Our Team
Emma
Director and Lead Teacher
Emma's vibrant energy is infectious, as she is playful and spontaneous. For the past 17 years, she has been teaching, directing, and working as a Child Development Specialist. In January 2017, she founded Emerging Sprouts Forest School because she recognized the need for children to have access to nature-based learning in the forest. Emma earned her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Development from San Francisco State University. Her passion for curiosity and play is evident in the Emerging Sprouts Curriculum.
Javier
Teacher
Javier's joyful and grounded energy is universally loved and appreciated. He consistently brings his sensitivity and creative play to our classroom. With 4.5 years of experience learning about early childhood through the eyes of his son and students at our Forest School, he is a natural with students. Our Forest School is incredibly fortunate to have him on our teaching team.
Luna
Teacher
Luna's deep compassion for young children shines through in her nurturing interactions with the children at our Forest School. With a rich background in theater and an unwavering passion for working with children, Luna brings a sense of enchantment and wonder to our school.
Luna passionately incorporates her love for the arts into our educational programs through active listening, engaging art projects, soulful singing, and various other creative activities.
Castro Valley
Cincinnati
Jenna
Lead Teacher
Jenna is deeply passionate about the outdoors and genuinely loves working with children at Forest School. With 5 years of experience in education, spanning from art to outdoor activities, she confidently brings compassion, a profound love for adventure, and unwavering care to her students. Jenna can be found helping students build pine cone dolls, searching for fossils, discovering a crawdad in the creek, and more!
Berkeley
Tre-C
Lead Teacher and Administrator
Tre-C has spent 15 years working in outdoor education with organizations all over the world including: NOLS, Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, the National Park Service, and several independent, private schools. Prior to launching her career as an expedition leader, Tre-C was a full time nanny for four years in Connecticut while pursing her undergraduate degree. She has an uncanny ability to connect with students of all ages while challenging them to acknowledge and develop their potential. She enjoys teaching and facilitating adventure in the outdoors because she loves helping students be the best version of themselves. Tre-c is particularly excited to work at the Emerging Sprouts Forest School to foster inquisitive, curious, and present-minded children.
Tracy
Intern Teacher
Tracy is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the Emerging Sprouts community. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at Sonoma State University. She is currently in her final year of the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland. She is passionate about supporting health, wellness, and participation in life for all ages and abilities through engagement in occupations - which are anything meaningful from self-care to climbing trees. She especially loves learning with children through play and exploration. Tracy is excited to empower others to learn, grow, and become more connected with the world around us. She enjoys practicing connection through yoga, hiking, and gardening.
Linda
Intern Teacher
Linda has proudly lived in the Bay Area her whole life and is grateful for its natural beauty. She enjoys spending time in the outdoors by going on walks, visiting local parks, and camping with family and friends. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Francisco State University and is currently a third-year occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) student from Samuel Merritt University. She enjoys working with children, and has an interest in exploring the impact that the natural world has to offer to children of all abilities. She is excited to be a part of Emerging Sprouts, learn from each child, and have FUN!
LiSette
Intern Teacher
Lisette is passionate about working with children, especially in nature! She grew up in the East Bay Area and has enjoyed exploring regional parks and trails since childhood. She attends Samuel Merritt University and is completing her last semester of her Occupational Therapy Doctorate. She has a B.S. in Health Sciences from California State University East Bay with an emphasis in pre-clinical studies. Her professional journey working with children includes years of working for both Mt. Diablo School District and Martinez Unified School District as a para-educator and special education assistant. She is excited to work with Emerging Sprouts and combine her love of nature and working with children.
Testimonials
Emma is an amazing teacher,
with a loving heart, strong
boundaries, and a strong sense
of magic and fun. She's also a fierce role model--particularly for young girls and gender non-conforming children--in a world of princess girls and lego boys. I can't think of anyone better to guide a preschooler through forest adventures!
Aya de Leon
Author and UC Berkeley Faculty
Emma’s real world depth of
understanding of child
development has been garnered from both formal education and years of working with a wide range of children in many different contexts. She is patient, constructive and allows children to take appropriate risks. Add in her naturalist skills and understanding of how nature can benefit children and you have a recipe for a forest preschool.
Jason Neumann
Public Programs Manager, Cincinnati Nature Center
