El Paso Zoo Director Joe Montisano has been placed on administrative leave this week, though city officials won’t discuss the reason.
An email from assistant director Gary Lunsford sent Sept. 22 to zoo management with the subject head of “temporary oversight” said Montisano is on temporary administrative leave, but did not cite the reason.
“As Director reports and team managers, you should be aware that Joe is on temporary administrative leave, and I don’t believe he will have access to his work email or cell
phone until he returns. In his absence, I am at your service to facilitate decisions and signatures that would normally fall under his purview. When I have more information
about his return, I will let you know,” Lunsford said in the email, provided to El Paso Matters by a source who asked not to be identified.
Montisano could not immediately be reached for comment.
“We can confirm that the zoo director is currently on administrative leave,” City Manager Dionne Mack said in an emailed statement to El Paso Matters. “As a matter of policy, the city of El Paso does not comment further on personnel matters.”
The temporary administrative leave comes after a slew of controversies tied to the city and Montisano, who was hired in 2019, including a contentious separation from a former nonprofit that supported the zoo, the loss of its Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation and a wrongful termination and sexual harassment lawsuit by a former zoo employee against the city, zoo employees and Montisano.
The wrongful termination lawsuit filed Dec. 2, 2024 is scheduled to go to a jury trial Nov. 17, El Paso County Court records show.
Anahí Chavez Villegas, who is suing the city, alleges that she was sexually harassed by her then-supervisor, John Kiseda, and that Montisano and human resources employee Tracy Chavarria were aware of the sexual harassment and did not take “immediate and appropriate corrective action.”
A separate lawsuit filed against the city, Montisano and Mack by the former El Paso Zoological Society over money collected by the group that has raised funds for the zoo for six decades remains pending, court records show.
The lawsuit stems from the city not renewing a longtime contract with the nonprofit over concerns on how it was spending fundraising dollars. The group reorganized and became the Conservation Society of El Paso in February 2024. It had served as the fundraising partner to the zoo since 1963. The city is now doing its own fundraising and working with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation to manage any raised funds.
In its lawsuit, the Zoological Society said its relationship with the city began to deteriorate after it raised multiple concerns about Montisano including sexual harassment allegations and reimbursing expenses on his personal credit card.
Lawsuits aside, the city’s AZA accreditation also remains in limbo following reports early last year that raised concerns over deferred maintenance in multiple areas and concerns about staff not being adequately trained to handle emergency situations in the penguin exhibit, among others.
“The Zoo plans to reapply for AZA accreditation once the additional facility upgrades are
completed. Those improvements are currently in progress,” Mack said.
AZA accreditation means the zoo meets its high standards, but it is not required for the zoo to operate. The zoo was on a one-year provisional accreditation extension through March 2025, but is currently not listed as an accredited zoo by the organization.
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