Cory Wilcox

Education

M.A. Biology, Miami University, 2016

B.S. Business Administration, Elmhurst University, 2009

A.A. General Studies, College of DuPage, 2007

Biography

Cory Wilcox (she/her) is the Assistant Manager of College and High School Outreach Programs at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, where she brings over a decade of experience in conservation education, career and professional development, and inclusive programming. A proud graduate of the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) at Miami University, Cory holds a Master of Arts in Biology and is passionate about fostering inquiry-driven, community-based conservation learning. Cory’s Master Plan was to provide educational and technological resources to gardeners to inspire them to prioritize pollinator conservation by incorporating simple, sustainable, eco-friendly practices into their gardening and landscape routines.

Cory manages Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s longstanding college internship program which provides hands-on learning opportunities to students interested in pursuing careers in animal care, marketing, conservation, education, research, and more. She has developed and led a range of impactful programs, including ProjectSEARCH and Good Works, which provide meaningful experiential learning opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities. She also contributes to institutional initiatives that advance diversity, equity, and accessibility, serving on the zoo’s DEAI Committee and supporting technology integration and departmental communication as a SharePoint lead and one of the Zoo’s website content managers.

When not at the zoo, Cory can usually be found wrangling her two young boys—Hunter (6) and Ryder (3)—tending to her garden, or listening to an audiobook.