James Budd is the Owner, Co-Founder and Yarn, Fabric and Product Developer for Alpacas of Montana. He has a Masters Degree in Medical Science from the University of Colorado -- yeah, he went from orthopedic surgeries to owning his own business! James is not only a design wizard, but also the biggest animal lover in the world. He treats all of his alpacas as though they’re his kids and loves animals so much that he will open the windows and guide the flies out rather than swatting them. He loves getting the opportunity to make products that outperform the big guys in the industry so his customers get the best possible experience. When he’s not at work, you can find James fishing or out hiking in the mountains with his llamas and dogs. He also loves traveling to South America as often as possible, both for work and for pleasure. If James could be any Disney character he would be Baloo from The Jungle Book.

Annie Buchwald is our "woman of all trades" as our all around caretaker. She attended the University of California, San Diego where she received a degree in Ecology/Genetics. She first started working with us in February 2021 and hasn’t looked back since! She helps train the alpacas during our spring "baby training" and continues her work with them year-round to maintain their training through adulthood. Because Annie knows the in's and out's of our business, and our herd, she runs our daily farm tours, where visitors can meet our animals and learn about all we do! When Annie isn't sharing her passion with visitors, she also helps out with breeding, cleaning up around the farm, and anything else James and Sarah need. Outside of working for Alpacas of Montana, Annie loves volunteering at the Injured Raptor Center where she helps transport injured raptors and aids in their rehabilitation process. You can find Annie out hiking throughout the entire year, kayaking in the summer and snow shoeing in the winter. She is living her best retired life and helping her 100 year old mom navigate life. If Annie was a disney character, she would be Boo from Monsters Inc. We asked Annie what her favorite thing about Alpacas of Montana is and she said, “I LOVE their compassion for animals! I love that any animal that ends up on their property is allowed to live the rest of their life there in comfort and safety.  I admire Sarah and James so much for the incredible amount of work they've invested in their company, their drive to produce the best products available while promoting social justice and caring for the earth.”

Grace Carlin is our Store and Tour Guide Manager. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin- River Falls in 2022 with a Bachelors of Science in Marketing and Communications. Originally from Minnesota, she moved out to Bozeman in Fall 2023. Grace has over a decade of experience working with llamas and alpacas. When she was just 10 years old she started showing her Llama, Hailley, back in Minnesota. Since then she has fallen in love with these animals. Something Grace loves most about working for Alpacas of Montana is that everyone puts the animals first, and they have a progressive approach to business. When Grace isn't at work you can find her working with and training her dog and other dogs, hiking, backpacking, or shredding the gnar at Bridger. If Grace was a Disney character she would be Lilo from Lilo and Stitch. She is spirited, resilient, determined and loyal.

Julie Webb is our bookkeeper at Alpacas of Montana. She has been with the team for nearly a decade and has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of all the exciting growth at Alpacas of Montana. Her favorite part of being at the farm is spending time with the big, lovable guard dogs, Chili, Hazel, and Finn.

Julie holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Southern Utah University. Throughout her career, she has worked in a number of diverse industries, including aviation, gold mining, and film. Working at Alpacas of Montana has provided Julie with a great opportunity to learn the nuances of e-commerce accounting.

When she isn't working, Julie enjoys spending time with her grumpy mini-horse named Miss Piggy. She also loves hiking in Bozeman's beautiful mountains, spending time with friends, and pursuing her newest hobby, screenwriting. Moana is the Disney character Julie feels represents her personality the best!

Jenna Patrick, our year-round tour guide, has dreamt about working with the alpacas on our farm for years. She met Lovie and Pete in downtown Bozeman in 2018 and has since added owning a hobby farm graced with camelids to her bucket list.

An aspiring entrepreneur, Jenna has honed a diverse range of creative skills since graduating from Montana State University in 2020 with a degree in graphic design. Most recently, she was a journalist and editor for a national landscape business magazine. 

Reptiles, amphibians, fish, and mammals (including two adorable rescue mutts) make Jenna's home somewhat of a zoo. Although she does not yet own a raccoon (that is a joke), Meeko is the Disney character Jenna feels represents her personality best. 

Chili is the head of our Executive Security Team. He is our chief boss man in charge of defending the farm. He has successfully led the team in fending off three mountain lions and numerous bear encounters. Chilli is a great leader and loves his job. Chilli only takes a few days off a year and they are during intense Montana thunder and lightning storms. During these rare times you can find him laying upside down on the stairs inside of James’ and Sarah’s house.

Finn is a part of our Executive Security Team. While he may be the cutest thing you’ve ever seen, don’t underestimate him. He is a ferocious guard dog who will defend the farm with his life. Once James and Sarah give him the go ahead that whoever is on the premises is okay, he demands belly rubs and all of the scratches. Finn loves Sarah and follows her everywhere. He’s never off duty, but when he takes a break he enjoys napping in the alpaca’s hay, getting a good ole butt scratch and raising hell with the chickens.