International Zoo Educators Association

Valerie Syrowicz is the Head of Strategic Projects and Alliances at Parque Zoológico Nacional La Aurora in Guatemala City and has been in charge of the Conservation Education department since 2014. She also supervises the community education and conservation research programs for the AGHN Marine Conservation Center since 2018. She has 20 years of professional experience primarily in social development programs and public and private alliances.

She has a special interest in providing equal access to quality education, reducing the gap for science and conservation education in Guatemala, prompting behavior change in the population and measuring results.

She is an active member within ALPZA (Latin American Zoo and Aquarium Association). She is part of the ALPZA Education Committee since 2018 and a certified inspector for ALPZA accreditation since 2020.

Valerie was an IZE Sponsor Delegate in 2016 and hosted the In Country Training in Guatemala in 2017. She received her B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and has a PM4R Professional Masters Certification in Project Management for Development Projects from the Inter-American Development Bank.