Stephanie Allard

Dr. Stephanie Allard joined the National Aquarium in 2020 as vice president of animal care and welfare, responsible for overseeing all aspects of animal care and welfare throughout the Aquarium and our Animal Care and Rescue Center, including oversight of our life support and facilities teams which work in service to our animal care and welfare operations.

Stephanie came to the Aquarium from the Detroit Zoological Society, where she most recently served as deputy chief life sciences officer overseeing animal welfare, conservation and science, following six years as director of animal welfare. She has also held animal management and research positions at Palm Beach Zoo in Florida and Zoo Atlanta. Additionally, she has held adjunct positions at Oakland University in Michigan, and Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University. 


As a professional fellow with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Stephanie serves on several committees and advisory groups. Recognized for her expertise in animal behavior and welfare, she is frequently invited to speak and teach internationally. She holds doctorate and master’s degrees in experimental psychology from Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and neuroscience from Emory University.