Meet The Team

Click on a picture below to read more information about our team members!

Shane Richins

Rindy Richins

Call Vande Veegaete

Lindsay Bull

Joey Jensen

Reilly Raymond

Jonathan Larsen

John Diliberto

Chase Gosch

Cyra Clifford

Shaun Copsey

Emery Richins

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Shane Richins

Scales & Tails Utah Founder

Shane’s love of reptiles began as a child who loved to catch and chase snakes and lizards in Utah. His fascination grew with his raising of a pet iguana named Horse.

Shane wanted to know everything he possibly could about the natural world and now has collected a library of books and documentaries on the subject. He has spent time volunteering with a python breeder and Snake Farm & Animal World Zoo in Texas. Shane has also spend many hours working with Danny Conner’s Reptile Adventures and several venomous professionals to gain experience working with crocodillians and venomous snakes.

Shane loves sharing his knowledge and love of reptiles. Knowledge can clear up misunderstandings that many have about these interesting animals.

Rindy Richins

Business Manager

Rindy Richins was born in Moab, Utah. She was raised on a farm and grew up loving the outdoors. She has been a river guide on the Colorado River and presently teaches skiing part-time at Alta ski resort during the winter months. Rindy graduated from Southern Utah University with a Bachelor’s in Business Management with an emphasis in International Business. She uses her management skills to run Scales and Tails Utah as well as a seasonal wildland fire dispatcher during the summer months. She loves to travel and has been to Italy and Thailand as well as several countries in South and Central America. She has had a chance to swim with crocodiles, caiman, sharks and sting rays in her many travels. She became interested in reptiles more than a decade years ago when she met Shane Richins.

Call Vande Veegaete

Entertainer

Call grew up in Taylorsville Utah and was captivated by animals, particularly reptiles, from a young age. Call is currently a theatre major at the University of Utah but has a separate fascination for science. Call got his first job working with animals during high school and has been a passionate advocate for conservation and sustainability ever since. Call holds a special scaly part of his heart for snakes, especially his carpet python Juliet.

Lindsay Bull

Crocodilian Trainer

Lindsay grew up in Oklahoma City, moving to Provo, Utah for university in 2009. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in English in 2013, she began working for Legrand North America, currently for the IP networking company, Luxul, where she does technical writing and manages social media and press. Hardly able to confine herself to a single job, she’s held side positions working for climbing companies since 2014 and currently works coaching recreational climbing classes for a local climbing gym. Lindsay’s passion for animals started as far back as her earliest memories, but she specifically recalls her infatuation with crocodilians beginning with an educational presentation on the reptiles one of her classmate’s fathers did when she was in kindergarten. Since then, she’s always loved the animals and hopes to help pass the interest in them on to the younger generations

Joey Jensen

Crew

Joey Jensen grew up locally in Utah, and found his inspiration for working with reptiles through a presentation done by our owner Shane Richins. Since that day, he’s thrown himself into his passion, spending hours watching nature shows with specific interest in The Crocodile Hunter and Gator Boys. He loves having the unique opportunity to work with all the animals at Scales and Tails and educating the public about them in a fun and hands-on environment.

Reilly Raymond

Reptile Educator/Guide/Receptionist

Reilly has an undeniable pull for making animals a part of her life. Simply (and cheesily) put, they are what makes her soul feel whole. She currently have a Hog Island Boa, Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and Lab/Aussie mix. They are her family. She has experience working with a wide variety of animals as well as an incredible thirst to educate the general public on how wonderful they truly are.

Jonathan Larsen

Reptile Educator/Guide

Jonathan has loved reptiles for a long time he has a soft spot for snakes specifically. That is why he choose to work with Scales and Tails and will even try to make a career out of it! He is currently attending Weber State University to get a degree in Zoology. He likes to play video games, watch movies, and play board games in his free time, but wants to dedicate a lot of his time to taking care of animals of the forked tongue variety.

John Diliberto

Show Lead

John Diliberto is from Denver Colorado. He worked in education in the special education program as well as running the drama club and directing for over 21 years and directed musicals for 11 years. He also volunteered and worked at the Wild Animal Sanctuary for two years which harbors over 550 rescued large carnivores, (lions and tigers and bears oh my!) He loves to travel (Italy rules!). His favorite sports team is the Colorado Avalanche. Finally, He has been married for two years to my lovely and supportive wife Allie.

Chase Gosch

Entertainer

Chase has been working with animals in various capacities for almost a decade. From volunteering at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, and the Tracy Aviary, to working full time at Advanced Veterinary Care in Millcreek, UT. He knows his way around many different species. He also has experience entertaining many people as a magician and variety entertainer.

Cyra Clifford

Entertainer

Cyra grew up in North Idaho surrounded by lakes, trees, and mountains. Which lead to some interesting animal encounters, like a close call with a moose. She developed a love for animals before she could walk and has fostered that love her entire life. She’s made sure she always has at least one animal everywhere she’s lived, whether it’s a cat or dog in Idaho and Texas or sneaking a beta fish into her dorm room when she was in college in Hawaii.

Since she’s been in Utah she has worked with CAWS, fostering and caring for cats and kittens until they find their forever home. This love of animals along with her creative side for acting led her to Scales and Tails. Her older brother always had a fascination for reptiles and shared that fascination with Cyra, leading her to get her own snake which turned into 3 snakes over time. Outside of work and animals she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family. She’s a creative at heart and is passionate about everything she does.

Shaun Copsey

Entertainer

Shaun grew up right here in Utah. He has always loved animals and grew up with dogs, cats, lizards, birds, and various others. He has finally decided to turn his passion into a career. When he is not working with the animals, he is at home spending time with his family.

Emery Richins

Owner’s Daughter

Emery is the youngest of the Scales and Tails crew. Born into the life of reptiles and birds, she is an avid animal enthusiast who likes to teach other children her age about these amazing creatures. Emery loves to show people around the shop by giving tours and demonstrations with snakes, tortoises, and alligators. Emery is the daughter of owners Shane & Rindy Richins.