Jb Minter
Dr. Jb Minter is the Director of Animal Health and Chief Veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo, overseeing the zoo’s veterinary operations and serving as a member of the senior leadership team. He holds a BS in Animal Science from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in Wildlife Biology from Utah State University (specializing in reproductive physiology), and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from North Carolina State University.
After earning his DVM, Dr. Minter completed an internship in large animal medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois, followed by a zoological medicine residency split between North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the North Carolina Aquariums, and the North Carolina Zoo. He later took on a clinical veterinary role at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, SD, before returning to the North Carolina Zoo as an associate veterinarian. He eventually stepped into his current leadership role. Dr. Minter is a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) and is board-certified in zoological medicine.
An accomplished researcher with over a hundred peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings, Dr. Minter’s research spans anesthesia and analgesia, nutrition, reproductive physiology, and the conservation of forest elephants in Western Africa. He also leads a field project in Côte d'Ivoire, monitoring the movement patterns of these elephants.
As a Professional Fellow of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Dr. Minter serves on the Veterinary Health Advisory Committee for both the Chimpanzee and Hamadryas Baboon Species Survival Plans. He is also a Veterinary Advisor for the North American SAFE program, an AZA accreditation inspector, and a member of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians’ Research and Grant Committee. Passionate about education, Dr. Minter mentors zoological medicine residents and veterinary students and holds an adjunct assistant professor position at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.