Meet Our 2026-27 Mentors

Principal

Alison Leslie began her teaching career at a small rural school in Surrey, B.C., where she discovered her passion for integrating the natural world into her students' daily curriculum. This initial experience ignited her interest in ecological education, leading her to pursue further studies. In 2019, Alison completed her Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Ecological Education through the lens of Indigenous Perspectives. Alison has had the opportunity to be the Vice-Principal for an outdoor learning program in Surrey, B.C. before making the move and taking a Principal role in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. In becoming a school leader, Alison has enjoyed working and collaborating with educators, local environmental/agricultural organizations and indigenous knowledge holders to create rich land-based programing to the students as well as encouraging and inspiring staff to weave this important learning into their own teaching practices.

ECE Instructor/ECE

I started taking children outside more than 15 years ago when I ran a small program out of my home. We spent most of our time outdoors, in my yard and the wild spaces nearby, and also inside. 11 years ago I helped found Hand-In-Hand Nature Education and over the course of 10 years created programming to include programming for children from 1.5 years to 9 years old - programs that are still running successfully today. I have just started my 5th year of teaching at the post-secondary level and now pass on my passion for learning outdoors to adults who will be tomorrow’s early childhood educators.

Hi! I’m Mandy Liable, an Early Childhood Educator, Forest School practitioner, and the owner and lead educator of Little Wise Owls Outdoor Learning in Chilliwack, British Columbia. I have over 14 years of experience working in early childhood education, with the past several years focused specifically on outdoor and nature-based learning.

I am passionate about creating spaces where children can slow down, explore, take appropriate risks, ask questions, get muddy, use their imaginations, and develop meaningful relationships with the natural world. Through Little Wise Owls, I work with children ages 3–10 and focus on child-led, play-based, and inquiry-driven learning. I especially love incorporating bushcraft, loose parts, storytelling, seasonal learning, risky play, and hands-on exploration into our days outdoors.

One of my favourite things about outdoor learning is that I am continually learning alongside the children. No two days in the forest are ever exactly the same, and there is always something new to notice, wonder about, or investigate.

This will be my third year as a Take Me Outside mentor, and I’m so excited to continue connecting with educators who are growing their outdoor learning practices. I love sharing ideas, practical experiences, successes, and lessons learned while also continuing to learn from the educators I work alongside.

I believe outdoor learning doesn’t have to be perfect or complicated. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply open the door, step outside, and see where the learning takes us.

Alberta Parks Environmental Educator / Nature Immersion Teacher

Andrea is passionate about teaching and learning outdoors. She has been the Formal Education Specialist for Alberta Parks in Kananaskis Country for nearly 25 years where she has been developing, delivering and evaluating nature and field experiences for students and professional development workshops for teachers. She is inspired and influenced by progressive teaching pedagogy, infusing Land-based learning principles and the natural learning cycle in her programs. She aspires to have a growth mindset when it comes to improving her practice. Andrea is also a professional learning contractor and a classroom teacher. She works with an outdoor school in Canmore as their Nature Immersion Curriculum Specialist. Her role at the school is to help teachers take whatever they're teaching outdoors, for all grades, in all subjects and all seasons.

My name is Arija, and I own and operate a forest and nature school called Out and About INC.
I am an RECE, outdoor educator and instructor , snowboard instructor, and rock collector. I spend most of my time in the outdoors either camping, exploring, reading in a hammock and am a big believer of continual learning. I believe in the magic of childhood and supporting their understanding and practice of their power of choice.

Early Childhood Facilitator - EarlyON

I’ve been privileged to work alongside families, educators, and children in outdoor spaces, learning and discovering together while we build a foundation for future stewardship through these experiences. Outdoor learning carries so many benefits, and it’s my joy and passion to share them with others.

I started in this role 9 years ago and have gradually increased the outdoor time that the kindergarten students get to play and learn outdoors. They play in various natural spaces on the hospital grounds including in the Outdoor Classroom that I have created over the past 8 years. CHEO School and the parent community recognize the enormous value for learning and overall health benefits that nature provides and this is why it has become a large component of the school’s vision and purpose. The students 8 years ago rarely went outside. Now students spend 40 to 80 minutes daily outdoors in nature and the goal is 120 minutes. This is hard work and my passion! I believe every child has the right to play outside in nature!

Carolyn is a kindergarten and grade 1 special education teacher in Ottawa, and loves nothing more than learning alongside children in the outdoors! Carolyn’s commitment to outdoor learning was tested when she began teaching in a school located on the campus of a large hospital, but with the unwavering support of like minded colleagues, her classroom team supports the students as they develop a sense of Place, a shared responsibility for the land, and reach their learning goals. As a dedicated Outdoor Learning Committee member, Carolyn champions inclusive nature-based education. She co-presents at conferences, demonstrating how outdoor spaces unlock limitless potential for students with complex needs. Carolyn is the proud mom of 3 school aged sons.

