Aislinn Ahern’s story with the Columbus Zoo began long before she ever stepped behind the gates as an employee. Like many Zoo guests, she grew up visiting both the Zoo and The Wilds, but unlike most visitors, she knew from an early age exactly where her future would lead.

“When people would ask me what I wanted to be when I was older, it was truly the easiest question to answer,” Aislinn recalls. “I want to work at the Columbus Zoo as a keeper.”

That childhood dream became reality in the summer of 2024 when she was accepted as an intern in the Zoo's Asia Quest region. For the first time, Aislinn traded her role as a lifelong visitor for a blue Zoo Staff shirt, gaining hands-on experience and learning from the dedicated keepers who cared for the animals she had admired for years.

While she loved her time in Asia Quest, another area of the Zoo held a special place in her heart. Since 2019, Aislinn had developed a deep passion for apes, making the Congo Expedition region her dream destination. Later that summer, she received an email from Congo Expedition Head Keeper Danessa inviting her to interview for a seasonal keeper position. “I actually cried with excitement,” Aislinn says. In August 2024, she officially joined the Congo Expedition team, working in the exact place she had envisioned as a young Zoo guest. Balancing that opportunity with her studies at Indiana University Bloomington required dedication and determination. During her junior and senior years, Aislinn regularly drove between campus and Columbus so she could continue working one weekend each month.

After graduating from Indiana University, Aislinn faced another important decision. She chose to continue her education through graduate school, making this summer her final season as a keeper in Congo Expedition. While stepping away from the role has been bittersweet, her connection to the Zoo remains strong. She will continue contributing through her master’s research thesis focused on primate nutrition, combining her academic interests with her lifelong passion for animal care and conservation.

When asked about her favorite part of the Columbus Zoo organization, Aislinn points beyond the habitats and animal habitats that guests see every day.

“It is truly so hard to pick,” she says. “But I would have to say the influence that the Columbus Zoo organization has worldwide.”

She recently witnessed that impact firsthand while visiting Rwanda, where she observed conservation efforts and community partnerships supported by the Zoo. The experience reinforced her belief in the organization’s mission and the meaningful difference it makes both locally and globally.

“You can’t say that about too many zoos,” she explains. “I left that trip feeling the best I ever had about the future of the Columbus Zoo.”

Aislinn also believes the Zoo plays a vital role in connecting people with animals, conservation, sustainability, and the challenges wildlife face in their natural habitats. She sees education as one of the Zoo’s most powerful tools, helping guests develop empathy and curiosity that can last a lifetime.

One reminder of that community connection stands out to her every day. A sign between the Zoo's Australia and the Islands region and the Congo Expedition region thanks Franklin County, Ohio, voters for supporting the Zoo through the 2025 levy. Though simple, its message resonates deeply. “That sign reminds me every time I work that the people of Franklin County showed up for the Zoo, because the Zoo showed up for them at some point in their life,” she says.

As she reflects on her Zoo journey, Aislinn is especially grateful for one person who helped shape her path: retired Vice President of Conservation and Science, Dr. Jan Ramer. “While I absolutely would still have been at the Columbus Zoo without meeting her, I now couldn’t imagine not having Jan in my corner as inspiration and motivation,” Aislinn says.

Although her role as a seasonal keeper is coming to a close, Aislinn’s story with the Columbus Zoo is far from over. Through her graduate research, her passion for primates, and her unwavering commitment to conservation, she remains part of the Zoo family that helped shape her life.

And if her journey so far is any indication, the little girl who dreamed of becoming a Zoo keeper may still have many more chapters waiting to be written at the Columbus Zoo.