Our Team
Behind every exhibit, program, and discovery at Burpee are people who care deeply about what they do. Our team brings together a wide range of experiences and perspectives, united by a shared belief in the power of curiosity and lifelong learning.
Whether working with visitors, animals, collections, or research, each person plays a role in shaping how our community connects with the natural world.
Want to Join the Team?
Burpee is currently hiring full time and part time positions! We would love to have you join our team. Please see our “Work at Burpee” for current open positions.
Visitor Experience Department
The Visitor Experience team ensures every guest feels welcomed, supported, and engaged from the moment they arrive, helping connect people to Burpee’s exhibits, programs, and mission.
Meet Jaz
A welcoming face at Burpee for several years now, Jaz brings her unique skills to rentals, gift shop and animal care! She brings expertise in animal habitat recreation from decor to humidity to that extra TLC our animals love. She has a special bond with the sturgeon fish Bubble Puppy who comes at the sound of her footsteps to get extra scritches and love from her.
Meet Zoey
Starting her journey through the Harlem Internship programming, Zoey is now a valued full time staff who you will often find caring for animals, checking in guests, and assisting with building operations! Her favorite animal is the ball python followed by the hognose snakes! She is really excited about the new Native American exhibit. She is a proud member of the Mvskoke (Creek) Nation.
Meet Mikey
Mikey is an Auburn High School Museum Operations Intern and an important part of the museum readiness for the public. From assisting with exhibit design and builds, to setting up tables for events, to public education to our guests about our exhibits, Mikey is a positive force at Burpee Museum. He has participated in several dinosaur expeditions with Burpee in both Utah and Montana, and provides critical weekend and evening support to our animals.
Meet Audrie
Audrie started her Burpee journey through an internship program and has become a valued part of our visitor experience team. Tortilla the tortise loves her the most. From greeting guests to loving on the animals, she brings a special joy to the museum every day she works! Her favorite animals at Burpee are Norma and Peppermint and her favorite exhibit is the new Ancient Waterways with the sturgeon fish.
Meet Ryan
As a young volunteer, Ryan became involved with Burpee Museum in 2018. He went on to critical roles in museum guest experience, education, animal care, and even assisting with closing the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry at the end of the field season. Ryan and his “can-do” attitude coupled with extensive scientific knowledge make him a fan favorite if you are lucky enough to meet him as a docent on the museum floors!
Meet Yen
An active CAPA and ROTC student at Auburn, Yen brings creative energy and hard work to Burpee every day. Her favoite animals include norma and freckles the snakes and her own crested gecko, Pumpkin. From stepping in to help with museum operations, to caring for our animals, to interacting with guests and sharing our mission with visitors, Yen is an exemplary Museum Operations Intern.
Meet Isabel
Isabel plays an essential role in keeping Burpee clean, welcoming, and ready for every guest who walks through the doors. From the bathrooms to the exhibit spaces, she takes great pride in the museum’s presentation.
Thanks to her care and attention to detail, Burpee is a beautiful place to explore.
Education Department
The Education team connects learners of all ages to the natural world through field trips, homeschool programs, outreach, and hands-on experiences that bring science to life.
Meet Rob
Rob has experience as a public school classroom teacher, curriculum designer, and museum educator. He brings a strong passion for nature and loves sharing that enthusiasm with visitors of all ages.
At Burpee, Rob helps bring deep time to life, especially through his favorite exhibits: the Ordovician Sea and the Coal Forest, where he connects visitors to ancient ecosystems and the stories they tell. His energy and love of science help make complex ideas approachable, engaging, and fun for everyone who visits.
Meet Emily
From horses to reptiles to dinosaurs, Emily brings her love of the natural world to Burpee every day! Emily’s passion for facilitating learning is clear in all her field trip groups and classes. Ask her about archery on horseback if you want to be impressed!
Meet Ryan
Ryan first became involved with Burpee Museum as a young volunteer in 2018 and has grown into a key member of the team. Over the years, he has taken on roles across guest experience, education, and animal care, and has even assisted with fieldwork logistics, including helping close the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry at the end of the season.
