Vern began his descent into circus freakdom as a child when he taught himself to juggle at the age of 12. After squandering 4 years on a degree from the University of Massachussetts, he got down to business and began to devote himself to circus arts in the small town of Arcata CA in 2002. Since then Vern has performed with the Humbold Circus Society (Arcata CA), toured on a vegetable oil powered school bus with Circo Mutante (Berkeley CA), and participated in the New Old Time Chautauqua Tour, in addition to his current position in the Dream Science Circus. In 2007 Vern began teaching at the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts in Seattle, and now
teaches kids' classes in Bellingham. Vern mainly performs acrobalance these days, though he is also a juggler, stilt walker, and poi spinner.