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'm Caroline Skrobak and I'm excited to be a part of a team that values outdoor education and community-based learning experiences!

I grew up in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains and have enjoyed hiking, biking, and nature journalling since I was a kid. As an aspiring scientist and activist, I am passionate about sharing my love of nature and empowering students in their unique and intuitive abilities. 

I hold a B.A. in environmental studies from the University of San Francisco where I specialized in cultural anthropology and geospatial information analysis. My professional experiences in the environmental field began with seasonal work as a ranger aide at Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. I continued to develop my facilitation skills through an internship at Hidden Villa along with a teaching role at Pathfinders Nature Mentoring.

I currently live in Redwood City with my partner and our several house plants, where I also work at an after-school enrichment program. With experiences teaching at preschool through high school levels, I source a great deal of hope from working with families within the diverse Bay Area community.

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

Hello! My name is Cecilia and I’m so excited to join Peninsula Forest and Beach School as a Lead Nature Mentor. I grew up outside Washington, DC and have always loved spending time outdoors with friends. I was drawn to California because of its incredible biodiversity and the opportunity to live closer to family. I hold a degree in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Biodiversity, and I am passionate about helping children build meaningful connections with the natural world.

I was drawn to environmental education because I believe that outdoor learning gives children unique tools to build independence and develop empathy for all types of critters and plants. I have previously worked in outdoor education with elementary and middle school students, and one of my favorite parts of teaching outdoors is watching children gain so much confidence in themselves through exploration.

In my free time, I love going on plant identification hikes, looking for insects at night, and swimming in creeks and ponds. I hope to encourage children to slow down, observe closely, and notice the small details in nature that are often overlooked. I can’t wait to follow the students’ lead and see where they find beauty in the world around them.

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

I am a credentialed school guidance counselor, ice skating instructor and mother to 3 boys.  I have been working with children of all ages since I was a teenager. Whether is was teaching them to swim or ice skate, helping them with their school work, or listening to their troubles, my priority has always been to make children feel safe and confident in themselves.

A Midwest native, I have spend most of my adult life in the Bay Area, with Belmont being my home for the past 6 years.  My kids attend the local public schools, and afterwards can be found playing baseball or soccer.  I love this community and am looking forward to connecting with new families to continue to support each other in raising happy, healthy children!

I love coming back in the summer to help support the Peninsula Forest and Beach School summer camp season to be successful and a positive experience for kids and families.

NATURE MENTOR

I grew up exploring the beaches and forests of the Peninsula and am thrilled for the opportunity to share these incredible environments with your children. I recently spent two years teaching at a forest preschool just outside Seattle, WA, where I honed my teaching philosophy and experienced the beauty of outdoor learning in all weather (including six inches of snow!).

My core values as a teacher are curiosity, kindness, and confidence, which I strive to instill through child-led play and individualized support. My favorite part of teaching is building relationships with each unique student and the classroom community as a whole. 

I hold a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry & Biophysics from Amherst College and a certificate in Early Childhood Education. I have worked with children for five years at summer camps, after-school care, tutoring, and the aforementioned forest preschool.

In my free time, I enjoy doing anything and everything outside, but especially swimming and biking. I also love cooking, art, and spending time with my loved ones.

NATURE MENTOR

Hi there! my name is Makaela, and I am a former horseback riding instructor! 

Since I was about 5 years old, I've been immersed in horses and everything about them. My passion for horses is what lead me to my passion for working with kids.

For me, my favorite thing about working with kids, especially younger kids, is helping them explore their curiosities about the world and also help them build on their confidence in the things that they love or show interest in. 

Teaching horse riding lesson allowed me the chance to do a few things that I love, one interacting with children and building confidence in themselves, two, sharing something I loved as a kid, and three, being out in nature. I am an outdoorsy girl true and true and love nothing more than to be outside.

I was born and raised in Palo Alto, but my heart has always been away from the city, and out in the woods, the mountains, and the sea. I love to explore and learn everything there is to know about the outside world around us.

Working in this position allows me that unique chance to pair my love of teaching and guiding younger children with my passion for the outdoors. I am extremely excited to work during summer camp and to share this love and happiness of the outdoors with the next generation.