Meet the Zoo Crew!

Dennis and his wife, Marilyn, bought the property in the early 90's in hopes of a peaceful retirement. Their love of animals quickly turned the retirement into an around-the-clock job. Today, he enjoys watching all of his hard work come to fruition with the help of his family and some very loyal team members. His guidance and perseverance play a huge role in our day-to-day operations!

Marilyn is probably the closest real-life version of Snow White you'll find. Her connection to animals is something truly remarkable. Marilyn especially loves taking in and caring for any little babies when they need special attention, and this allows her to create an unbreakable bond. These days, she's most likely running the day-to-day errands, but on busy weekends, you'll still be charmed by her sweet character in the gift shop!

Donavan is the son of Dennis and Marilyn, the owners! He has dedicated the better half of his life to the park, having first started as a Ranch Hand in 2001. Consistently taking on more hats, Donavan has graduated to General Manager and Co-Owner as he takes on each aspect of the business in stride. His dedication to the animals, our patrons and the park's success is a huge factor in who we are today.

Kayli started giving Guided Tours back in 2012, as a mere 14-year-old. Working through summers, weekends and holidays, she graduated with a business degree from Sam Houston State University in the spring of 2020. This allowed her to come back to the park full-time and assist her family with all things ZOO! You'll find Kayli running anything from marketing and social media to mucking stalls or assisting with vet care. On busy holidays or weekends, you may even snag her as your tour guide. 

Logan is THE guy when it comes to any sort of maintenance or animal care. He can operate any sort of equipment or machinery to take on heavy projects, then turn around and be the most tedious and careful with the small jobs. He is dedicated to helping our park grow to the best it can be while providing amazing animal care and creating unique memories for visitors. We couldn't be prouder to have him as our Ranch Manager!

To make our Ranch Hand duo complete, we have Logan 2.0. This guy is the most talented at just about anything! And, he has the gentlest personality to match. Logan has been apart of this family since 2019, and we could not imagine it without him. We have been beyond blessed to have this guy around over the years.

Bill joined the team a few years ago and is truly a jack of all trades! What started out as a lawn maintenance assignment, turned into any and all jobs in between! Mr. Bill is known to be able to fix it all, and we are incredibly thankful for him!

Brande is our one and only housekeepin’ queen! She is one of the most flexible team members, as our bookings are always random. Not only does she do an incredible job, but this chick accomplishes more than most in limited time. She shows up time and time again, always with a smile on her face! We are so thankful for her hard work and lucky to have such a thoughtful and thorough housekeeper on our team. 

Nicole took on all things zoo back in 2016, in fact she is our longest reigning employee that is not bound by blood! Over the years, she's proven her dedication and knowledge by continuing to take on responsibility here at the park. Nicole has no problem going 90mph to make sure all projects are completed, and all animals are tended to. We are so thankful for her and the asset she is to our team!

Olivia knows all the odds and ends of the Exotic Resort Zoo, having grown up at the park and being part of the family. She may be young, but Olivia definitely knows her stuff when it comes to these animals and how to have an incredible experience at the park. She is currently attending cosmetology school per the Scottish Highland's request. LOL! A tour with Olivia will leave you with awesome memories!

Tuesdey is one of the sweetest people to ever join our crew! She is known to receive rave reviews from our visitors thanks to her charming, outgoing and bubbly personality! Tuesdey is consistent and eager, and we are so thankful for her hard work and dedication. We also know that you'd love to take a tour with her as your guide!

Affectionately nicknamed "Dani", Daniela joined the team towards the end of our 2023 Summer season as a fun adventure! Dani is likely the sweetest person you'll meet and takes incredible care of our guests and animals. Not to mention, she is super talented and speaks two languages! We are so pleased to have her with us!

Amanda joined our team in the Fall of 2023 and has proven an incredible asset to our team thus far. She takes on every new skill and task with stride. Staying busy during the week with her full-time job as an AC Dispatcher, she is currently only here on the weekends. But, if we could have ten more Amanda's, we would!

Caylee is one of our favorite college kids! When she is home from ASU, we try and steal her time as much as we can. She is sweet, kind & bubbly. Not to mention, always down for an adventure! You'd be lucky to have Caylee as your Tour Guide over school breaks.

Kenadi is one of our seasonal Tour Guides, but we sure wish she could be with us full-time. She is incredibly sweet & knowledgeable, so we know that you'd love her as your guide when she is home on college breaks.

Jay joined us just in time for summer season of 2025, but feels like she's been here for decades. Never afraid to get dirty, Jay is our go-to for all the hard jobs. She's spent majority of her adulthood in the service industry, so she definitely knows how to ensure you have a great time. 

Addi is the sweetheart of the bunch, always welcoming her coworkers with a sweet hug! She takes her time ensuring that each person and animal she encounters feels loved and blessed. We are so lucky to have her as part of our crew!

Khloe has been helping us with Giraffe and Capybara Encounters starting in Spring of 2025. She has since taken on countless other responsibilities to help the team, and we are so thankful for her!

Hagen is THE guy! Our team is smitten to have Hagen during college breaks. Not only does he help with Giraffe & Capybara Encounters, but he never minds a hard job with the Ranch Hands. This guy is a jack of many trades, with a personality to match! 

Growing up local, Abbey has been visiting the park with her family since a young girl. She officially joined the team in the Summer of 2026 and has been such a blessing since. Being an active high school student, you just might catch a tour with Abbey on weekends and school breaks!

Brees is another one who basically grew up on the zoo, so she was a no-brainer when she became old enough to give tours in the Summer of 2026. She is charming and bubbly, handling each new task in stride and confidence. What an honor it is to have this young lady as a part of our team!

Affectionately nicknamed "Lethal Lisa", though there is nothing lethal about this impressive woman. She has the most amazing personality and work ethic, as well as tons of excellent facts to share with you on your adventure here at the park. We have been so blessed to have Lisa on our team since the Spring of 2026.

Bella joined the family in the early Fall of 2026. She has a more-than-full plate with her full-time position at Red Arena in Dripping Springs, but being the hard worker that she is, loves to stay busy and help us on weekends and holiday breaks. Her sweet and gentle nature are a blessing to be around!

Another young girl with a work ethic that surpasses most, Macaley is a full-time high-school student who still manages to work an almost full-time position here at the park. What she does not know, she figures out. And, she figures it out quick! We have been so impressed with Mac since she joined our team in the Fall of 2026, and we know that she will impress you too! 

Rosaleigh, or Rosa, joined our family in the Fall of 2026. She took to training fast and fit in like family from the beginning. Currently enrolled in EMT school, she continues to work towards bettering herself in and out of the workplace. We are blessed to be a part of her journey and trust that you'll love her as your guide!

Amelia is another of the newest members of our team, also joining us in the Fall of 2026. We just adore her personality, experience with animals and eagerness to learn. She has adapted well to our team and we appreciate her so very much! We can't imagine a better time than having "Millie" as your guide.