OWNER/DIRECTOR

I am a certified Permaculture Educator for Children and a former indoor preschool teacher. I love bringing children outdoors in nature to experience and cultivate a real connection with the natural world. I studied Child Development and Early Child Education at both West Valley College and San Jose State University, and began my career in education with a three-year stint teaching in a homeschooling co-op for children ages 2-7 in Santa Cruz.

I was the Children's Program Director at the Natura Institute of Ecology and Medicine at Commonweal Garden in Bolinas and I had the opportunity to create two new initiatives: the Permaculture for Kids Program and the After-school Nature Program. I have worked with Kairos Learning Community and Visionary Villages Homeschooling Program in Santa Cruz as a Nature Mentor and spent over a thousand hours leading outdoor nature camps for kids.

I founded Peninsula Forest and Beach School in 2018 and am thrilled with the outstanding team of mentors we have on board. With varied backgrounds, we learn from each other and are constantly testing out new teaching/learning strategies.

I continue with my own professional development and have completed the training for outdoor educators offered by the Institute of Permaculture Education for Children in Portland. I took on a forest school mentorship with Forest Friends of Earthwise Education in San Rafael and completed The Nature Led Approach Certification, a comprehensive workshop and nine-month mentorship offered by Kathleen Lockyer of RxOutside. I have participated in 4 rounds of the Ecology of Leadership program and recently completed a 2-year training program with Thomas Hubl exploring my individual, ancestral and collective trauma and hope to be weaving in more trauma informed care into our nature programs.

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

I have been caring for children almost my entire life. I grew up helping my mother run her Montessori school out of our home. I attended a Montessori school in Seattle where my mother received her training.

As an adult, I studied Early Childhood Education, and worked at a Montessori school in Palo Alto. I traveled to The Netherlands to work as an au pair and have additional experience caring for autistic children.

I have 3 children all born 5 years apart from each other, which has given me a unique perspective on childcare. In between all these years, I have had several childcare jobs and two nanny jobs and have also worked with Heirs to our Oceans, an empowerment learning program with a vision of saving our oceans, waterways and humanity through educating the next generation of inspired environmental and social justice leaders. 

I have always loved nature and play. My love for children and watching them grow has been a joy in my life.  I hope to bring a local perspective to the team, having grown up near Montara.

I am excited to be with Peninsula Forest and Beach School leading classes in Moss Beach.

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

My name is Leticia Rodrigues, and I am leading the Nature Explorers Program in Redwood City at Stulsaft Park.

I am a professional dance teacher originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I discovered my passion for dance at just five years old. I have over 15 years of teaching experience across a wide range of styles, including ballet, jazz, musical theater, tap, hip-hop, Brazilian rhythms, and stretching for strength.

My experience in California includes teaching after-school enrichment programs for the Castro Valley Unified School District (K-8th grade) and volunteering at New Highland Academy in Oakland in a bilingual early childhood classroom.

I am CPR/First Aid certified. I speak in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, and highly experienced in working with diverse age groups—including children, teenagers, adults, seniors, and students with special needs. I am deeply familiar with age-appropriate curriculum design and energy management, and I am incredibly excited to share my passion for dance and education with the students at Peninsula Forest & Beach School.

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

Hello! My name is Josie, and I am so excited to be part of the team! I will be leading the El Granada Afterschool Nature Adventures Program. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management along with several years of hands-on experience guiding and working with kids of all ages, including a year teaching special education in North Carolina. I am a certified Wilderness First Responder.

I truly believe the outdoors is the absolute best classroom for building curiosity, resilience, and confidence in children. Kids have such vibrant imaginations, and supporting their creative and critical thinking is easily my favorite part of this work. Because of my background, I place a lot of value on naturally weaving education into play so learning feels like an adventure.

When I'm not working, you'll usually find me outside doing just about anything outdoors—especially hiking and backpacking. I also have dogs that I love bringing along on all my outdoor adventures! Having recently moved to the area, I can't wait to get out and explore the local coastal and forest areas!

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

I am a resourceful homeschooling mom to a curious 4-year-old boy. We are a multicultural family who loves exploring the outdoors. We make frequent trips to the beach to explore tide pools, and we enjoy hiking and camping with our friends and our dog.

