Jake Berkowitz, 26, was born and raised in Minnesota. He attended a local community college and then studied to be an EMT at the University of Colorado. He is currently getting his paramedic degree at the University of Alaska. Jake started mushing when he moved to Michigan in the fall of 2005 to work with Ed & Tasha Stielstra at Nature’s Kennel and raced Stielstra’s B team in the 2008 Iditarod. He remembers learning about the Iditarod at a young age but says, “It was one of those childhood dreams, like being a fireman or a cowboy; I just never thought it would happen.” He moved to Alaska after the 2008 Iditarod to pursue his mushing career. In 2011,he won the Copper Basin Sled Dog Race. In 2012, he placed fourth in the Yukon Quest and was the “Rookie of the Year.” He had to scratch from the 2012 Iditarod because a severely injured hand during the race. He lists his hobby (other than dogs and mushing) as business. Jake is engaged to Robin Simms. They will be married this fall.