Agency file

Zoo

Source file: City of Los Angeles Controller — City Employee Payroll / ingested Jun 17, 2026

The Zoo is a government agency that delivers public services and programs within its jurisdiction.

In 2025, this agency had 486 employees with median total compensation of $50,374; the highest distinct record was $375,717.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $28.6M
Employees: 486
Median total: $50,374
Highest record: $375,717

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$0$196,461+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 486 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($50,374) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $46,973 (80%)
Overtime — $352 (1%)
Other — $2,613 (4%)
Benefits — $8,876 (15%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$569

$7,495

$50,374

$98,629

$126,037

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $126,037 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $569. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

105 · $1,474

Animal Keeper

104 · $81,437

Special Program Assistant II

32 · $19,458

Recreation Assistant

24 · $7,990

Assistant Park Services Attendant I

22 · $14,063

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2024	$27.5M —	367 —	$76,039 —
2025	$28.6M ▲ 3.8%	486 ▲ 32.4%	$50,374 ▼ 33.8%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Denise Verret

General Manager Zoo Department/Zoo

2025 total comp

$375,717

Sub-department: Non-Represented - General Managers
Base pay: $344,318
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $6,000
Benefits: $25,399
Total compensation: $375,717
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 00

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 9500-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3239363432
Row ID: 253239363432879500-0FT

At Zoo, Denise Verret serves as a General Manager Zoo Department within Non-Represented - General Managers. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $375,717. Their bargaining unit is 00.

Mae Huey

Na/Zoo

2025 total comp

$291,889

Sub-department: Confidential Senior Personnel Analyst
Base pay: $235,376
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $23,279
Benefits: $33,235
Total compensation: $291,889
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 64

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 9167-T
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3930353235
Row ID: 253930353235879167-TFT

Mae Huey is a Na at Zoo within Confidential Senior Personnel Analyst. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $291,889. Union affiliation: 64.

Carol Armstrong

Na/Zoo

2025 total comp

$282,501

Sub-department: Supervisory Professional Engineering and Scientific
Base pay: $247,546
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $21,321
Benefits: $13,634
Total compensation: $282,501
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 17

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 7320-C
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3530363231
Row ID: 253530363231877320-CFT

Carol Armstrong works as a Na for Zoo within Supervisory Professional Engineering and Scientific. Their status is full-time. Carol earned $282,501 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is 17.

Mei Kwan

Zoo Assistant General Manager/Zoo

2025 total comp

$282,500

Sub-department: Management Employees
Base pay: $242,268
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $15,709
Benefits: $24,523
Total compensation: $282,500
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 36

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 9501-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3833343932
Row ID: 253833343932879501-0FT

Mei Kwan works as a Zoo Assistant General Manager for Zoo within Management Employees. Their status is full-time. Mei earned $282,500 in 2025. They are represented by 36.

Dominique Keller

Chief Veterinarian/Zoo

2025 total comp

$279,920

Sub-department: Management Employees
Base pay: $238,451
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $14,667
Benefits: $26,802
Total compensation: $279,920
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 36

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 2360-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 363030323134
Row ID: 25363030323134872360-0FT

Dominique Keller is a Chief Veterinarian at Zoo within Management Employees. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $279,920. They are represented by 36.

Melinda Chou

Chief Management Analyst/Zoo

2025 total comp

$263,053

Sub-department: Management Employees
Base pay: $223,705
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $12,631
Benefits: $26,718
Total compensation: $263,053
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 36

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 9182-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3435373836
Row ID: 253435373836879182-0FT

Melinda Chou works as a Chief Management Analyst for Zoo within Management Employees. Their status is full-time. Melinda earned $263,053 in 2025. They are represented by 36.

Orawan Netsawang

Na/Zoo

2025 total comp

$253,240

Sub-department: Supervisory Professional Engineering and Scientific
Base pay: $213,824
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $6,586
Benefits: $32,831
Total compensation: $253,240
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 17

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 7929-B
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 373135313031
Row ID: 25373135313031877929-BFT

Orawan Netsawang is a Na at Zoo within Supervisory Professional Engineering and Scientific. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $253,240. Union affiliation: 17.

Jordan Davis Powell

Zoo Veterinarian III/Zoo

2025 total comp

$236,913

Sub-department: Professional Medical
Base pay: $208,853
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,461
Benefits: $26,600
Total compensation: $236,913
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 10

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 2367-3
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 303933303833
Row ID: 25303933303833872367-3FT

Jordan Davis Powell works as a Zoo Veterinarian III for Zoo within Professional Medical. Their status is full-time. Jordan earned $236,913 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is 10.

Daniel Benner

Construction and Maintenance Supervisor II/Zoo

2025 total comp

$219,949

Sub-department: Supervisory Building Trades
Base pay: $161,304
Overtime: $3,193
Other pay: $31,619
Benefits: $23,833
Total compensation: $219,949
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 13

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 3127-2
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3238393239
Row ID: 253238393239873127-2FT

Daniel Benner is a Construction and Maintenance Supervisor II at Zoo within Supervisory Building Trades. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $219,949. Union affiliation: 13.

Brandon Boren

Zoo Veterinarian II/Zoo

2025 total comp

$217,399

Sub-department: Professional Medical
Base pay: $197,818
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,383
Benefits: $18,198
Total compensation: $217,399
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 10

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 2367-2
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 393330383633
Row ID: 25393330383633872367-2FT

Brandon Boren is a Zoo Veterinarian II at Zoo within Professional Medical. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $217,399. They are represented by 10.

Jesus Ortiz

Senior Systems Analyst II/Zoo

2025 total comp

$215,382

Sub-department: Supervisory Administrative
Base pay: $191,942
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $12,529
Benefits: $10,911
Total compensation: $215,382
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 20

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 1597-2
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3633363134
Row ID: 253633363134871597-2FT

Jesus Ortiz holds the role of Senior Systems Analyst II at Zoo within Supervisory Administrative. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $215,382. Union affiliation: 20.

Misha Body

Zoo Assistant General Manager/Zoo

2025 total comp

$196,461

Sub-department: Management Employees
Base pay: $171,557
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,086
Benefits: $22,819
Total compensation: $196,461
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 36

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 9501-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 333831313135
Row ID: 25333831313135879501-0FT

Misha Body holds the role of Zoo Assistant General Manager at Zoo within Management Employees. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $196,461. Union affiliation: 36.

Cathleen Cox

Zoo Research and Conservation Director/Zoo

2025 total comp

$196,254

Sub-department: Professional Engineering and Scientific
Base pay: $160,410
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,244
Benefits: $26,600
Total compensation: $196,254
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: 08

Source-specific fields

FMS Department Code: 87
Job Class Pay Grade: 4302-0
Job Status: Active
Record Number: 3031363333
Row ID: 253031363333874302-0FT

Cathleen Cox works as a Zoo Research and Conservation Director for Zoo within Professional Engineering and Scientific. Their status is full-time. Cathleen earned $196,254 in 2025. They are represented by 08.