The Louisville Zoo’s mission is to better the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in conservation education.
Volunteers are integral to this goal as we educate, entertain and involve diverse groups of people from all walks of life. It takes work, dedication and many, many helping hands to make your Louisville Zoo a world-class, award-winning destination for family fun.
2022 Winners
Jonathon Michael Heaton Award
This award is given out each year to an outstanding youth volunteer. The award is named after Jonathon Michael Heaton who gave over 3,000 volunteer hours to the Zoo before passing away in 1999 from a heart attack, due to a congenital heart condition. His dedication and memory are kept alive through this award.
The 2022 winner is Lilly Hotkewitz. She was nominated by Gorilla Forest keeper Alexis Williamson who said, “Lily has gone above and beyond in her volunteer duties. Never needing to be guided, she always finds things to do until staff assigns her another task. She started as a teen volunteer in the summer of 2017 but chose to continue volunteering on the weekends once school went back into session. She has been an invaluable asset as a volunteer and as a member of the Louisville Zoo Youth Board.”
Pictured above are members of Jonathon Michael Heaton’s family as well as Lilly Hotkewitz; Zoo Director, Daniel Maloney; and Coordinator of Volunteers, Diane Taylor
Diane Taylor Spirit Award
The award is named after Coordinator of Volunteers, Diane Taylor for her 30+ years of service. It recognizes an adult volunteer who exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism through service and dedication.
The 2022 Diane Taylor Spirit Award winner is Katy Nuss. Kathy has amassed over 15,500 volunteer hours as an Emeritus Docent. The commissary staff said, “Kathy always comes in with a big smile on her face and is always eager to help with whatever duties we assign. She’s a fast learner and isn’t afraid to ask questions. She is a big help and a joy to have in the commissary; she makes our days better with her joyful personality.”
Pictured above Zoo Director Dan Maloney, Emeritus Docent Kathy Nuss and Coodinator of Volunteers Diane Taylor.
Below, see a list of award-winning volunteers who have been recognized for their outstanding volunteer work at the Louisville Zoo!
Diane Taylor Spirit Award Winners
| Winners | Year |
|---|---|
| Lawrence Smith | 2005 |
| Allen Mikel | 2006 |
| Judith Tucker | 2007 |
| Lynzi Mikel | 2008 |
| Anne Ramsey | 2009 |
| Karen Nelson | 2010 |
| Trudy Fischer | 2010 |
| Terry Feathers | 2011 |
| Marvin Snyder | 2012 |
| Michael Mathis | 2013 |
| Anthony Schneider | 2014 |
| Keith Watson | 2015 |
| Rebecca Bockelman | 2016 |
| Donald Blanton | 2017 |
| David Bonham | 2018 |
| Susan Allen | 2018 |
| Chris Ramser | 2019 |
| Mark Goeing | 2020 |
| Wanda & William Jackson | 2021 |
| Kathy Nuss | 2022 |
Jonathan Michael Heaton Winners
| Winners | Year |
|---|---|
| Leslie Edington | 1999 |
| Peter Lindle | 2000 |
| Sean Cooper | 2001 |
| Allen Mikel | 2002 |
| Natasha Rodgers | 2003 |
| Allen Mikel | 2004 |
| Noah Carl | 2005 |
| Davor Kusec | 2006 |
| Trae Marr | 2007 |
| Stanley Strader | 2008 |
| Rachel Pardee | 2009 |
| Tyler Hardin | 2010 |
| Mary Kaelin | 2011 |
| Christian Perkins | 2012 |
| Joshua McVicker | 2012 |
| Rebekah Carson | 2013 |
| Michelle Boyken | 2014 |
| Kun Lin | 2015 |
| Savannah Robinson | 2016 |
| Carl Grief | 2017 |
| Jacob Brady | 2018 |
| Jasmine Benningfield | 2019 |
| Andrew John Chumbley | 2020 |
| Nikolas (Niko) Jones | 2021 |
| Lily Hotkewitz | 2022 |