Cleoniki is a forest school teacher at Hudson Forest Play and at Valleyfield Joue Dehors, which she founded. She works with children and adults of all ages. With a background in biology, Cleoniki teaches science as well as art and mindfulness in nature. Her goal is to improve the well-being of her participants while also raising a new generation of planet protectors.

I am a mom of 5 girls, step mom of 2 boys, mom-in-law to 2 boys and 2 girls, grandma to 5, wife to 1, and slave to 3 cats. I am a teacher with over 30 years experience. I have my Master's in Outdoor Learning. My husband, Dale, and I teach, train, and facilitate courses on canoeing, bushcraft, winter camping, snow trekking, outdoor learning, trapping, campfire cooking, and anything outdoors. My husband and I are the co-creators of '72 Hours to Survive', an educational outdoor survival series that is in its second season. I also am a teacher leader and regional team lead for Let's Talk Science and am on the executive of the ATA specialist Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council. In my spare time, I love to canoe, hike, read, and drink tea (not usually all at once)!

David's education pathway spans 35 years in K – 12, as well as teaching in the Place and Nature-Based Graduate Program at SFU. He has worked on BC Ministry of Education curriculum, as a BCTF Curriculum Associate, consulted with many not-for-profit organizations, co-created Healthy Buddies for The BC Children’s Hospital and authored Science textbooks for Nelson Education. This intersection has provided many insights into educational change, Indigenizing education structures, resource development, student engagement, community relationships, leadership and curriculum.

David finds great joy in facilitating learning opportunities outside the walls of the school, using “the communities as the textbook”. His beliefs and vision for a forward-thinking, equitable education system have been featured on CBC, Voice Ed Radio and in a TEDx presentation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98F2AxZwGAE) and on web platforms.

He served as a Teacher Leader in the Sunshine Coast and North Vancouver School districts. David also facilitated with the BCTF Teacher Inquiry Program, guiding educators as they embark on collaborative inquiry projects: https://www.bctf.ca/topics/services-information/professional-development/apply-for-teacher-inquiry-program). He works with the HCTF Wild Schools program and currently consults with the YAEP; nurturing the growth of a Territory-wide, Place-Based professional learning community that supports educators to weave place-based learning and nature/environmental education into classroom practices.

Hello, my name is Elisabeth, and I am a passionate Early Years Educator and facilitator working in EarlyON Child and Family Centres in Hamilton, Ontario. I am grateful to live and work on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, within the lands protected by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant.
I am passionate about connecting children and families with nature and promoting healthy development through outdoor and land-based learning. I incorporate Indigenous perspectives in respectful and meaningful ways, recognizing the land as a teacher and encouraging children to develop curiosity, connection, gratitude, and care for Mother Earth. I believe that nature provides a meaningful space for children and families to learn, explore, and build a sense of belonging.

Gina Marucci (she/her) is an experienced educator in her 22nd year with the York Region District School Board, ON. She lives and works on the lands of the First Nations of the Williams Treaties, which includes the Mississaugas of Alderville, Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Scugog Island and the Chippewas of Beausoliel, Rama, and Georgina Island. She is a prep-coverage teacher and teaches Science to students from Kindergarten to Grade 3, where she weaves outdoor learning, inquiry, and land-based experiences into daily instruction. Over the course of her career, Gina has held several roles, including Outdoor Education Resource Teacher, Outdoor Environmental Education Consultant, and seconded teacher with the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. Her work is grounded in fostering meaningful connections between children, community, and the land, and in creating rich learning opportunities that honour diverse ways of knowing.

I’m Hanne, an early childhood educator and Director at Kinder Campus Child Care Community in Edmonton, Alberta. I’ve spent much of my career thinking about how we can give children more freedom, trust, and ownership in their play, particularly outdoors.

I’m a big believer in risky play and in the difference between risk and danger. If a child is climbing a tree, my first instinct isn’t to tell them to be careful or lift them to where they want to go. I’d much rather ask, “What’s your plan?” and give them the chance to figure out what their own body can do.

I’m also really interested in how the environment itself shapes children’s play. I’ve been closely involved in designing and continually changing our outdoor spaces, using things like logs, planks, rocks, mud kitchens, gardens, trees and other loose and natural materials. We watch how the children actually use the space and let that guide what we add, move or change rather than trying to create a finished playground for them.

Some of my favourite experiences have been exploring bugs with children, growing and eating food from our gardens, and welcoming families and former children back for International Mud Day every year. I also spend a lot of time supporting educators to become more comfortable with outdoor and risky play, including through Alberta winters.

