Originally from Virginia, MN, Jamie has spent more than 15 years as a professional animal keeper. He has worked as a reptile and amphibian keeper in some of the premiere zoological institutions in the country including the Jacksonville Zoo, the Sedgwick County Zoo, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He graduated with an AS degree in Zoo Animal Technology from Santa Fe Teaching Zoo, and a BS degree in Zoo Science from Friends University. Jamie has a great interest in photographing reptiles and amphibians in the wild, having observed more than 400 different species, and photographing the majority of those. Jamie was one of the authors of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) manual on Crocodilian Biology and Captive Management. He has also served as a consultant to improve reptile husbandry techniques for other zoological institutions. Prior to becoming a zookeeper, Jamie served as a Section Sergeant, specializing in military intelligence, as a member of the 20^TH  Special Forces Group.  He maintains a membership in the Minnesota Herpetological Society.