Jack is a fifth-generation Texan, and attributes his lifelong interest in natural history to his having been the son of a career Texas Game Warden. His father frequently took him into the field as a child and impressed upon him an appreciation of undisturbed environments and the diversity of life they supported. He has birded the Galveston area frequently throughout his 40-plus years of active birding.

Following his 2015 retirement from state service in Austin, he moved to Galveston, allowing for even more intensive exploration of the varied area habitats and the bird life found there. Jack received his Certified Nature Guide certification from the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council (GINTC). He has led several bird focused field trips organized by the GINTC at Galveston’s East End Lagoon Nature Park and Preserve and East Beach. Jack has also put together and helped lead multiple well-reviewed series of birding field trips for Galveston’s OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) program.

His other interests include native plant gardening, classic movies, and state and local history. Having been a long-time mentor in his former workplace and history museum docent, Jack takes immense pleasure in sharing what he has learned with others, and in encouraging their interest in growing their own knowledge and skills.