For more than 35 years, I’ve had the good fortune to work in outdoor and environmental education, helping children and adults build stronger relationships with the natural world. A question continues to guide my work: What experiences help a child fall in love with the Earth, and choose to care for it?

I’m the Executive Director of Camp Kawartha and teach environmental education at Trent University. I’ve also written and co-authored several books, including The Wild Path Home, The Big Book of Nature Activities and The Book of Nature Connection. I’m the creator and co-leader of the Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship, a community-wide approach to helping children grow into caring, connected and engaged Earth stewards.

What matters most to me are the relationships I’ve built and what I’ve learned from others along the way. I value curiosity, kindness, hope and lifelong learning. As a mentor, I hope to listen carefully, share what I’ve learned, ask good questions and help someone else discover their own path forward.

You can learn more about me at www.jacobrodenburg.ca.

Je suis enseignant à l’École élémentaire catholique Saint-Viateur, où j’ai le plaisir d’enseigner aux élèves de maternelle et de jardin. Au fil des années, l’apprentissage en plein air est devenu une partie importante de ma pratique et une véritable passion.

J’aime voir ce qui se produit lorsque les élèves sortent de la salle de classe : ils bougent, observent, posent des questions, prennent des risques, collaborent et découvrent leur environnement d’une façon bien différente. Pour moi, l’extérieur n’est pas seulement un endroit où l’on va jouer; c’est un véritable espace d’apprentissage où toutes les matières peuvent prendre vie.

J’ai eu la chance de développer différents projets et espaces d’apprentissage en plein air dans mon école et de partager mes expériences avec des collègues et de futurs enseignants. J’ai notamment accompagné des stagiaires de la Faculté d’éducation de l’Université d’Ottawa, dont une stagiaire qui a intégré l’apprentissage en plein air dans sa propre pratique, ainsi que des enseignants de mon conseil scolaire dans le cadre du mentorat.

Comme mentor Take Me Outside, j’ai surtout envie de créer un espace où nous pouvons échanger, essayer de nouvelles idées et apprendre les uns des autres. Je crois qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir un grand projet ou du matériel sophistiqué pour commencer : parfois, il suffit simplement d’ouvrir la porte et de sortir!

I bring extensive experience in K–6 education across public and international schools. My work in classrooms and leadership roles has given me a unique perspective on how to support student success. I specialise in early learning, diverse needs, and language development. I champion movement-based learning to create inclusive, engaging environments. I share my expertise through collaboration, mentoring, and professional learning, empowering both educators and students.

Jasmine is rooted in forest school philosophy, emergent curriculum, and experiential learning. Outdoor since 2015, she weaves sustainability and play‑based relationships through mentorship, guided by deep listening, daily reflection, and builds kinship with families, community and Mother Earth.

Jaya Pandi Rai is an RECE working at Florence Child Care, an outdoor play-based program tucked away in a haven of mud and magic in Centertown, Ottawa. There, she embraces slow, seasonal exploration, inviting children to connect with the outdoors through neighbourhood walks and encounters with local wildlife. Raised in Nepal, Jaya’s love of the outdoors was nurtured by hiking in the Himalayan foothills. She is passionate about fostering reciprocal relationships with the world around us, leading initiatives like a certified Native Pollinator Garden and an emerging Community Garden. Jaya is excited to connect with fellow outdoor education enthusiasts!

My name is Jennifer and I reside in Newark, Delaware with my husband and 3 children! I am a passionate advocate for outdoor learning and believe children thrive when given opportunities to explore, discover and learn beyond the traditional classroom!

Jennifer Engbrecht (she/her) is of settler and Red River Métis heritage, with ancestral connections to the areas along the Assiniboine River in St. James, as well as the Red River around the Selkirk area. She is a composer and songwriter who is inspired by kinship to the land around her. She believes in using music to deepen the awe we feel when immersing ourselves in the natural world around us. An educator of 30+ years, she has engaged countless students to create their own music and soundscapes to deepen their connection to the earth, and enhance their desire to care for her. Some of these pieces have been performed and presented at the Earth Day Celebration at the Manitoba Legislative Building, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights as part of the UNESCO/Be An Upstander Showcase, as well as the Louis Riel School Division Learning with the Land event in 2026. Jennifer is available to collaborate with schools as part of the Artists in the Schools Program, with the Manitoba Arts Council.

Hi, I’m Jenn! I grew up on a sustainable farm in rural Ontario, where spending time outdoors was simply part of everyday life. These days, I’m lucky to call Victoria, BC home, where I love exploring the forests, beaches, and trails of Vancouver Island with my family and friends. I’m happiest outside, whether I’m hiking, kayaking, or gardening.

