Sean Ramsdell brings nearly two decades of zoo and animal care experience to the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, where he serves as Director of Animal Care & Conservation. Before joining us in 2023, he spent more than 17 years in animal care roles at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and the Houston Zoo. Sean holds a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College and also studied rainforest ecology and wildlife management at James Cook University in Australia. He has long been active in the broader zoo and conservation community through leadership and volunteer service, including work with the International Rhino Keepers Association and the American Association of Zoo Keepers. He is thrilled to help launch and grow our conservation program, creating exciting opportunities for children and families to connect with wildlife and become active stewards of nature.
Ranjana Raghavan is the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo’s Conservation Intern. She brings a strong background in animal biology, wildlife care, and youth engagement to the team. A recent honors graduate in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara, she has hands-on experience caring for songbirds, seabirds, mammals, and raptors through her work with the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. She is passionate about inspiring young people to connect with wildlife and is excited to support JMZ’s growing conservation efforts. Ranjana also plans to pursue a PhD in conservation genetics, with the goal of addressing real-world conservation challenges through research.