Last summer, Paula Simon traded bulls and bears for yaks and tigers. After 30 years of IT experience in the financial services industry, the Long Island native answered the call of the wild?or rather of a recruiter. She became CTO of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which oversees the Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium, three New York City zoos and wildlife programs all over the world. Since July 2000, Simon has led the formation of WCS’s first IT department. CIO: What prompted you to break from 30 years of corporate work to take a job in such an unusual environment? Simon: It was a very fast track to an offer and an acceptance. Doesn’t every kid who grows up in this area remember fondly the Bronx Zoo? Besides, I was very ready for a change, looking for a little less pressure and a different ambiance on a day-to-day basis?which this definitely is. How is IT incorporated into work with the animals? For one thing, we’re planning a new exhibit for our Siberian tigers. We are working in a very interesting area called behavior enrichment, which is special to zoos. It’s a movement to enrich [animals’] experience and to stimulate them. So we’re building toys. I’m involved in creating software to monitor and track the impact of this behavior enrichment. Part of the exhibit for the tigers will be [monitoring] the impact of the toys. What were the biggest adjustments you had to make in your new role? I had to slow myself down. In the financial services arena, everything has to be instant gratification. But this is about long-term objectives for animal [care]. This is about making sure people are comfortable before taking action on initiatives. It’s relaxed compared with financial services. I never got out of my office before 6 [in financial services], but now I do. Also the mix of people you work with is much more varied. You’re dealing with the basic day-to-day care and feeding of animals in many of the dimensions of what we do. But the biggest difference is that we run on a limited budget. We make do where we have to make do, but the animals come first. We’ve been very judicious in choosing our priorities. Working for a nonprofit organization isn’t usually as lucrative as corporate work. What advice would you give to others wanting to make a similar move? It takes a change of attitude about money. I’m long enough in the tooth that I’ve accumulated some personal assets. The real motivation to come here is because we have so much to do that everything I do makes a difference. Not every CTO can say that. Related content news Concerns remain even as the EU reaches a landmark deal to govern AI Experts believe the new regulation would add a significant compliance burden on businesses as some argue it could even stifle the growth of the rapidly developing technology. By Gagandeep Kaur Dec 11, 2023 7 mins Regulation Regulation Government feature CIOs grapple with the ethics of implementing AI With ethical considerations around AI use increasingly top of mind, IT leaders are developing governance frameworks, establishing review boards, and coming to terms with the difficult discussions and decisions ahead. By Esther Shein Dec 11, 2023 13 mins Generative AI Data Governance IT Governance feature Reed Smith turns to AI for lawyer staffing solution The legal firm’s Smart Resourcing tool helps balance workloads and ensure partners find associates with the right skills and experience, while empowering employees to make connections across the firm’s global footprint. By Sarah K. White Dec 11, 2023 8 mins CIO 100 Legal Digital Transformation news Emirates NBD drives sustainability goals with Microsoft partnership By Andrea Benito Dec 10, 2023 2 mins CIO Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe