Brandie Smith
The Guardian
What holds, and what fails, under pressure, standards and accountability.
Brandie Smith reads as The Guardian because her leadership of the Smithsonian's National Zoo is organised around protection, of species, of ecosystems, and of the public trust that conservation depends on. She has steered one of America's most visible zoological institutions through funding pressures and post-pandemic operational disruption without compromising programmatic integrity. Her principled, science-led approach creates the stable and reliable environment that is the Guardian's signature, defending the mission before defending herself.
“There are species that exist on the planet today because of zoos. Blackfooted ferret, Panamanian golden frog, scimitar horned oryx, California condors. The list goes on.”
“When you come here, you are not just seeing the animals — you are part of our conservation success.”
“We've tripled the number of pandas on the planet. There are panda reserves in China three times the size of Yellowstone because of this program.”
The David Rubenstein Show: “Brandie Smith”
LISTEN AT THE SOURCE ↗THE RECORD IS CHECKABLE