Jesse grew up in Michigan, loving nature from a very young age thanks to annual National Park family trips and many outings hiking, hunting, and fishing with his father. He began his environmental career straight out of high school, interning with the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska as a wilderness ranger for several summers while earning his Bachelor’s in Environmental Science in the winters.
His wildlife career began unexpectedly when pandemic shutdowns upended USFS plans and he found himself volunteering with West Michigan Wildlife Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he immediately fell in love with rehabilitation. Eager to expand his knowledge, he added a second volunteer position at Wildside Rehabilitation & Education Center in nearby Eaton Rapids. When pandemic shutdowns eased, he resumed traveling with the Forest Service, continuing to volunteer at wildlife hospitals wherever he was stationed. This garnered him additional experience at Juneau Raptor Center, Alaska Raptor Center, and eventually, here at Cascades Raptor Center in the summer of 2022.
In fall 2022, Jesse became a staff rehabilitator at WildCare Oklahoma, where he provided care for over 15,000 patients and 200 different species. During this time, he also earned his Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator title and began a passionate deep dive into birdwatching. He spent many of his weekends on birding trips and ultimately set a new Oklahoma eBird Big Year record in 2023. Jesse learned many things during his time out east but always dreamed of relocating to the Pacific Northwest and specializing in raptor rehabilitation. He joined Cascades Raptor Center’s staff in October 2024.
When not working in the hospital, Jesse is extremely fond of travel, having visited all 50 U.S. states and birded in all but 13. His trips often revolve around wildlife photography and birdwatching. At home, he spends his time enjoying high fantasy games, movies, and audiobooks with his companion pigeon, Galadriel.