Home Madison Longtime nonprofit leader Jasmine Banks joins Zoo Commission

Longtime nonprofit leader Jasmine Banks joins Zoo Commission

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Jasmine Banks staffing her booth at the Black Business Expo.

Dane County’s Henry Vilas Zoo announced Friday that Jasmine Banks will join the Zoo Commission.

Banks is a fifth generation Madisonian and has spent the majority of her career in the non-profit sector. She currently works at Operation Fresh Start helping young people pursue their career goals and is “passionate about creating accessible and inclusive spaces for everyone who calls Madison home,” according to a press release.

Banks is also the founder and CEO of Perfect Imperfections, a natural body care company. She has won numerous awards and honors and has been a featured speaker at various business and commerce events.

“As a lifelong Madisonian who has visited the zoo countless times and chose to host our family reunion here, it is an honor to be invited to sit on the Zoo Commission,” Banks said in a statement. “I look forward to being a part of such an instrumental entity in our community where all are welcome.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Jasmine to the Commission,” Zoo Commission Chair Anne Ross said in a statemebt. “With her deep roots in the Madison community, her more than 30 years of work in the health and human services field, her experience as an entrepreneur and a ‘maker,’ and her passion for observing and helping others to experience the natural world, Jasmine is an ideal addition to the group.”

Jasmine replaces long time Zoo Commissioner Jonathan Becker, whose term expired end of 2022. “We want to thank Jonathan Becker for his years of dedicated service and commitment to advancing the Zoo’s mission of conservation and education,” Executive Director Ronda Schwetz said in a statement. “He was one of our most involved commissioners and volunteered his time to help run our train and carousel in the summers. He will be greatly missed on the Commission but we are sure he will continue to be involved with the Zoo.”

The Henry Vilas Zoo Commission is made up of seven members and acts as an oversight body with respect to the operations of the Henry Vilas Zoo. Jasmine joins the Commission as one of the two appointments made by Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.