Jake, 27, was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From a very young age he developed a love for dogs and the outdoors. Jake spent many summers in the North Woods of Minnesota exploring and guiding whitewater canoeing and backpacking expeditions with the YMCA. At 18 Jake decided to venture to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to guide sled dog trips and train for the Iditarod. Jake completed his first Iditarod in 2008 at age 22. This instilled in him the love for racing and Alaska. In 2009 Jake moved to the Last Frontier and completed that year’s Iditarod with all 16 dogs in harness–a feat only accomplished by four others in the 41 year history of the race. In 2011 Jake created Apex Kennels and quickly won three major sled dog races across the state of Alaska in his first year of operation. One of those victories came in the infamously tough Copper Basin 300. In 2012, Jake and his team won the Knik 200 and finished as Rookie of the Year in the International sled dog race, the Yukon Quest. After arriving in Unalakleet in 6th place he was withdrawn from that years Iditarod, because of a severely injured hand. He then bounced back in 2013 to achieve his proudest moment yet in racing, winning the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for excellence in dog care. Not only did he win one of the most coveted awards among mushers, he did it by finishing in 8th place with 15 healthy, energetic dogs. In the off-season, Jake gives dog sled rides at the Alaska Native Heritage Center with 2011 Iditarod Champion, John Baker. Jake is married to Robin Berkowitz and is the proud father of Ruby White Berkowitz, born on August 15, 2013.