Meet our leaders!
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Sarah Penner Facilitator My passion for nature and educating children has grown through my years of involvement in outdoor education at Silver Lake Mennonite Camp and Laurel Creek Nature Centre. I work hard to help children make a connection with the natural environment at a local and global level. I am particularly passionate about mindfulness in nature, inquiry based learning, and environmental stewardship. B.A, Environmental Studies B.Ed, Primary/Junior Wilderness First Aid Level 3 Forest School Practitioner’s Certification, in process |
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Lindsay Theriault
Facilitator I remember the moment that I fell in love with nature. I was in primary school and my best friend and I had ridden our bikes to our town's closest natural space, Black Creek. This was a place that we enjoyed often, but on this particular day as we sat in silence on the shore of the trickling water with the sun shining through the canopy, a strong feeling of peace and happiness spread over me. I remember asking my friend “Why does it feel so good to spend time here?” I believe that moments like this spent immersed in the wonders of the wild have enriched my life immeasurably and inspired me to share the magic of the natural world with others. It has been my privilege to have spent the past 10 years doing so on behalf of various school boards, conservation authorities and charitable organizations. B.Ed, Primary/Junior Wilderness First Aid Level 3 Forest School Practitioner’s Certification, in process |
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Katherine Taylor
Facilitator I believe that childhood should include ample time outside. I want children to have adventures and discoveries, let their imaginations run wild, experience a sense of wonder, and expand their understanding of the world around them. In today’s fast-paced world, we need space to slow down and be curious about nature, and I love creating spaces for children to connect with themselves, each other, and the world around them. With over 20 years of experience, I am passionate about alternative education. I have taught in public and private schools, I have home schooled my own children for 10 years, and I have led local Forest School programs. I hope to inspire a love of nature and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things in the next generation. B.A./B.Ed., Primary/Junior Montessori Elementary Teacher Level 3 Forest School Practitioner’s Certification, in process |
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Dylan Siebert
Facilitator I grew up roaming the wooded ravines of the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland, Ontario. As a child, summers at Silver Lake Mennonite Camp deepened my appreciation for the forest, and I later joined the camp staff as a canoe trip leader, counsellor, and nature program leader. I’ve sought out primitive skills training with The P.I.N.E. Project in Toronto as well as Sticks and Stones Wilderness School, with an emphasis on understanding bird language as a key to deepening awareness. Outside my role as a nature educator, I’ve enjoyed working alongside children and adults with disabilities through Extend-a-Family Waterloo Region and Special Olympics Ontario, as well as volunteering as a children’s ESL teacher in the southern US. I studied Roman history and literature at the University of Waterloo and I remain an eager student of the wild. |
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Vashti Latchman
Facilitator I have been interested in connecting with nature since I became a Mother. I have had the opportunity to send my children to this forest school for many years and have been able to learn so much from them. It has led me to become more curious, aware and excited about being outside. Prior to having kids I didn’t have much interest or experience so I feel very fortunate to have been given this gift. I have fostered this love of nature by participating in many programs offered locally. I am excited to be able to participate this year and to help to connect and learn with my children and yours. B. Ed. Intermediate/Senior; Biology/Mathematics Mother of 3 |
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Josh Shea
Natural Areas Coordinator, City of Kitchener I came to love nature through repeated and frequent exposure as a child. I believe that learning is a lifelong journey which we must begin when we are young. My days are mostly spent working for the City of Kitchener as their Natural Areas Coordinator where I have the privilege to manage and care for our hundreds of acres of forest, fields, and waterways. Prior to joining the City, I whet my appetite for environmental education by teaching children at the Grand River Conservation Authority and Laurel Creek Nature Centre. My greatest passions are birds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, flowers, well, all of nature, really! I am happy to share my time with the children in our forest school groups. I will be doing an array of administrative tasks as part of the partnership between City of Kitchener and Nature Connect. M. E.S., Conservation and Resource Management Wilderness First Aid |
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Jan Sherman
Resident Knowledge Keeper Jan Sherman is an Anishnaabe Mixed Ancestry kwe (woman), nimame (mother), knowledge keeper, storyteller, drummer and singer who has been engaged in her First Nations, Me'tis, Mixed Ancestry and Inuit community in Guelph for almost 30 years. Jan's spirit has been guided to spending most of her time with children (and the children inside adult bodies) reminding them of their connection to the land and water. Jan will be involved in a variety of programs this season, bringing gifts of drumming, singing, storytelling, and knowledge of the land and creatures around us. |
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Rebecca Seiling
Founder/Facilitator I want my children to be connected. To the land, to others, to their emerging selves. I want to pass on a love of the land to others – the love that I felt as a child growing up on a 120 acre farm with wild woods and water, growing, tending, weeding, hiding in cornfields. Experiences traveling and living in places in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have deepened my appreciation for the natural world. I have taught Kindergarten, Grade 1, 7, 8, and 10, and one of my deep passions is inspiring learning outdoors and facilitating connections to the land and to each other. Being outside inspires me, calms me, and fans the flames of my curiosity. I learn new things every season, and look forward to the questions and connections each new day brings. B. Ed., Primary/Junior Level 3 Forest School Practitioner’s Certification, 2014 Wilderness First Aid Facilitator for Child and Nature Alliance of Canada |
