ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Entertainment chief financial officer Elizabeth Castro Gulacsy is stepping down this year, the company has announced.

​​Gulacsy will leave the position on Dec. 31 or earlier if the company finds her replacement.

In a news release Wednesday, Gulacsy said she was stepping down to focus on the “next chapter” of her career.

“With SeaWorld in a strong financial position, incredible momentum and an extremely bright future, the time is right for me to move on to the next chapter in my career,” she said. “I have great respect for the leadership team and the board of this company, and I want to thank them for their support, partnership, mentorship and friendship over my many years at the company.”

Gulacsy, who has worked for SeaWorld since 2013, was named CFO in May 2021.

“On behalf of the management team and our board, I want to thank Elizabeth for her significant contributions and her leadership over nearly a decade at SeaWorld, including during the last few years as we have navigated the unprecedented environment Brough about by COVID,” SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson said in a statement.

SeaWorld said it has hired a recruiting firm to search for Gulacsy’s replacement. Gulacsy has also agreed to remain available as a consultant through March 31, 2023, according to an SEC filing. SeaWorld will continue to pay her “the monthly equivalent of her current base salary” as part of that agreement, according to the filing.

The news of Gulacsy’s departure comes a week after SeaWorld released its first quarter earnings for 2022. The company reported an increase in total revenue and attendance, showing the parks continue to recover from the pandemic.