diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 64f15c4ec..b63394d92 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "nwb-guide",
   "productName": "NWB GUIDE",
-  "version": "0.0.16",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
   "description": "NWB GUIDE is a desktop app that provides a no-code user interface for converting neurophysiology data to NWB.",
   "main": "./build/main/index.js",
   "engine": {
diff --git a/src/pyflask/manageNeuroconv/manage_neuroconv.py b/src/pyflask/manageNeuroconv/manage_neuroconv.py
index 2044d9308..16ad23404 100644
--- a/src/pyflask/manageNeuroconv/manage_neuroconv.py
+++ b/src/pyflask/manageNeuroconv/manage_neuroconv.py
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ def validate_subject_metadata(
         subject_metadata["date_of_birth"] = datetime.fromisoformat(subject_metadata["date_of_birth"])
         if timezone is not None:
             subject_metadata["date_of_birth"] = subject_metadata["date_of_birth"].replace(
-                tzinfo=pytz.timezone(timezone)
+                tzinfo=zoneinfo.ZoneInfo(timezone)
             )
 
     return run_check_function(check_function, Subject(**subject_metadata))
@@ -672,7 +672,6 @@ def validate_nwbfile_metadata(
     nwbfile_metadata: dict, check_function_name: str, timezone: Optional[str] = None
 ):  # -> Union[None, InspectorMessage, List[InspectorMessage]]:
     """Function used to validate NWBFile metadata."""
-    import pytz
     from pynwb.testing.mock.file import mock_NWBFile
 
     check_function = get_check_function(check_function_name)
@@ -681,7 +680,7 @@ def validate_nwbfile_metadata(
         nwbfile_metadata["session_start_time"] = datetime.fromisoformat(nwbfile_metadata["session_start_time"])
         if timezone is not None:
             nwbfile_metadata["session_start_time"] = nwbfile_metadata["session_start_time"].replace(
-                tzinfo=pytz.timezone(timezone)
+                tzinfo=zoneinfo.ZoneInfo(timezone)
             )
 
     return run_check_function(check_function, mock_NWBFile(**nwbfile_metadata))