School Programs Staff
Our Teacher Naturalists are dedicated professionals committed to supporting Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards through inquiry, observation, adventure, and discovery.
CASEY “POPCORN”(SHE/THEY)
School Programs Manager
A series of happy accidents, well-timed decisions and serendipities have led me to Westminster Woods and my role as the School Programs Manager and I couldn’t be happier here!
As the head of School Programs, my task is to guide the vision and direction of our beloved program. In practice, my work centers on balancing deep care for our staff with careful tending of our program. Every day I work to build authentic relationships as well as to make School Programs accessible, equitable and environmentally –conscious.
I believe in integrity and authenticity. I believe that strong leadership comes through listening and learning. I believe that what our team builds together is so much more beautiful than what one person can do on their own. The strength of School Programs is in our people and Westminster Woods is home to the finest educators and youth development professionals that California has to offer. I feel incredibly blessed to work, play, sing, dance and learn alongside my dearest friends.
707-874-2426 ext 616 | casey@westminsterwoods.org
ERIK “WITAKAE” (HE/HIM)
Lead Teacher Naturalist, Programs Specialist
Witakae, of Viking descent, was raised in the great city of Fairfield. Erik has led Westminster Woods in the adoption of cutting edge pedagogy and excellent character development programs. Wita has over fifteen years of experience in the Outdoor School industry and is a certified Leadership Trainer through Lawrence Hall of Science BEETLES program. His favorite activities include scouring the web for bombastic pundits, investigating the philosophical nature of reality and watching the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
LO “SLIME” TAYLOR (THEY/SHE)
Challenge Course Coordinator
Lo hails from the lush, green rainforests of Asheville, North Carolina where they spent their childhood rock-hopping in streams. Lo got their degree in Sustainable Agriculture from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, where they spent every bit of their time backpacking and fly fishing their way through the Cascades. After several years of travel and working as a farmer, Lo landed in California and stumbled into the world of outdoor education. Lo loves painting their hair different colors, the feeling of granite beneath their fingers, roller skating to some sick tunes and enjoying the little things in life.
707-874-2426 ext 633 | challengecourse@westminsterwoods.org
MASON “FLAMINGO” (HE/HIM)
School Programs Coordinator
Flamingo is a migratory Californian, Bay Area born and schooled in Environmental Education at CSU Monterey Bay. He has practiced outdoor education and child development for ten years across various camps, schools, states and emirates. Mingo loves skating, scatting and cat sitting.
707-874-2426 ext 627 | mason@westminsterwoods.org
MEGHAN “SPROUT” (SHE/HER)
School Programs Coordinator
Originally from Santa Rosa, Meghan has had the joy of living in and exploring different parts of California throughout her life. Prior to working at Westminster Woods, Meghan worked as an educator for San Joaquin Outdoor Education and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. Meghan is happy to be back in Sonoma County and living/working in this lovely gem of a community. Outside of work, Meghan can be found hiking, trail running, making yummy food (sourdough bread is a favorite), watching Marvel shows, and listening to music.
707-874-2426 ext 627 | meghan@westminsterwoods.org
STEVEN “NAUTILUS” (HE/HIM)
School Programs Logistics Coordinator and Head
Lifeguard
Nautilus grew up in Yuba City, California. He went to Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State University), where he received a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology while also minoring in Scientific Diving. Nautilus has a long history here at the Woods; he first came here as a high school camper back in 2007. Under these redwood trees, he found a calling and a home. He has worked as a Summer Staffer starting in 2011 and all the way through 2022, doing it all. He worked as a cabin counselor, in the kitchen, as the camp photographer, was a lead counselor, and coordinated various parts of our summer programs, such as Elevation, Buccaneer, Friendship Camp, and the Redwood Center. Nautilus started his Outdoor Education career just up the creek at our neighbor Alliance Redwoods for a year before finally coming home and joining the Woods’ year-round team in 2019 as a Teacher Naturalist. He loves spending time at the ocean, both above and below the waves, as he scuba dives along the beautiful northern California coast. When he’s not out adventuring, he enjoys spending time with his friends playing Magic the Gathering or hanging out with his big fluffy cat Louise.
707-874-2426 ext 623 | logistics@westminsterwoods.org
BENJI “T-REX” (HE/HIM)
Senior Challenge Course Technician
Ben is from the small town of Lilbourn, Missouri. At first chance, Ben sought out ways to grow and learn in new environments and set his sights on Northern California. As an Americorps volunteer, he discovered the world of outdoor education and fell in love with it. From Americorps he worked as an instructor for the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, guiding teens on backpacking, kayaking, and canoeing trips. Eventually his love of outdoor education brought him back to Northern California to work for Walker Creek Ranch in Marin County, and, finally, to Westminster Woods. His hobbies include kayaking, camping, and playing his guitar."
COREY ‘CANINE” (HE/HIM)
Evening Coordinator,
Lead Teacher Naturalist,
Senior Teacher Naturalist
Corey is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn State with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and is an AmeriCorps alum. Corey has since pursued the outdoor industry in many forms including time as a white water guide on the Nantahala River in North Carolina and leading kayak tours in the Florida Everglades and Elkhorn Slough, California. He has worked with children with special needs in Ohio and spent the past two years as a dedicated naturalist at the San Joaquin Outdoor Education School. Corey most recently led interpretive tours and programming for kids at the Wynn Nature Center in Homer, Alaska. Corey is most excited to spend his time hiking in the sprawling Redwoods as he continues to learn about them and associated flora.