Before becoming an associate professor at the University of Victoria, I spent 11 years teaching in the Sooke School District. Now, I get to work with future and practicing teachers, helping them discover the possibilities of taking learning outdoors. What I love most about outdoor learning is that it doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes the most meaningful experiences come from slowing down, noticing what's around us, playing together, and building relationships with the places we visit.

I’m passionate about helping educators feel confident and comfortable taking their students outside, wherever they are in their outdoor learning journey. I believe that nurturing meaningful, reciprocal relationships with Land helps us care for ourselves, one another, and the natural world. As an outdoor mentor, I’m excited to share ideas, learn alongside you, and help make outdoor learning a joyful, accessible, and regular part of every child's school experience.

I am a retired teacher and am very passionate about outdoor learning initiatives with my whole school in an urban setting. This included my classroom curriculum integration, resourcing, encouraging and supporting a variety of outdoor learning opportunities as they connected to Indigenous and climate action lenses including--, land based learning, honouring and protecting water, food gardening, wholistic community engagement, building native pollinator spaces, establishing a fruit forest, tree canopy expansion, removal of invasive plants, awareness of biodiversity and ecological systems, energy use, waste reduction and creative reuse explorations and expressions, promotion of active living and advocating for mindfully walkable, bikeable cities and inviting school community participation.

I’m a primary teacher on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with more than 15 years of experience teaching in elementary classrooms. I’m passionate about creating meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that help young children build confidence, curiosity, and a strong connection to the world around them.

For the past seven years, outdoor learning has been a regular part of my teaching practice. Each week, I take my students beyond the classroom and into the forest, where we explore, create, play, problem-solve, and learn together. I love finding simple ways to connect literacy, numeracy, science, art, and social-emotional learning to the natural world, while still leaving plenty of space for wonder and child-led discovery.

I believe outdoor learning doesn’t need to be complicated or require specialized equipment. Some of our best learning comes from simply getting outside, noticing what’s around us, and giving children time and space to explore.

As a mentor, I’m excited to share practical ideas, encouragement, and lessons I’ve learned along the way. I look forward to supporting other educators as they find outdoor learning approaches that feel manageable, meaningful, and authentic to their own students and settings.

Hello, my name is Jodi Simpson. I teacher kindergarten in a traditional public school in western Colorado. We have an inside classroom, outdoor classroom, and a nature trail on our campus. I enjoy outdoor learning because the children and the land are the curriculum. We observe, play, and explore the land. We listen for birds and crickets. We look forward to changes in weather and seasons. Inspiration happens every day. It is such a joy to share the gifts of nature with my students.

I am an immigrant settler and uninvited guest living and teaching on the ancestral, traditional, unsurrendered territory of the Musqueam people at the mouth of stal̕əw̓, what we call the Fraser River, where Coast Salish people have participated in their seasonal rounds for thousands of years. Immersing myself in Truth and Reconciliation has opened up ways of knowing and seeing the natural world that are uplifting, validating, and humbling. In particular, I enjoy acknowledging the land and territory, in different ways and words, wherever I find myself.

I have always found comfort, curiosity, and learning outdoors, so taking my students outside just comes naturally. Before retiring from teaching elementary school children as a Learning Resource Teacher and as an intermediate Classroom Teacher, I developed curriculum connections to outdoor education as well as explored outdoor education as curriculum, always in collaborative partnerships with other educators. Currently semi-retired, I continue to take students outside whenever possible, to mentor teachers to find their place in an outdoor classroom, and to heighten my engagement with the natural world through such activities and pastimes as nature journals, land art, and cold water swimming.

Hello my name is KCG, my pronouns are they and them. I am from Haliburton Ontario. I have been working in the outdoor education field since working at summer camps at the age of 16. I have worked at a couple of outdoor education centres for about 4 years before moving to North Western Ontario as a Special Education Resource Teacher in a First Nation Federal School. This will be my 10th year at the school, but I usually spend at least a portion of the summer volunteering or working at summer camps. As a school, we have been working on hard creating and improving our land based learning to the point where it is at least a weekly practice for the students. It has been a joy to participate as well as lead some of these sessions.

As a Program Instructor in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I have the privilege of helping students discover meaningful connections with nature, place, and one another. I graduated from Kent State University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation. I’m passionate about environmental education and creating hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, joy, and appreciation for the natural world.

Through my work, I lead educational programs and outdoor experiences for students of various ages, using the diverse landscapes of Cuyahoga Valley as an outdoor classroom. I’m especially passionate about teaching young girls about science and helping them see themselves as scientists. I want them to know that science is for everyone and that they can be successful in STEM careers while making meaningful contributions to the world around them.

I believe some of the best lessons happen when people experience nature firsthand. My goal is to help students build curiosity, teamwork, confidence, and a lasting sense of stewardship for the places around them.

