Diving For Dreams

Oak Brook resident builds career, pursues dreams at Brookfield Zoo Chicago

By Anna Hughes | Photos courtesy of the Brookfield Zoo Chicago

For most people, the dolphin show at Brookfield Zoo Chicago is entertaining. Captivating. Majestic.

For Tim Sullivan, it was life-changing.

Sullivan was 17 years old the first time he saw the show. He went home that night—for the first time ever—with a career path in mind. As a swimmer and an animal lover, he saw the care team hard at work and decided he wanted to be a part of it.

Sullivan started his career 40+ years ago at the Brookfield Zoo.

Sullivan knew he would have to work hard for this new dream. He started with a part-time job taking tickets for the show. His swimming and diving experience gave him a leg up, allowing him to get into the pools to help the animal trainers. This continued through his senior year of high school and throughout college.

“I went to school in the area and then just continued to work my breaks and weekends, trying to keep my foot in the door, hoping that I might be that one in one million chance that I can get a full-time job,” Sullivan said.

In 1984, he earned a job as a seasonal animal care specialist. After a few months, that became a full-time gig, and he’s worked at the zoo ever since.

“The zoo has really changed my life,” Sullivan said. “Had I not come here, I don’t think I would have kind of put myself in those situations where I would have grown.”

Sullivan described his young self starting out at the zoo as “the shyest, most introverted kid you could ever know.” Working with the marine mammals as an animal trainer forced him out of his comfort zone. He had to give presentations to thousands of people – something he was totally unfamiliar and completely uncomfortable with. Through teaching crowds of adoring guests about the animals he cared for, he learned a lot about himself.

“Because I was forced to do that to give myself any chance to get this job, it really started to develop my confidence,” Sullivan recalled.

He spent over 16 years with the marine mammals before moving to the pachyderm department. After less than a year in this role, he was the top pick to serve as the director of animal training and enrichment for the entire zoo. Despite not feeling qualified at the time, his peers and mentors knew he was the right fit. He’s held that position (now called the director of behavioral husbandry) for 26 years.

“I provide the knowledge and expertise and skill for the 106 animal care specialists here to modify the behavior of their animals in all areas of the zoo, as well as provide environmental enrichment to help benefit their well-being,” Sullivan explained.

Sullivan caught the attention of more than just zoo leadership during the early parts of his career. One educator, Angela, noticed him from afar and decided to make a move. They’ve been together ever since.

“Apparently, she was stalking me for a while,” Sullivan joked. “She still tells a story where she goes, ‘You’re not a really good animal behaviorist; you should have seen that I was stalking you…I bought one of your T-shirts for your enrichment fundraiser.’ I go, ‘So did 60 other women! That wasn’t much of a clue.’”

They live in Oak Brook with their two kids, TJ and Chloe, who grew up visiting Mom and Dad at the zoo. Just like all of the kids who visit every day, their wide-eyed awe seeing the animals reminds Sullivan why his work is so important.

“When you have challenging days, what I do is I tend to just go out into the park and just hang out with guests and watch the kids smiling and interacting with the animals and really having a great day,” Sullivan said. “It’s just really an honor to be a part of that.”

Sullivan’s work extends beyond family fun; it’s about being an advocate for animals and sharing their mission of care and conservation with all the guests who visit, promoting stewardship and compassion.

“Our mission is to create conservation leaders, so that they can develop that caring attitude towards animals, that empathy,” Sullivan said. “Hopefully they leave the zoo after having a great experience here, and change their behavior to hopefully help the environment, help the planet, so that the wild relatives of all of our animals who are at Brookfield Zoo have a better chance of surviving.”

Sullivan is currently serving as a big part of the zoo’s newest effort in their commitment to animal well-being. As the interim director of primates, he is tasked with overseeing the biggest renovation in the zoo’s 90-year history: the construction of the tropical forest exhibit, which will completely revamp primate habitats. But they aren’t stopping there. The zoo recently announced a 15-year, $500 million renovation plan. This ambitious expansion is a testament to the zoo’s mission of preserving species and prolonging ecosystems. Sullivan is thrilled to be a part of it.

“In the 44 years I’ve been here, I’ve never had a day where I’ve woken up and said, ‘You know, I really don’t want to go to work today.’” Sullivan said. “I come to a really cool place where I’m excited to show up to work every day.”

To learn more about Brookfield Zoo Chicago, their latest renovations, or how you can visit, visit brookfieldzoo.org.