Houston Zoo Names Jennifer Garcia as Chief Financial Officer

The Houston Zoo today announced the selection of Jennifer Garcia as Chief Financial Officer. Garcia will join the Zoo in May, following more than 16 years in nonprofit financial leadership in Houston, most recently as CFO of the YMCA of Greater Houston. The Zoo partnered with Isaacson, Miller for the search.

In her role at the Houston Zoo, Garcia will lead the Finance division, including Accounting, Purchasing, and Financial Planning & Analysis, and will serve as a key financial partner to President and CEO Lisa Peterson and the senior leadership team.

“Jennifer brings strong financial expertise and a deep connection to the communities she serves,” said Lisa Peterson, President and CEO of the Houston Zoo. “She has built her career here, working for organizations that are central to this city. As we shape the next chapter of the Houston Zoo, I am thrilled to have her as a partner.”

Garcia joined the YMCA of Greater Houston in 2014, where she built her way up through a series of leadership roles, serving as Assistant Controller, Controller, Vice President of Financial Operations and Controller, and, since 2020, as Chief Financial Officer. In that role, she led all financial operations for the organization and guided the YMCA through two significant revenue disruptions, navigating them while focusing on her team and maintaining the organization’s financial stability.

Before the YMCA, Garcia spent four years at Blazek & Vetterling, a Houston public accounting firm, where her work focused almost entirely on nonprofits across the city. She holds a Master of Accounting from Tulane University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Texas.

“The Houston Zoo has been part of my family’s life for years,” said Garcia. “To now be part of that work means a great deal to me. I am honored to join this team and look forward to contributing to what comes next.”