Marieke Cassia Gartner, PhD

Director of Animal Welfare

Marieke joined Zoo Atlanta following an animal behavior and well-being postdoctoral research position at the Philadelphia Zoo. She is spearheading the Zoo’s animal welfare program, including quarterly assessments on all animals, welfare research across multiple species, and integrating welfare across the Zoo.

She is the Zoo’s Institutional Representative for Animal Welfare, and chairs the Animal Welfare Committee. Her doctoral work focused on personality and well-being in a number of felid species, and she’s carried out research with a variety of exotic and domestic species.

Marieke received her B.A. from Binghamton University (SUNY), her M.A. from CUNY-Hunter College, and her Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, all in psychology.