Ben Kinkade - Biologist
Ben's passion for wildlife and the land is demonstrated through his guided expeditions and landscape photography. “I love my job as a guide/educator; it enables me to explain the importance of healthy habitats and ecosystems, and to inspire clients to defend wildlife and wild spaces back home.” Ben's specialty is raptor and has been a field biologist since 1998, holding a B.S from Evergreen State College. He has worked for Grand Teton National Park, Northwoods Limited Falconry, The Peregrine Fund, Hawkwatch International, Pinnacles National Monument , U.S.U.-Vernal, and Olympic National Forest. In his spare time he volunteers with Teton Literacy Program, Jackson Therapeutic Riding Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and serves as a freelance photojournalist. Ben enjoys fly-fishing, basketball, hiking, kayaking, generating laughter, music, aikido, fencing, children, and working toward more photography showings.
 Benj Sinclair – Biologist
Benj holds a bachelor's degree from Utah State University in Wildlife Sciences and a Masters in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts. He worked as a wildlife biologist in the West African country of Niger while serving in the Peace Corps and was a science teacher for 10 years before moving to Wyoming in 1989. He worked for six years at Teton Science Schools and for two years with the Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Project, as Development Director. His special interests as a biologist are reptiles and birds.
Brad Cole – Biologist
Brad received his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1972. He continued his education with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Science Education at the University of Wyoming in 1986. Brad has worked for the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service and for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Of particular interest is his work with Wyoming Department of Game and Fish on an elk study involving daily radio-tracking to determine elk response to oil and gas development in Southwestern Wyoming. He joined Wildlife Expeditions in 2000 because he wants to share his love of Jackson Hole with our visitors.
 David Watson – Director of Wildlife Expeditions
david.watson@wildlifeexpeditions.org
David holds a bachelor's degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Michigan State University and spent his first six years as Teton Science Schools’ Development Director. As Wildlife Expeditions’ Director, he draws upon his biological and educational experiences in South Carolina, Alaska and Wyoming to guide Wildlife Expeditions growth and educational programs. David also loves to travel and explore the outdoors with his wife and three children.
 Emily Curran – Administrative Coordinator
emily.curran@wildlifeexpeditions.org
Emily earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Resource Management-Environmental Education/Interpretation. She has worked for Teton Science Schools’ Kelly Campus as an instructor and adult program coordinator since summer 2001. She moved to the Wildlife Expeditions office as the Administrative Coordinator in the fall of 2003. She is currently enrolled in an online Masters of Business Administration degree program with an emphasis in non-profit management.
 Jared Baecker – Biologist
Jared was born and raised in Connecticut. His childhood was spent exploring the hills and streams of the Berkshire Mountains. Following high school, Jared embarked on five-month journey along the Appalachian Trail. Jared received his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana, Missoula. His field research experiences have led him from the Siskiyou Mountains in southern Oregon to western Montana, Hawaii, Denali National Park, Grand Teton National Park and southern Idaho. His interest and research experiences are varied from small mammal ecology, passerine birds and predator-prey relationships. Jared spends his free time fly fishing and exploring the wild lands of the Greater Yellowstone Geo-ecosystem.
Jill Learned – Reservationists
Jill.learned@wildlifeexpeditions.org
Jill received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in Resource Management-Environmental Education/Interpretation. She has worked on a variety of different research projects that include ravens, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks and Western Slimy Salamanders. Jill relocated to Jackson in October and likes to fly-fish, go birding and camping in her free time. She is currently finishing her Masters in Biology where she worked with American kestrels.
Joel Pontius – Biologist
Joel earned his B.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Resource Management from Indiana University. He recently graduated from Teton Science Schools' Graduate Program in Environmental Education and is currently working towards a M.S. in Natural Science through Teton Science Schools and the University of Wyoming . His value of experiential education leads trip participants towards new knowledge like the taste of sagebrush, willow twigs, and other lessons that only experience can teach. An avid outdoorsman, Joel spends a great deal time chasing trout, elk, deer, bugs, and other memorable outdoor experiences.
 Kevin Taylor – Program Coordinator, Biologist
Kevin.taylor@wildlifeexpeditions.org
Kevin has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Botany. His biological research experience includes being involved with several wildlife research projects as well as mapping distribution of rare plant species and the effects of global warming on mountain plants. He believes that it is critical to include modern humans when discussing natural history and ecology and he studies and teaches ethnobotany and ethnozoology. Kevin brings to Wildlife Expeditions experience in plant taxonomy, natural history knowledge due to spending a lot of time in the woods, and a teaching background educating all ages of the wonders and value of conservation of the natural world.
 Kirsten Rosenkrands- Biologist
Kirsten earned her B.A. in Biology from Kalamazoo College, MI. She has lived and studied in a variety of places including Senegal, Denmark, and New Zealand. Most recently, she graduated from the Teton Science Schools' Graduate Program in Environmental Education and is currently working on a M.Ed. along with a teaching certificate through Montana State University - Billings. Kirsten loves to share her passion for the natural world through hands-on exploration and artistic expression. She and her outdoor addiciton thrive tremendously here in Jackson due to the abundant climbing, trail-running, telemark skiing, and sailing.
