Waldkinder

Gabby has been working in outdoor education for 6.5 years.  She has taught all ages through BSA scout programs. During her time with BSA she has taught wilderness survival, first aid, hiking, leather work, composite materials/arts and crafts, knots, and rock climbing. In addition to her Texas BSA certification as a High Ropes/COPE director, Gabby has spent time traveling to different states sharing her outdoor skills with Scouts BSA National Camp School.

Gabby has a great love for the outdoors and creating safe spaces for kids to be themselves while learning about all that nature has to offer. Gabby started her outdoor education career as a childcare assistant for ages 0-8 at Forest Home in CA. She then continued on to become a lifeguard,counselor, and commissioner of a camp in Lake Arrowhead CA. In 2021-2022, Gabby taught with Magnolia at the Pine Ridge campus in Edmonds. In 2022-2023, Gabby had the opportunity to visit over 16 different countries while working abroad with Disney in Europe. She is extremely excited to return to Magnolia and can’t wait to see what great things this year will hold!

She spends her time hiking, painting, reading, and visiting the occasional cat cafe! Gabby is excited to explore and learn with the wonderful kids at Magnolia Forest Preschool.

Juliet graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury with a degree in Social Anthropology in 1989. She was a Primary School teacher for several years in London before leaving to become a stay at home parent when her second child was born. Juliet and her husband were both raised in rural parts of the UK.  

Juliet and her family emigrated to the US in 2004.  Now empty nesters, Juliet and her husband moved to Kitsap in 2024. They love being once again immersed in a rural community. Juliet was intrigued to learn more about play-based, outdoor learning and is excited to learn and grow with her Magnolia colleagues! Having recently become a grandmother, Juliet is particularly keen on reinforcing intergenerational relationships ,believing that we can all benefit from each other's perspectives and experiences.

Lauren graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Environmental Sustainability in 2016. Soon after, she moved to California to work in Outdoor Education as a Naturalist Intern. She quickly discovered the joy of teaching and working outside. After two years in residential outdoor education, she moved to Fresno and obtained her Multi-Subject Teaching Credential. Lauren taught 4th grade for a year before returning to outdoor education with a local Land Trust. While there, she had the opportunity to design the first nature-based preschool enrichment program in Fresno.

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Through her work co-creating the preschool with her students and staff, Lauren fell more in love with the magic of place-based, child-led learning. She believes that all people are naturally curious, capable, and full of potential. By building connections with one another and outdoor spaces, children (and adults!) can become empowered stewards of their community and the Earth as a whole. Lauren chose to move to Washington to continue pursuing the wonderful world of forest education with an inspiring community of mentors.

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In her free time, Lauren loves reading, playing board games, hiking, kayaking, birding, and spending time with her three dogs. She enjoys engaging her senses through nature journaling, painting, yoga, mindfulness, feeling patches of soft moss, and smelling trees. Lauren is excited to immerse herself into the wonders of the Pacific Northwest.