Beyond the Trail: I love the Pacific Northwest and every species of marmot! I’m also a big fan of Halloween, tofu tacos, cozy cabins, tardigrades, roller skating, and doughnuts.

Hard Passes: Wet socks, back pain, roadkill, litterbugs, meat, and jump scares!

When I’m not exploring the outdoors, I’m home with my husband, two sons, and Sparky, our decidedly non-outdoorsy dog.

Kimberlly Walters lives on Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people and part of the Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy). As an Acadian and European settler, she is committed to moving beyond land acknowledgment and engaging in the ongoing work of decolonizing her own understanding—and that of her students and children. She strives to honour this place by learning from Mi’kmaw culture and language and by integrating community connections and Indigenous pedagogy into her teaching.

Her practice is also shaped by her years in Tetlit Zheh and Inuvik, the homelands of the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit peoples, where she learned deeply from Elders, colleagues, and students. Now a public school teacher and mother of three, Kimberlly continues to learn and feels most at home near water or among the trees.

My name is Larissa and I have spent more than 20 years working in early childhood education. My philosophy is that the best learning happens when children are outside, getting messy, curious, and connected to the world around them.
I love helping educators see the possibilities in everyday outdoor experiences—from exploring the forest and collecting treasures to making mud soup and simply noticing what is happening in nature. I believe children need time and space to wonder, explore, take risks, and develop a lifelong connection with the natural world.

Through my work as executive director supporting early learning programs and educators, I am passionate about making outdoor learning practical, joyful, and accessible—not something that requires a perfect forest or elaborate plan, but something that can happen wherever children are.

Lauren MacLean is an elementary teacher, author, outdoor learning consultant, and host of the Teach Outdoors podcast. She is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for children to learn through curiosity, play, movement, and connection with the natural world.

Lauren currently teaches a Grade 2/3 class in British Columbia, where she brings outdoor experiences into everyday learning. She loves finding simple ways to take the learning outside—whether that means noticing changes in the seasons, using sticks and stones to explore math, documenting in a nature journal, or simply slowing down long enough to wonder about what is happening around us.

As a teacher consultant, Lauren works with educators and schools to make outdoor learning feel practical, joyful, and connected to curriculum. She facilitates workshops and professional learning, and is the author of several children’s books, including Me and My Sit Spot, Finding Common Ground, Risky Play Gone Away, and What Does It Mean to Care About Nature? She has also published two teacher resources, Sitting With Nature and co-authored Learning With the Land.

What Lauren enjoys most about outdoor learning is that it gives children—and adults—space to notice, wonder, ask questions, and build relationships with the places they call home.

My name is Lindsay Gericke, and I am a Physical and Outdoor Education teacher with over 15 years of experience developing and delivering meaningful, experiential programs grounded in Indigenous values and a strong connection to the land.

I love creating opportunities for young people to get outside, try new things, challenge themselves, and have fun. Whether we are hiking, biking, surfing, paddling, learning to snowboard, or spending several days on the land together, I enjoy helping students discover what they are capable of and watching their confidence grow along the way.

I believe outdoor experiences can build resilience, connection, and a deeper understanding of ourselves, each other, and the land around us. I’m excited to share some of the stories and strategies I’ve learned along the way, with the goal of helping build confidence and capacity in future outdoor educators and leaders.

Lisa Marie Labossiere-Taylor (she/her) is an educator, mentor, and lifelong learner who believes some of the richest learning happens when we step outside together. Over more than three decades in education, she has woven outdoor, nature-connected, place-based, and play-responsive learning into the fabric of her teaching. Her classrooms have extended far beyond four walls—into forests and grasslands, along rivers and ocean shores, and into the many places and communities where she has been fortunate to teach across Canada.

A Certified Forest & Nature School Practitioner, Lisa Marie has worked with learners from preschool through Grade 12 and adult education. She has created and led outdoor initiatives including Fresh Air Freaks, Raindrop Rangers, Polar Bear Club, and the Little Sprouts Farm, Forest & Nature Program. Her practice is grounded in relationships—with the land, with one another, with ourselves, and with community—and continues to grow through ongoing learning alongside Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators, and colleagues.

Lisa Marie loves helping educators discover that outdoor learning doesn't need to be complicated. Sometimes it begins simply by opening the door, slowing down, noticing, wondering, and following curiosity. As a mentor, she values walking alongside others—sharing ideas, celebrating successes, working through challenges, and learning together.

Lisa Marie believes that “play isn't something we outgrow—it's a way of engaging with the world.” She brings muddy boots, an open heart, a curious mind, and a willingness to ask, “What happens if...?” For her, outdoor learning is about connection, belonging, wonder, play, and finding joy in the places right outside our doors.

