Bronx, NY, Feb. 23, 2026 – The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has announced the appointment of Stephen L. Ham as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, effective March 1, 2026.
A highly collaborative senior executive with more than 20 years of experience leading global philanthropy strategies, Ham will oversee WCS’s comprehensive fundraising efforts, advancing the organization’s mission to save wildlife and wild places worldwide. He currently serves as WCS’s Vice President of Individual Giving.
“Stephen has the strategic vision and leadership to help WCS scale our impact—across our four zoos and aquarium in New York City and throughout our field conservation program in more than 55 countries,” said Adam Falk, President and CEO of WCS. “He understands the extraordinary power of our model: connecting millions of visitors at our urban wildlife parks with the largest and longest-standing field conservation program in the world. Stephen brings a deep commitment to conservation, a sophisticated understanding of global philanthropy, and a proven ability to build high-performing teams and secure transformational support that advances our mission.”
Ham has spent his professional life dedicated to global conservation. Since joining WCS in 2016, he has played a central role in shaping and executing a philanthropic growth strategy. Prior to WCS, Ham served as Senior Director of Philanthropy at the African Wildlife Foundation and he worked closely with Dr. Jane Goodall as a special assistant in the Office of the Founder at the Jane Goodall Institute, supporting international fundraising tours and high-profile global events.
Ham began his conservation career as an Environmental Volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa, where he partnered with farming communities to launch sustainable forest management and wildlife conservation initiatives. He holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, with highest honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
WCS combines the power of its zoos and an aquarium in New York City and a Global Conservation Program in more than 50 countries to achieve its mission to save wildlife and wild places. WCS runs the world’s largest conservation field program, protecting more than 50 percent of Earth’s known biodiversity; in partnership with governments, Indigenous People, Local Communities, and the private sector. Its four zoos and aquarium (the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium ) welcome more than 3.5 million visitors each year, inspiring generations to care for nature. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org. Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: +1 (347) 840-1242. Listen to the WCS Wild Audio podcast HERE.