Lisa Huttinger - Biologist
Lisa earned her M.S. in Natural Science at the University of Wyoming , and is a graduate of Teton Science Schools' Graduate Program in Grand Teton National Park . She has spent the past several years teaching a variety of audiences about the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Lisa has expanded her knowledge of the area through a variety of projects, including field work on post-fire lodgepole pine forests and an archaeology internship. She has a special interest in the effects of outdoor learning on self-esteem. She spends her free time exploring the valley by foot, skis, and boat, all of which allow a great venue for birding and plant identification.
 Madeline Bachner - Biologist
Madeline is originally from the Sugar Creek Valley in Indiana . She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology and Art at Earlham College in Richmond , Indiana . She has lived and studied in a number of places including Maine , Guatemala , Scotland and the Bahamas . Madeline recently finished her M.S. in Environmental Education with the Audubon Expedition Institute of Lesley University. For her final semester of this two-year program she completed a practicum interning with the Murie Center in Moose, Wyoming . After much traveling with this field-based graduate program she is happy to be in one place for a while. It is no coincidence that the place she chose is rich in natural beauty, outdoor activities and opportunities to educate others about the wonders of these precious wild spaces.
 Martina Hansen – Finance Assistant
Martina graduated from the University of Utah with a major in Health Education and Promotion with an emphasis in Emergency Medical Services. She was raised in Jackson Hole and returned after college. With two parents who are accountants, she grew up loving numbers and has been involved in accounting for the last 5 years. She accepted the position of Finance Assistant for Wildlife Expeditions in the summer of 2006. In addition to crunching numbers she uses her major by teaching a Health and Weight Management course a couple nights a week.
Miriam Osredkar - Biologist
Miriam graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in Biology. Her vast interest in the natural world has taken her to numerous places across the United States , including the Catskill Mountains of central New York , the glacial till of northeastern Ohio and the high desert of central Arizona . In 2005, she followed her life long dream, and embarked on a 2650 mile backpacking journey along the length of the Pacific crest Trail. Most recently, she was employed as a dog sledding guide in Jackson . Miriam thrives on the ‘wilderness experience' whether it's behind a dogsled, in a canoe or high on a mountain peak. She is excited to share this passion and hopefully foster he same appreciation and stewardship for our diminishing wild lands.
 Paul Brown – Biologist
After graduating from Ramapo College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. in environmental studies, Paul worked for the U.S. Forest Service and New Jersey Audubon. He relocated to Jackson Hole in the spring of 2001 and has led a variety of environmental education programs, primarily guiding in the Greater Yellowstone Geo-ecosystem for Wildlife Expeditions. He has worked on several research projects in the area, including studying the wolf population of Yellowstone National Park with the Yellowstone Wolf Project. He has also guided polar bear expeditions in Churchill, Manitoba.
Reed Chambers - Biologist
Reed was born and raised in the city of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . New to Jackson Hole, he recently moved from Lake Placid , New York where he worked for the Adirondack Mountain Club teaching backcountry skill courses and guiding hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing trips in the High Peaks Wilderness. Reed received his Bachelor of Science from West Virginia University's School of Forestry, spending most of his time exploring the deep woods and hollows of the Appalachian or studying nature. Reed has an incredible passion for nature, and loves to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with others.  Sue Zajac – Biologist
Sue made Jackson Hole her home fourteen years ago. Her first visit to the area was thirty years ago when her family took her on two backpacking trips in the Wyoming wilderness. Though she complained during the whole hike, she held fond memories of her mountain experience. The mountains lured her back after a decade of education and a Mechanical Engineering profession in California . Since returning she has become a self-educated Naturalist and has served as a hiking and snowshoeing guide for the last six years. Her enthusiasm for the outdoors is apparent, as she has mad a career with her love, knowledge and appreciation of nature and all it's wonderful gifts. This is Sue's first year with Wildlife Expeditions and she is looking forward to spending her time sharing the beauty of our local National Parks with all its wonderful fauna, flora, geology and history.
 Tenley Thompson – Biologist
Tenley
received her bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison,
where she majored in biological aspects of conservation. Some of
the research study's she has participated in include small mammal
population dynamics, raccoon radio tracking, fire ecology and plant
and tree surveys. Tenley has also worked in wildlife emergency care
and rehabilitation with a variety of endangered and threatened species,
including eagles, hawks, songbirds, reptiles and large and small
mammals. She has a great love of the Jackson hole and Yellowstone
ecosystem where she spent some of her childhood, and is always excited
to show some of its amazing ecology to visitors.
Torsten Hassleman – Biologist
Torsten earned his Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from University of Massachusetts Amherst and earned part of his degree from University of Queensland in Australia. Before starting with Wildlife Expeditions in 1997, Torsten led backpacking trips in Washington State and guided whitewater raft trips in New England for three years. Since moving to Jackson, Torsten has been closely involved with a number of research projects in the valley, ranging from a coyote survey to a moose/calf recruitment study to monitoring raptor nesting success and following movements of the Jackson Hole bison herd. When not leading trips Torsten enjoys the vast recreational opportunities of the Greater Yellowstone Geo-ecosystem.
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