Lori Ann is the founder and director of Prairiewood Forest School in rural Coyle, Oklahoma, an accredited full-time middle and high school where all the classes (yes, even History!) take place either fully or mostly outdoors. Her education background ranges from graduating college with a Secondary Education teaching license; to studies with Wilderness Awareness School, Project WILD, The Human Path Herbal Medics Academy, Institute for Wild Med, and the Association for Nature-based Education; to a combined 15 years as an outdoor camp counselor and nature-based educator, exploring the forests of Arkansas and Oklahoma with youth (and always learning at least as much as they do!). She currently teaches 2 fully-outdoor classes each week for ages ranging from 1-16, as well as delight-driven, academic, interdisciplinary middle and high school courses that also follow the forest school model.

Lori Ann connects with the sacred permeating all of nature through curious attunement with her senses. Her teachers include wild plants, poetry, seasonal rituals, traditional storytelling, vitalist herbalism, and her own children. She currently lives, learns, and educates on the ancestral homelands of the Wichita, Osage, Kickapoo, and Kiowa, and is grateful for their caretaking and knowledge-sharing, as well as the care, teaching, and partnership of the Iowa tribe, her closest Indigenous neighbors.

Lynne Morneault is a bilingual French and English elementary educator in Fredericton, New Brunswick, with nearly three decades of experience teaching in francophone and anglophone school communities. She is passionate about creating meaningful, hands-on experiences that spark curiosity and help every child find a place where they can thrive.

For Lynne, some of the richest learning happens beyond the classroom walls. Whether students are investigating a stream, discovering biodiversity, learning through a garden, taking mathematics or literacy outside, or simply slowing down to notice the natural world, she believes children should have opportunities to experience their learning, not simply read about it.

Lynne is passionate about inclusive education, play-based learning, environmental stewardship, and connecting curriculum to authentic experiences. She has pursued professional learning in outdoor education and forest bathing and has developed projects involving water stewardship, gardening, pollinators, sustainability, and nature-based learning.

Beyond her classroom, Lynne shares her passion for innovative and inclusive education at conferences in Canada and internationally through her LynSpiration persona—often easy to spot in her signature mismatched boots! The boots have become a playful symbol of a message at the heart of her teaching: learners do not all need the same thing to succeed.

As a mentor, Lynne looks forward to sharing ideas, resources, successes, and the wonderfully messy moments of outdoor learning while encouraging educators to start where they are, use what they have, and discover what is possible outside.

Marieke has nearly 30 years of experience working with children and adults focusing on education. She became a certified elementary teacher 12 years ago as she was dedicated to making a difference in their students' lives. Marieke continuously searches for ways to improve her students' learning experience.

In 2022, an introductory course on outdoor classrooms offered by her school board transformed her teaching approach. Inspired by the potential of natural settings to enrich learning, she has since incorporated weekly outdoor learning experiences.

In 2024, Marieke became a certified Forest and Nature Practitioner in Canada which added a new dimension to her career and further inspired students in their relationship with the environment. Witnessing firsthand the growth of students’ understanding and respect for nature, Marieke remains devoted to nurturing this connection through thoughtful, hands-on educational practices.

Outside her teaching work, Marieke enjoys spending time with her family and their 2 dogs, camping, traveling and reading.

My name is Meaghan Leung. I teach grade one French Immersion and grade two health and phys.ed. this year. I have many years experience teaching the primary grades. I take my students outside for learning for an hour each day, integrating learning across all subject areas in the forest behind my school. I also have my Forest School Practitioner certification and spent a year teaching part time at a forest school a few years ago. I love all outdoor activities in all seasons and also enjoy trying new things. Indoors, I enjoy reading and planning adventures. I’m looking forward to talking about outdoor learning with you!

Meaghan Smart is an early childhood educator, certified nature and forest school practitioner, and registered social worker, currently participating in a nature and forest therapy guide certification program. She is passionate about nature's connection, early childhood development and learning, and supporting the well-being of children within their communities. Raised on the Northumberland Shores in Atlantic Canada, her childhood was deeply connected to outdoor experiences and community. After over a decade in social work, she founded “The Curious Sparrow,” a home-based program offering play-based, nature-focused learning that celebrates inclusion, diversity, and self-discovery.

Meera Bandechha is an award-winning Early Childhood Educator with more than 20 years of experience working with young children. Trained in Montessori, IB PYP, and Nature School education, she is passionate about inquiry-based, child-led learning and creating meaningful connections between children and the natural world. Meera is a recipient of the Outdoor Play Canada Award and the Edward Burtynsky Award for Teaching Excellence and has served as a national mentor and speaker with Take Me Outside. She brings extensive experience in early learning, programme development, licensing, and school leadership.