Ryan’s can-do attitude and strong scientific knowledge make him a fan favorite…especially if you’re lucky enough to meet him as a docent on the museum floor! He is also a talented artist, teaching PaleoArt classes and designing the covers of several Burpee Member Magazines, bringing science and creativity together in meaningful ways.
His favorite exhibits are A River of Dinosaurs and Nessie the Monitor Lizard.
Meet Nicole
Education & Outreach Coordinator
Nicole has been part of the Burpee team since 2017 and serves as a key connection between the museum and the broader community. She works closely with schools, nursing homes, the YMCA, and other organizations to coordinate field trips, outreach programs, and educational experiences that bring Burpee beyond its walls.
With a background in elementary education and a Master’s in Education, Nicole brings both teaching experience and a deep understanding of how to create meaningful learning opportunities. She helps educators and group leaders plan every detail of their visit, ensuring that each experience is engaging, well-organized, and tailored to their needs.
Leadership Department
The Leadership Team guides Burpee’s vision and operations, overseeing fundraising, governance, financial stewardship, compliance, and staff support to ensure the museum continues to grow and serve the community.
Meet Elizabeth
Museum Logistics: Education, Community & Events
Elizabeth came to Burpee Museum after years of work in the university side of education, bringing both organizational strength and a deep commitment to helping complex systems run well. At Burpee, Elizabeth helps hold together many of the moving parts that make the museum function each day, from education support and event operations to facilities coordination across Burpee’s historic and modern spaces.
She plays an important role in keeping the museum responsive, welcoming, and ready for growth. Whether helping manage the logistics behind programs and events or navigating the realities of operating a multi-building campus of different ages and needs, Elizabeth is central to the work of turning big ideas into daily reality at Burpee.
Meet Jocie
Visitor Experience & Operations
Jocie helps shape the experience guests have from the moment they walk through Burpee’s doors. With a strong focus on visitor experience and daily operations, Jocie supports the systems, staff, and front-of-house work that help the museum feel welcoming, organized, and ready for the public each day.
With experience teaching and working in early childhood, Jocie brings a thoughtful understanding of how people, especially young learners and families, engage with museum spaces. That perspective helps guide how Burpee creates experiences that are accessible, engaging, and meaningful for visitors of all ages.
At a place like Burpee, where no two days are exactly alike, Jocie’s role bridges hospitality, coordination, and teamwork. Whether supporting visitor services staff, helping operations run smoothly, or contributing to the overall rhythm of the museum, Jocie plays an important part in making Burpee both functional and inviting.
Meet Shannon
Finance
Shannon joined Burpee with experience in both education finance and corporate finance, bringing strong analytical skills, careful planning, and a steady eye for detail. At Burpee, Shannon helps guide the financial systems that support everything from daily operations to long-term planning, ensuring that the museum’s mission is backed by thoughtful stewardship and sustainable decision-making.
In a museum that is actively evolving, Shannon plays a vital role in helping Burpee grow responsibly. Her work supports the behind-the-scenes structure that allows exhibits, programs, research, and community experiences to move forward with clarity and care.
Meet Anne
Executive Director
Anne got her museum start in 2001 at the Field Museum in Dr. Lary Heaney’s lab. She has taught in public schools at the middle and high school levels and has served as a high school principal, Director of Curriculum and Assessment, and School Turnaround Coach. She joined Burpee Museum in 2016 and has loved creating exhibits, launching outreach programming, and participating in fieldwork in Montana, Utah, and Costa Rica.
She is especially excited about the many exhibits, programs, and new opportunities taking shape at Burpee in the coming years. Burpee is an evolving museum, and Anne is proud to be part of helping shape that future.
She holds a BS in Molecular Biology (Northwestern University), MsEd in Education and Social Policy (Northwestern University), and is enrolled in a PhD in Biology-Neuroethology (UW Madison)