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NC Zoo leader Pat Simmons has died after battle with cancer

88.5 WFDD - Public Radio For The Piedmont
Published July 14, 2025 at 5:25 PM EDT
Image shows Pat Simmons
Courtesy NC Zoo
Pat Simmons, who has led the NC Zoo since 2015, has died, zoo officials said Monday.

Pat Simmons, the director and CEO of the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, has died.

Zoo officials say Simmons passed after a five-year battle with cancer.

Her career spanned more than 40 years with zoos, including the last ten in Asheboro. She received praise for her work in wildlife conservation, sustainability and guiding women in leadership roles.

Simmons directed the planning for the 12.5-acre Asia exhibit, the zoo’s first expansion in three decades. It’s scheduled to open next year. An Australian habitat is slated to open in 2029.

Asheboro officials say Simmons had a unique gift for animal welfare and public education, describing her as a great partner with the city and the state legislature.

The North Carolina Zoo is the largest natural habitat zoo in the world.