Megan (she/her) is a Coordinator of Primary Learning in the Delta School District, on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam Nations. Megan has been teaching for 25 years and became passionate about outdoor learning when she completed her Masters in Imaginative Education. Her research focused on the Walking Curriculum and how to support educators in taking learners outside. She embraces every chance she gets to work with learners of all ages, and has a particular interest in using an anti-oppression lens to support, create, and promote inclusive outdoor learning opportunities.

My love for the outdoors began with growing up near a creek and my first pet worm, Betty Crocker. Through college, I explored many jobs but found I loved being outdoors connecting people with nature. This passion led me to a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture with recent certificates in outdoor learning environments from Texas Tech University and North Carolina State University. After my first child was born, I felt a calling to help children discover the wonder of nature. I enjoy creating meaningful learning experiences through curiosity, exploration and noticing the “ordinary” moments. I hope every learner leaves with muddy boots, a sense of wonder, and a desire to care for their world around them.

As an educator who understands firsthand how the outdoors can deepen learning experiences for both children and adults, I am thrilled to support other educators who are like minded and ready to move beyond their class’s four walls. I am passionate about play, physical literacy and outdoor experiences and I believe children learn best through movement, exploration and connection with the outside world. With an open minded approach to learning, led with enthusiasm and positivity, I love creating joyful and inclusive learning environments where children feel valued, capable and where their curiosities matter.

Natalie Breton (she/her), from Sudbury, Ontario, is a teacher and author of children’s books. With a deep love for animals and their habitats, Natalie infuses her writing with a passion for nature, inspiring her mission to teach environmental education.

From tagging sharks in Nova Scotia to exploring forests with families in London, Ontario, Nicole Van Beers has built her career around a love of the natural world and a passion for education. Born in London and raised in Waterloo, Nicole moved east to study Marine Biology, where she gained hands-on field experience working with wildlife, including shark tagging and bird population surveys on remote islands.

After graduating, Nicole found her way into outdoor education, working full-time at a wilderness forest school and eventually becoming its Lead Educator. This experience helped shape her approach to outdoor learning and her appreciation for the value of curiosity, exploration and child-led experiences.

Since returning to Ontario in 2022, Nicole has worked as a zookeeper and now for Childreach as the WILD CHILD Program Lead, facilitating free, year-round outdoor programs for families across three forests in London. Her role spans program development and facilitation, fundraising, community partnerships, camp leadership and supporting other educators through a Community of Practice.

Nicole’s passion for outdoor education is rooted in her belief that meaningful connections with nature grow through curiosity, confidence and hands-on exploration. This philosophy carries into her own life, where she has spent over 200 consecutive days climbing a different tree each day, embracing the kind of playful discovery she hopes to inspire in others. A mother to a busy five-year-old, Nicole also lives on a farm surrounded by hobby animals, where her connection to the natural world continues well beyond her work.

As a neurodivergent nature nerd who struggled in school as a kid, I learned quickly that the sort of learning offered outdoors by parks, nature centres and other informal spaces worked better for my brain than traditional school did.
This led to a career as a park naturalist/interpreter in Metro Vancouver Parks, BC Parks, and for Parks Canada in the Rockies, often running school field trips for K-7 groups. Along the way, I got a Bachelor of Education. I completed two practicums in traditional classrooms but came immediately back to teaching outdoors because it doesn't just work better for kids - it also works better for me.
I now work in a public garden running a year - long outdoor learning program where teachers bring their classes along to learn with and from me. I have over 25 years of experience leading outdoor learning for K-7 as well as professional development for their teachers. I'm a settler on a reconciliation journey, and I believe as outdoor educators it is our responsibility to help students develop a sense of stewardship towards the outdoor spaces where we learn. I also recently completed a Master of Education in Special Education focussed on understanding the experiences of bright neurodivergent students (spoiler: they often thrive outdoors).

Hello! My name is Prab, and I’m an Early Childhood Educator and ECE instructor with over two years of experience working in Forest and Nature School settings. My experience in outdoor learning has deepened my appreciation for the many ways nature supports children’s curiosity, confidence, creativity, and overall development.

I believe children learn best when they have opportunities to explore, take appropriate risks, make choices, and build meaningful connections with the natural world. As a mentor, I’m passionate about sharing my experiences, supporting educators in developing their own outdoor practice, and learning alongside others.

I’m excited to be part of the Outdoor Learning Mentorship Program and look forward to connecting, sharing ideas, and inspiring one another through our experiences in outdoor education.

Hi! I’m Rochellie, an Outdoor and Nature-Based Learning Specialist and the founder of Three Pines Outdoor and Nature Play in Cochrane, Alberta. I work with children, families and communities, with a strong focus on outdoor and nature-based learning, play, connection and building meaningful place-based experiences.

