Meghan Ballard (Owner, Lead Teacher) has a B.S. in Environmental Science, has completed graduate level coursework in Environmental Education and is a Certified Nature Based Teacher with the Eastern Region of Forest and Nature Schools. She has over twenty years of experience engaging Preschool-Adult classes in nature- based education and has worked for SOLVE, Friends of Tryon Creek State Park, and the Wetlands Conservancy. She loves observing and learning about the natural world with her students through play, art and hands-on investigations. She has spent the past five years teaching an outdoor “caregiver and me” class called Wild Preschool and a drop off nature-based art and science class for elementary school youth called Wild School.  She is currently board chair of the Blue Mountains Conservancy, a freelance environmental educator.  In her free time, she enjoys being outside with her family and hiking with her dog. ​

Tatiana Derichsweiler (Lead Teacher) is a master herbalist and owner/founder of WildWomanOnFire apothecary. She is dedicated to the land and raises her young wild child in the beautiful Grande Ronde Valley with the Norwegian philosophy of friluftsliv in mind. With an educational background in early childhood development, over a decade in pharmacy, and a continued education in natural medicine, she looks forward to guiding young independent thinkers in learning and fostering a deeply rooted love of the natural environment around them.

Suzanne Whitten (Teaching Assistant) joined our team this year as an afternoon teaching assistant, bringing warmth, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to supporting children. A mom of three and a frequent caregiver to her toddler nephew, she brings a deep well of life experience and care to her work. Suzanne holds a degree in Sociology and Anthropology with a concentration in Social Welfare, and her professional background includes years of family support work and classroom assistance.