — Senior Director - Membership
- Former: Guy E. Snyder (2019) — Trustee
- Former: J. Jay Miller (2019) — Trustee
- Former: John F. Sandner (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Joyce Simon (2019) — Former Executive Vice President & CFO
- Former: Julie Andreeff Jensen (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Reeve Byron Waud (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $874K, to Bridget Coughlin PHD (President/CEO). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Shedd Aquarium Society
How much does Shedd Aquarium Society give each year?
Shedd Aquarium Society gave $325K across 3 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $252K across 4 grants.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society's typical grant size?
Shedd Aquarium Society's median grant in 2024 was $92,360, and its average grant was $108,339, across 3 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Shedd Aquarium Society give grants?
Shedd Aquarium Society gives mostly in Illinois: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (28%) and Alaska (6%).
Does Shedd Aquarium Society give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Shedd Aquarium Society's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (3 grants).
How large is Shedd Aquarium Society?
Shedd Aquarium Society reported $780.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $102.0M.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society?
Shedd Aquarium Society is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Chicago, IL. It holds $780.1M in total assets as of 2024.
What is Shedd Aquarium Society's EIN?
Shedd Aquarium Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2167918. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Here's the math on researching Shedd Aquarium Society by hand.
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