I believe children need time and space outdoors to explore, take risks, get messy, be curious and simply be themselves. Some of my favourite moments happen when we slow down and follow what children notice. It might be turning over a log, wondering about something they found, building with sticks, exploring a familiar place in a new way, or becoming completely absorbed in their play.

I’m a certified Lead Forest and Nature School Practitioner and a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator. I also speak and facilitate sessions around outdoor and nature-based learning, risky play, connection and children’s emotional well-being.

What I love about outdoor learning is that it can look different for every educator, group of children and place. There is always something new to notice, explore and learn through this work. I’m excited to connect with other educators, share experiences and ideas, talk honestly about the joys and challenges, and support others in finding ways to bring more outdoor and nature-based learning into their own practice.

Shannon is a passionate primary educator in British Columbia who believes some of the most meaningful learning happens beyond the classroom walls. Through forest exploration, school gardening, and hands-on inquiry, she strives to nurture curiosity, creativity, and a deep connection to the natural world. She loves weaving all subjects into authentic outdoor experiences, empowering children to ask questions, explore their surroundings, and discover the joy of learning. Her goal is to inspire young learners to become curious thinkers, confident explorers, and caring stewards of the land.

As an early childhood educator I spend 11 months working in a preschool classroom. Finding ways to support children in creating connections with nature and other-than-human beings is a constant thread in my programming, both indoors and out! The 12th month of the year I run an outdoor learning program for school age children 4-8 weeks we use emergent interests along with the offerings of the land and beings around us to engage with the science (math and language) curriculum. I hope that by support other educators in their efforts to create these connections, that I too will gather greater understanding and new knowledge!

Stephanie Aleksiuk is an environmental educator and the founder of Thimbleberry Learning in Calgary, Alberta. She has spent much of her career helping children and educators connect with the natural world, with a particular interest in the possibilities for learning right outside the classroom door.

Through Thimbleberry Learning, Stephanie developed and led schoolyard-based outdoor learning programs for K–4 students and now focuses on professional learning for educators. She holds an MA in Environmental Education and Communication from Royal Roads University, where her research explored the opportunities and barriers teachers experience when taking learning outdoors. She currently works as an environmental educator with The City of Calgary.

Stephanie is especially interested in helping teachers make outdoor learning feel manageable and meaningful, even when the weather is cold, time is short, or the schoolyard does not seem particularly “natural.” She is also a Certified Mindfulness Instructor and enjoys exploring how nature connection and mindfulness can support well-being in both students and educators.

Stephanie loves the biodiversity found close to home, especially birds and native plants. In her own time, she loves hiking, backpacking and exploring the mountains, foothills and grasslands of southern Alberta. She believes there is a lot to discover in an ordinary schoolyard and enjoys helping teachers build confidence, notice the nature already around them, and find outdoor learning practices that work for their own students and circumstances.

I am a high school teacher and land based learning educator in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. I have been teaching for more than 20 years, and over the past 10 years I have increasingly focused on bringing learning beyond the classroom and into the places where students live, work and learn.

I currently teach at Wesmor Public High School, where I work to make learning as hands on, experiential and connected to the land as possible. My teaching crosses subjects including but not limited to English, History, Indigenous Studies, Environmental Science, Land-Based Learning (locally developed curriculum), Indigenous Mentorship, Psychology, Wellness and Wildlife Management...Basically, whatever I am tasked by the school to teach!

I am particularly interested in how the land can become more than the setting for a lesson and instead become part of the learning itself. And as a non Indigenous educator, I try to approach this type of land-based learning with humility, curiosity, listening and a strong sense of responsibility. I am interested in finding ways to make outdoor learning academically meaningful and rigorous, rather than treating it simply as a break from the classroom.

Outside of school, I am a father of 4, a Scout leader, a hobby farmer, a forager and an outdoorsman. I enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking, camping, gardening, working with animals and spending time outside with my family.

Additionally, I wrote: Teach Where You Stand: Reimagining Academic Rigor through Land Based Learning, forthcoming from Hancock House Publishing in 2027.

Sylvie Tissandier is a Forest and Nature School practitioner and teacher in Edmonton where she developed and implemented a nature play and forest school program in an urban K-3 public school. Sylvie loves helping teachers build their capacity and comfort with taking students outside, and connecting kids with nature.

I’m an 18-yr vet of the public system in NB, and have taught across numerous subject areas. I came into OE by happenstance about 14 years ago and never looked back!
I love how my OE journey has changed my pedagogy and perspective across all subjects, and deepens my love for this profession.
I’m currently working toward my PhD with a focus on how perception influences teachers’ curriculum delivery in our inclusive system.
I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities and mentors that have challenged and supported me as well, and so am eager to pay this forward as much as I can.