My love for nature began through my early connections with dogs and horses. We always had pets at home, and I learned to ride horses at a young age back in Colombia. From those days, I developed a deep appreciation for wildlife, their habitats, and the importance of water conservation. I believe we are called to protect our planet, and one of the best ways to understand that call is by spending time outdoors—enjoying nature, nurturing our natural curiosity, and questioning what we know. The Bay Area, with its incredibly diverse natural settings, is a wonderful place to learn and explore. I feel blessed to live here.

I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 17 years, and much of that time I’ve spent supporting families by caring for their children—something I still do occasionally. I attended Cañada College and earned Associate Degrees in Kinesiology, Allied Health, and Interdisciplinary Science and Math. I recently re-enrolled to pursue an Associate Degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Business. I’ve also been taking courses through the Charlotte Mason Institute to become a certified Charlotte Mason teacher.

This latest path has inspired me to fully embrace my dream of nurturing in my son a true love of learning, a spirit of exploration, and the freedom to discover his own passions. I hope to share that same gift with your little ones through this beautiful setting that Peninsula Forest and Beach School has created.

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

Hello, friend! I am an affectionate and caring Ecuadorian mama bird. I have been working with children for seven years, and I can tell you one thing: in the end, I am the one who always ends up learning. So after becoming a mom, my role in life became to be a close friend kids can trust, and not just them, but their families too, because we need community; I believe that we need to stay connected and help one another, for this world requires love, empathy, and compassion.  And it all begins outdoors, by connecting our souls and minds with the nature that gives us life and with the people around us. Childhood is the briefest and most fun stage of life, and it is where we build the foundations of our existence. 

Professional Profile: I have a degree in conservation and tourism and have participated in intercultural programs aimed at children and communities. My first job in the United States involved assisting children with special needs and later supporting elementary schools with reading; currently, I am dedicated to what I am most passionate about: art in nature. I plan to train in Waldorf education and pursue a master's degree in the arts.

LEAD NATURE MENTOR

Hi everyone, I am honored to work with the young people and teachers of the Forest School in the Santa Cruz Mountains region that is so close to my heart. I love being outside, moving my body on walks, noticing nature, and using my mind in conversations with others of all ages. 

My journey to becoming an outdoor educator began many years ago when, as Jonathan Franzen put it in his novel Freedom, I "lived in squalor on public lands in the forest behind UC Santa Cruz." As an environmentalist working to conserve the redwoods, I saw how spending time in nature can heighten human beings' emotional, social and intellectual capacities. While there, I also adopted a life-long interest in the flora and fauna of this eco-system, dabbling in animal tracking, wilderness attunement, mycology, medicinal foraging, natural construction, wildfire management, birding, and natural history. I later combined these interests in a dissertation in the discipline of Comparative Literature and Critical Theory at the University of California, Davis, on the colonial history of California in the wider context of the independence movements in the Americas. 

Having worked with students of all ages, I enjoy the spontaneity of being an active listener and learning something in each interaction. What a precious opportunity we have in this area to connect with still extant tracts of nature that the original Californians' way of life sustained across millennia. Together with my wife Cristi and our daughter Valdivia, we are inspired to find others who share a reverence for nature and empower a new generation to preserve life on this planet before it is too late. 

NATURE MENTOR
I grew up in Redwood City, and always found myself at parks shrouded in nature such as Huddart County Park. I now live in Santa Cruz during the year for University studying Chemistry, and love spending time in the woods behind my building. 

I’ve always loved places with water like rivers, lakes, ponds or creeks especially and am a strong swimmer due to that. Being outside and able to admire what nature has to offer and the natural world around us all brings a sense of belonging to my soul. 

I’ve worked with children for the last 7 years from babysitting private households to swim lessons and working at a daycare. When children are outside in nature there is a true sense of wonder that is visible through their eyes and helps develop a desire for adventure. 

While also a craft lover, I deeply enjoy exploring new places, new experiences and believe the journey is often more valuable than the destination. Working with children in these types of activities helps me remember to let go of my worries and focus on living in the moment. 

I’m so grateful to be able to be apart of the Peninsula Forest & Beach School and connect with our community.