Our Team

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Team

It Takes a Village

Meet ours!

John

Chief Executive Officer

John received his Ph.D. in Entomology from Rutgers University in 2016 and has been building and running educational organizations and zoos ever since. His passions included ecological philosophy, public speaking, and community organizing.

Beth

Director of Animal Care

Beth graduated from Kutztown University where she studied biology with a focus on organisms and ecology. While pursuing her degree, she worked for various state parks and the University of Delaware IPM extension program. In her free time, she works as a part time illustrator and hangs out with her isopod colonies.

Gunnar

Director of Education

Gunnar graduated from American University with a degree in elementary education and a minor in special education. After graduating, he taught fifth grade science, reading, and social studies for three years. He enjoys hiking, watching and playing sports, and his corgi, Leo.

Gabby

Administrative Director

Gabby graduated from Clarion University with a bachelor’s in environmental biology, minoring in environmental sustainability. She has special interests in botany and entomology. Since graduating, she has managed nurseries for several years. Outside of work, her hobbies include all forms of “grandma crafts” and spending time with her three rescue cats.

Educators and Animal Care Team

Sruthi

Full-Stack Web Developer

Sruthi has a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University, blending a strong technical background with a genuine love for animals and nature. Curious and people-oriented, she enjoys exploring new restaurants in her free time, and never misses a chance to stop and say hello to every dog she meets along the way. She believes the little joys matter, and can never say no to an ice cream, no matter the season.

Selke

Animal Care Team

Selke is finishing up their degree in zoology with a minor in wildlife science through Oregon State University, but is right at home at Village Edu, having grown up in the state of Maryland. An avid advocate for wildlife conservation, they got their start through interning at a bird of prey rehabilitation center and have been enamored ever since. In their free time, Selke can be usually be found with a book in their hand or a hawk on their falconry glove!

Andrew

Educator

Andrew has a diverse educational background, earning three degrees from two different institutions, including an associate’s degree in Arabic from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland. He earned his teaching credentials working for an American non-profit in Hanoi, Vietnam, teaching English, coding, and digital media literacy to Vietnamese middle and high school students. He enjoys travelling, having visited over 40 countries, as well as weightlifting, watching Premier League soccer

Jasper

Educator

Graduated with a wildlife science degree from SUNY ESF, Jasper has a deep passion for arachnids. His affinity with 8-legged friends started with an internship with the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and blossomed into archiving collections, research papers, field work, animal keeping, and, his favorite, education. He vowed to dedicate his life demystifying spiders through public education and passion. If you have any spider questions or need an ID, he is your guy!

Richard

Educator

Richard has a degree in Psychology with a minor in Education from Florida International University. He's passionate about philosophy and conservation, loves comics and travel. Having spent 6 years teaching high school social sciences he's excited to bring an engaging, interactive experience to the next generation of animal lovers!

Bobby

Animal Care Team

Bobby has a degree in management from the American Military University, and over two decades of high-stakes leadership experience, including public safety and emergency response. After retiring from the U.S Army Special Force, serving as a firefighter and EMT, Bobby was drawn to fostering curiosity about misunderstood creatures. He holds a special passion for bees, sparking his pursuit of entomology education.

Zoe

Educator

Zoe is finishing her degree in Environmental Science at the University of Maryland, where she has cultivated a strong passion for wildlife conservation. She has interned with the Bird House at the National Zoo and at a local wildlife rehabilitation center, gaining hands-on experience in animal care and conservation. With years of mobile zoo experience facilitating fun and educational animal encounters across a wide range of taxa, she is excited to expand her work to include arthropods. Outside of work and school, Zoe enjoys traveling to hike and cave, and spending time with her dogs and bird.

Amelia

Educator

Amelia graduated from George Mason University with a degree in environmental and sustainability studies, and a concentration in conservation. She has since worked in local and national parks, largely focusing on horticulture. She is passionate about natural resource conservation, and aims to share that passion with others. Amelia likes to spend her free time with her cat, often going on walks together or getting cozy with a good book.

Darecksi

Educator

Darecksi graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Biology with concentration in biotechnology. She has always had a passion for conservation and marine biology, especially endangered species such as manatees and seals! She’s also a HUGE geek and loves cartoons, anime, movies, and you’ll often find her in cosplay at local conventions!