Alex Valdez - Executive Director

Originally from Los Angeles, Alex has fostered a love of animals form a young age. If he’s not on the farm, you can usually find him somewhere in the woods, flipping logs and looking for snakes. A vegetarian and animal lover, Alex believes that in seeing how much animals mirror us humans, people will become more passionate in ensuring dignity and compassion for our furry, scaly, and slimy counterparts!

Ben Walker - Farm Manager

As the Sanctuary Farm manager, Ben cares for the resident’s health and happiness, performs property repairs and upgrades, leads volunteer activities, and maps out future projects. Through his research, Ben is focused on implementing sustainable farming methods in order to reduce climate impact, and brainstorms new ways to connect visitors with The Sanctuary’s affectionate furry and feathered friends. When not at The Sanctuary, Ben enjoys spending time outdoors with his partner, and relaxing with their rescue cat Budgie.

Ashley Billingham - Goat Specialist/Tour Guide

Ashley started volunteering for The Goat Conspiracy when she was sixteen after attending a tour and realizing that she “couldn’t leave.” Her role on the sanctuary has shifted over the years from farm work volunteering, to socializing and caring for the kids, to documenting information about each goat, to now where she now guides the same tour that introduced her to the sanctuary. She loves the goats dearly, and is always happy to introduce them to others and tell all the stories that each animal holds.

Julie Ann Madewell - Lead Yoga Instructor

Julie Ann has always had a deep love for animals. Growing up with pets, her first memories are of spending time outdoors with the family dog and cat. This passion for animals led her to work in veterinary care as a teenager and through college, where she studied animal science. Though she later shifted her focus to education, teaching for over 18 years, her connection to animals has remained strong.

After experiencing chronic illness, Julie Ann turned to yoga for healing and eventually became a yoga teacher. As the lead yoga instructor at The Goat Conspiracy Sanctuary, she now combines her love for animals with her passion for teaching yoga, creating a lighthearted, joyful experience with her co-workers—the goats. For Julie Ann, there’s nothing quite like watching people laugh and connect with these gentle creatures in such a peaceful setting.

Jac Walker - Farm Assistant

Jac, a recent transplant from Denver, Colorado, fell in love with the Goat Conspiracy on her first visit and was eager to join the crew. In addition to caring for the animals and their environment she has a professional background in education and childcare and hopes to be able to engage families through her work at the farm and connect people of all ages with the sanctuary’s lovable residents. In her free time she loves hiking, exploring and spending time with her family.

Seth Mroz - Farm Assistant

Growing up in Indiana, Seth spent much of his childhood caring for chickens and various aquatic life at home, which sparked his lifelong passion for animals. His time at the sanctuary allows him to continue sharing this love, providing care and support to the animals. In his free time, Seth enjoys maintaining aquariums around the Bloomington area, further deepening his connection to the natural world and aquatic life. Through both his work and hobbies, Seth remains dedicated to animal care and constantly finding new ways to support and learn from the beings he loves.

Nicole Robertson - Farm Assistant

A lifelong animal lover, Nicole has a history as a horsemanship instructor and now a veterinary technician. She loves working outside, caring for animals, and sharing her passion with others so the Goat Sanctuary is the perfect place to roll everything into one. When not at the Sanctuary, she can be found hiking or camping with her two rescue pups.