DAVID “REDWING” (HE/HIM)
Senior Teacher Naturalist
Redwing hails from the Hardworking, Hard-rocking, and Everloving Detroit City, Michigan. He studied Environmental Education together with Global Cultures and Ecosystems at the University of Michigan School Of Natural Resources in Ann Arbor. Redwing has been facilitating Outdoor and Environmental Education programs with folks of all ages for twenty-five years, while studying fungal and forest ecology - from the Jungles of Peru to the Rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula to his Home here in West County, California. He has a love of Music in (and of) our Living Earth and Great Outdoors ~ Oh yes kids, the river IS singing!
ISAAC “ROCKY” (HE/HIM)
Teacher Naturalist, B&G Team
With a body as solid as granite and a mind as sharp as chipped obsidian, Rocky is one layered dude. After being forged in the heat and pressure of Southern California, earning a degree in Geology from Cal State Fullerton, Rocky offset north to work as a Teacher Naturalist in adjacent camp Alliance Redwoods. After a time, Rocky subducted down the road to Westminster Woods where he splits his time helping build a rock-solid camp with the maintenance team and crystalizing knowledge in the heads of students as a Teacher Naturalist. Though Rocky has seen several Sylvester Stallone movies and even an old cartoon starring a flying squirrel, Rocky prefers outdoor hobbies like slinging rocks, rock hunting, breaking rocks, rock climbing, and riding bicycles.
JAQUE “INKY” (SHE/THEY)
Senior Challenge Course Technician
Jaque is a Sonoma county local, growing up in Santa Rosa just 30 minutes down the street from Westminster Woods. Jaque spent some time away from home studying Kinesiology at San Diego State University but shortly after graduating made the move back to Northern California to be closer to her family. After spending some time as an HR manager she soon realized she did not want to be stuck in an office forever so decided to zip line the redwoods at Alliance Redwoods located next door. After a year and a half of zipping and outdoor education, Jaque decided to continue her passion for naturalist work at Westminister Woods but you will still find her flying through the trees on the weekend! Hobbies include basketball, anime, climbing and photography.
JEFFEREY “BEARHEART” (HE/HIM)
Campfire Maestro
Whitebear was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended kindergarten through 12th grade in Cleveland, which was then a thriving steel town and ranked in the top ten highest populated US cities. After a 4 1/2 year tour in the US Coast Guard as an airplane mechanic which brought him out west, he received an AA degree from Santa Rosa Junior College and a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Education from Sonoma State University in 1990. He has previously worked as a Naturalist/Musician at Ocean Song Farm and Wilderness Center, Land Paths and Acorn Soupe. Whitebear loves playing music with friends and anyone ESPECIALLY outside on our beloved Earth. He also enjoys hiking, backpacking and otherwise adventuring to learn more about himself and our amazing planet which is his greatest teacher. Whitebear LOVES Life!
JUSTIN “TARANTULA” (HE/HIM)
Evening Coordinator,
Lead Teacher Naturalist, Senior Teacher Naturalist
Tarantula is from the town of Mendocino. In 2018, he received a Bachelor of Science degree from UC Santa Cruz where he majored in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. His field experience includes studying pumas and their interactions with deer populations on Mount Shasta and studying spiders and spider web morphologies in the canopy of a Costa Rican cloud forest. Prior to working at Westminster Woods, he worked with Bird School Project in Santa Cruz, taking experiential environmental education to schools in the Santa Cruz area. Tarantula’s favorite things to do (aside from exploring and talking about nature) are rock climbing and singing.
REBECCA “GRAY WHALE”(SHE/HER)
Evening Coordinator,
Teacher Naturalist
Grey Whale grew up in the sweet haven of San Luis Obispo, CA, back before all the vacant lots were filled in. She tromped around a pasture on the hill behind her house, ventured down town, and off to the neighborhood park without adults. Although she loves and appreciates science, Grey Whale was shamelessly drawn to humanities, majoring in English Literature and Art Studio at UC Davis. After teaching art in a lot of places, she later studied theology at a Presbyterian seminary where she became the school’s first student environmental sustainability coordinator. Upon graduation, she figured the Redwoods were a great place to use her education. So far, she’s been right. Grey Whale brings experience from San Joaquin Outdoor Education and CYO camp Caritas. She loves sculpting, and fabric dye using natural materials, drawing, hoarding and sharing art supplies. Grey Whale enjoys a good joke, so if you’ve got one, she’d love to hear it.
SIERRA “SUNFLOWER” (SHE/HER)
Teacher Naturalist
Sierra grew up in Roseville, California. She has been coming to summer camps here since she was in fourth grade, and then started working on the summer staff. Now she is thrilled to be working at the Woods year round. In her free time, Sierra loves to be outdoors- rock climbing, hiking, and snowboarding. She also enjoys rainy days, playing piano, writing poetry, and doing puzzles.