The dozen signatories, who said they are members of the zoo’s leadership team and sent the letter anonymously for fear of retaliation, wrote that employees would be able to step up to lead the facility if Peterson were removed.
“We will reverse the erosion of the programs, facilities, and standards that have progressively declined each year [Peterson] has held onto her power,” the letter reads.
A zoo manager, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, told KQED that communication between departments has been siloed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and that earlier this year, he and other managers were barred from contacting the board of directors without Peterson’s approval.
“Any communication with members of the Board are cleared through the CEO,” reads a draft communication policy viewed by KQED, which the manager said he and other managers had to verbally agree to. He said that their emails can be viewed by zoo leadership.
Zoo spokesperson Sam Singer denied the existence of such a communication policy and said employees can call an anonymous hotline with issues.
The manager told KQED that the whistleblower hotline isn’t trusted by employees, because “previously, it went to the zoo’s own deputy director who then handed over everything to the CEO.”
Despite the apparent controversy, Singer said that Peterson has the “unanimous support” of the board.
He added that the facility also remains committed to a plan spearheaded by former Mayor London Breed and Peterson to host a set of giant pandas from China next year.
“Tanya Peterson has raised millions of dollars to improve the zoo, to open it up to more children and families throughout the Bay Area,” Singer said. “She has helped create and fund an award-winning children’s playground, plus the highly anticipated giant pandas.”
