Jason Beem is the track announcer at Portland Meadows horse racing track in Portland, Oregon. Born on the day Mt. St. Helens erupted, May 18, 1980, Jason grew up in the Seattle suburbs of Renton and Kent. An accomplished baseball player and golfer in school, Jason's other passion was always horse racing. He attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in Sociology and English. After graduating Jason has worked as a horse racing announcer at River Downs in Cincinnati and Portland Meadows in Portland, Oregon, where he currently announces. He hosts a weekly radio show about horse racing and is also an avid musician and writer. Southbound is his first novel.