Our Team
The Human Side of JAB Canid Education and Conservation Center
Amy with Lucan
Photo Credit: Anabel DFlux
Amy Bassett, Co-Founder
Amy has the passion, persistence, and fight to bring the topic of canid conservation into mainstream. Through the JABCECC, she has developed relationships with diverse organizations, academics, experts, industries, companies, and people to find targeted ways to work together to better understand the key issues affecting canids, realistic solutions, and barriers to the implementation of those solutions. Amy has worked closely in the scientific space with not only the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, but with other key leaders who drive efforts in research and conservation.
In her day job, Amy is an expert in clinical trials and the execution of clinical protocols for publication and regulatory review. Using this expertise and her love for animals, she directs the research efforts at the JABCECC.
Above all, Amy’s unyielding motivation is to fight for those animals that have no voice, no audience, and no solutions. Whether it is the horrific use of animals in the fur industry, culling wolves, coyotes and wild dogs, destroying the precious genetic integrity of primitive dog breeds, or rescuing shelter dogs, she will put her entire soul and heart into making a difference. Using the Ambassador foxes and other canids, she will strive to demonstrate the value of each species and each individual within the species and provide evidence based solutions and strategies for conservation.
Dave with Lucan
Photo Credit: Anabel Dflux
David Bassett, Co-Founder
Dave is not only our animal behaviorist, he is the creative intelligence of the JABCECC. Dave has over 40+ years in K-9 breeding and training, specializing in obedience and utility work. He is also an entrepreneur, a biomechanical engineer developing prosthetics. Dave is truly an out-of-the-box thinker who is able to bring technology and concepts from various professions and combine them together to create novel solutions to a new area. If it doesn't defy the laws of physics, Dave will find a way to make it happen.
Co-Founders, Amy and Dave Bassett, with their first Russian domesticated foxes, Sophia and Boris
Photo Credit: Ted Walton Photography
It is fairly evident he is Judi's son, and has taken the "watch me" philosophy to how he lives his life. His skillset has been instrumental in developing the foundation for the direction of the JABCECC. Dave's passion for animals (and for canines in particular) is changing the landscape for conservation groups. Through interactive education, research programs, and animal assisted therapy programs with our Ambassador canids, the JABCECC can truly make an impact on the lives of their wild and captive bred counterparts.
Melissa with Yuri
Photo credit: Anabel DFlux
Melissa Beeson Dixon,
On-Site Director of Operations
Melissa reached out to us with a love of working with Singers. She had seen us at one of our lecture series at a local brewery and immediately signed up as a volunteer. She came to us with over 13 years of experience working as a trainer at the San Diego Zoo/Safari Park, along with experience spearheading the Pet Assisted Therapy programs at Helen Woodward Society. She is now our full- time on-site Director of Operations and spearheads our animal husbandry, volunteer management, and helps coordinate programs. Outside of the center, Melissa is a dog trainer in San Diego County.
Melissa brings the perfect blend of understanding how to work with exotic animals while also applying training techniques used with domesticated dogs. Since our animals fit somewhere in between the two, it makes her uniquely qualified to help train the animals.
Melissa also lives on the property with her husband is help manage the center and all the animals.
Roxanne with Laika
Photo credit: Anabel DFlux
Roxanne Greene,
JABCECC Board Member & CPA
Roxanne started out as a visitor to the center, booking a private encounter for herself, her husband John, and 3 of her employees. Once she came to the center, she knew this was a place she wanted to be a part of because she saw how special these animals were. Roxanne started volunteering with us shortly after, and soon becoming our CPA and being added to our Board of Directors.
Roxanne’s amazing ability with animals has made her a huge asset to the team. She is a woman of numerous talents, and you will routinely see her handling animals, giving presentations, and jumping in when anything needs to get done. Roxanne’s specialty is making bento boxes for our encounters, filling them with all sorts of yummy veggies, fruits, meats and cheeses for the animals. She surprises us with new things for the foxes to try weekly, and we get to show our guests that while foxes are omnivores, many are also very picky eaters. In her spare time, Roxanne has horses, a donkey, and three amazing dogs. She is a friend to every insect and reptile and can quickly save the rest of us from an unwelcomed tarantula.
Anita, with Lucan the wolf, at one of our events
Anita Cheesman,
Scent Work Detection Expert & Trainer
Anita comes to us with several years of experience working in canine nosework. Nosework trains canids to recognize and detect certain odors hidden in boxes and around obstacles. Anita applies this experience with several of our animals, providing valuable enrichment for our foxes and NGSDs, while also allowing us to explore the foxes’ capabilities in utility work.
Anita also spearheads our Trainers. If you are interested in becoming a trainer, please let us know and we will have Anita reach out.
The JABCECC couldn’t continue our important work without our team of volunteers! We are grateful for the time, effort, and heart that they put into helping the center, and our animals, thrive.
The JAB Canid Education and Conservation Center is committed to partnering with educational facilities, sanctuaries, non-profits, corporations, film and photography to share our love and knowledge of the canids and their human-canine connection.