ASHEBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — The North Carolina Zoo announced on Monday that its director and CEO, Pat Simmons, has died after a five-year battle with cancer.
Simmons served as the NC Zoo’s leader for a decade, starting in 2015 after nearly 30 years at the Akron Zoo in Ohio and was bestowed with numerous honors during her career in the zoo and aquarium industry.
She oversaw the NC Zoo’s first major expansion since 1994 with the upcoming 12.5-acre Asia region, which will open in June 2026. That project will also include the fully-funded Australia region, which will be completed in 2029…