Conference - TESSERE Zoo + Aquarium

Hosted By:

What is Echo?

ECHO is more than a conference — it’s a movement. Each conversation begins with a question, an idea, or a challenge, and its impact reverberates across organizations, communities, and the zoo and aquarium profession. Through digital dialogues, interactive forums, and an annual gathering, ECHO creates space for transformative dialogue, bringing together leaders in our field and visionaries from beyond it to reimagine what’s possible for our organizations and our world.

The ECHO Conference is the centerpiece of this work — a deliberately intimate gathering limited to 30 zoo and aquarium leaders. Hosted in partnership with leading zoos and aquariums across the country, the conference is a curated space to sit in the unfamiliar: three days of candid dialogue, collaborative exploration, and collisions between courageous, creative leaders and provocative thought partners from unexpected fields. Together, participants surface assumptions, wrestle with big questions, and push the boundaries of what leadership can mean and look like in a time of urgent change.

The experience is intentionally small, deeply personal, and designed to send energy and ideas back into the profession — sparking ripples of change that extend far beyond the room.

Hosted by TESSERE | Zoo & Aquarium Division

ECHO26 Theme

Intersections of Impact | Where People, Nature, and Possibility Meet

Zoos and aquariums hold a unique position – at the intersection of mission and margin, people and planet, community needs and global imperatives.

At ECHO26, we’ll step into that tension with voices from beyond our field, pushing past assumptions and asking what becomes possible when we approach these intersections as opportunities – places where purpose drives strategy, resources fuel impact, and today’s choices shape tomorrow for people, wildlife, and our planet.

What Attendees Are Saying

It is my favorite conference of the year. I have a hard time calling it a conference. More like a think tank experience with colleagues.

I’ve attended over 50 conferences in my career, ECHO is the best.

Truly one of the best conferences I have ever attended. I feel grateful for the impact it will have on our industry.

The people you meet and the conversations that occur change the way you think about your work.

It’s the place where innovative conversations on the front edge of our profession are happening.

ECHO provides a venue for zoo and aquarium professionals to connect on a deep level that I do not encounter *anywhere* else.

Group of attendees at ECHO 2025

Schedule

Schedule at a Glance

Monday, May 11

All Day	Attendees Travel to Dallas
	Attendees On Own

Tuesday, May 12

Morning	Optional Activities
1:00 pm	Lunch and Opening Session
6:00 pm	Reception and Dinner
9:00 pm	Evening Ends

Wednesday, May 13

8:30 am	Breakfast at Dallas Zoo
	Morning Sessions
12:30 pm	Lunch at Dallas Zoo
	Afternoon Sessions
6:00 pm	Community Activity & Dinner
9:00 pm	Evening Ends

Thursday, May 14

8:30 am	Breakfast at Dallas Zoo
	Morning Sessions
1:00 pm	Lunch at Dallas Zoo
	Afternoon Sessions
6:00 pm	Reception & Dinner at Dallas Zoo
9:00 pm	Evening Ends

ECHO26 is an All-Inclusive Experience — with two options depending on how you travel.

$2,295 | Flying

Includes:

Round-trip airfare* (booked by our travel coordinator) into Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) or Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Ground transportation for all event activities
Four nights at The Adolphus (Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15)
Event programming, meals, and receptions

*Applies to continental flights.

$1,995 | Driving

Includes:

Four nights at The Adolphus (Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15)
Ground transportation for all event activities
Event programming, meals, and receptions

Note: Driving guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and costs (including parking, mileage, and rental cars). No reimbursements will be provided.

Attendance at ECHO is by invitation only, and our curated guest list includes executive-level leaders from zoos and aquariums. If you are not yet on our guest list and would like to be considered, please email echo@tessere.com.

ECHO is a high-energy, deep-thinking, and intimate gathering, and as such, seats are limited. While multiple leaders from each organization may receive an invitation, attendance is limited to one person per organization. That said, we recognize there is value in shared experience, so let’s chat if your organization is interested in sending an additional representative.

Travel information

ECHO26 Conference Hotel

The Adolphus
1321 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75202
https://www.adolphus.com/
Read about the Adolphus’s rich history

Flying to ECHO26

ECHO partners with Ken Brodbeck of Prairie Travel to coordinate flights for attendees who will be flying to Dallas. Once you register, Ken will be in touch to arrange your travel.

Flights will arrive into DFW or DAL on Monday, May 11 and depart on Friday, May 15.
Tickets will be economy class on the most convenient and cost-effective routes.
Any changes or cancellations after tickets are issued will be the sole responsibility of the traveler.
Extras such as baggage fees or seat upgrades are also the responsibility of the traveler and can be coordinated with Ken.