Our Team

Tim Allen has been an elementary teacher since 2002. The experience of guiding two cohorts through eight-year cycles has given Tim a thorough understanding of academic and child development in elementary school. He has a depth of experience in handling individual learning needs, and delivering a strong academic program to diverse learners. 

Tim has experience teaching music, instrument building, woodworking and other crafts at both high school and adult levels. He has served on numerous administrative committees, managing and mentoring teachers, as well as on a nonprofit school board. 

Tim is excited to combine his love of teaching and his passion for nature in the new endeavor of Sonoma Earth School!

Nací en México, vine a los Estados Unidos a los 17 años, soy madre de 6 divertidos hijos. Mis gustos son que me encanta cocinar, la ciencia en historia y aprender cada día. Mis pasatiempos son tomar caminatas, jugar, cantar y bailar. Mis metas con ustedes es aprender y enseñar, mejorar mis habilidades de enseñar y hacer el aprendizaje divertido y efectivo para cada estudiante. Espero ser mejor cada día y mejorar para dar lo mejor a cada estudiante y familia, es un honor ser parte de este único, educativo y divertido programa, espero poder conocerlos pronto.

My name is Lupe Dominguez. I was born in Mexico and came to the United States at the age of seventeen. I am the mother of six funny children. I love cooking, science, history and learning everyday. My hobbies are taking walks, playing games, singing and dancing. My goals are to continue learning and growing as a teacher, and to make learning fun and effective for each student. I hope to give the best to each student and family. It is an honor to be part of this unique, educational program!

Andrea is a Bay Area native who has been recently drawn to the beauty and community of Sonoma County after years of traveling and living aboard in the UK, The Netherlands, Australia, Gabon and Qatar. She has a strong background in science, with a PhD in Molecular Medicine (Erasmus University, The Netherlands), a Master’s in Animal Biology (UC Davis), and a Bachelor’s in Animal Science/Genetics (UC Davis). Andrea gained teaching and mentoring experience as a science camp instructor, horsemanship and riding instructor, volunteering as a Smithsonian Institute nature club instructor, and teaching college lab students. 

Andrea enjoys hiking, wildlife and documentary photography, yoga, spending time with her family, and all that Sonoma County has to offer. She hopes to inspire students with her insatiable curiosity and love for learning, nature, and science!

Michelle Sauceda is a loving mother, naturalist, auntie and mentor to youth of all ages in connection to nature, self, community and place. She carries a love of life, love of this beautiful creation, love of friendship, and a knowing that youth are magical beings.

Drawing on her life experiences she connects youth of all ages deeply with nature through the sharing of stories, play, laughter, games, music, herbal medicine making, wild edibles, in balance with the rhythms of nature.

Michelle also facilitates youth and adults in marking key transitions of life through rites of passage work. She has been blessed to spend years being mentored by a number of indigenous elders, who have helped guide her into the facilitation of potent and loving rituals that support introspection and vulnerability needed for transformations to occur.

Hi, my name’s Envi! I’m a Pomo and Mexican nonbinary person, born and raised in Santa Rosa. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minored in women’s and gender studies at Sonoma State University. I also enjoy making art, writing, and reading, as well as teaching within these areas.

As a transgender person of color, I recognize the need to teach (self) respect and understanding between people of all identities, starting with the youth. I want to be there for the children who are often left behind in a typical educational and social setting so that they can succeed in the future. Every child deserves a classroom and community that accommodates them and fosters a high self esteem, so I’m honored to be a part of this school’s mission!

Hi my name is Ben Alexander. Ever since my first exposure to survival, nature skills, and awareness, I've been positively hooked. For about ten years, I've been honing my skills, and challenging my intimacy with nature. It's with great honor that I get to allow my passion to rub off on the students here at Sonoma Earth School. I believe it's extraordinarily important to restore our relationship with the natural world, one individual at a time.

Taylor is a farmer and herbalism student who grew up in Sonoma County and currently lives outside, enjoying the morning birdsong and the changing seasons. She has attended as both student and staff at nature connection programs such as Weaving Earth, 4 Elements Earth Education, and primitive skills gatherings. Additionally, Taylor has a deep love for music, learning songs to sing, and playing the fiddle and guitar. Nothing excites her more than spending time in the wilderness foraging wild plants, making fire by friction, tanning hides, and shaping clay. It's with these experiences that she's driven to pass on those ancient skills to future generations, so they too, can tend and be tended by the land.

I grew up in San Diego, CA, where I fell in love working with kids during summer camps at the beach.  After graduating with a degree in Ecological Management and Restoration from University of California, Davis, I worked in outdoor education and ecological research for a couple of years. Deciding to pursue education more seriously, I chose to attend the Island Wood Graduate Program in partnership with the University of Washington to complete my M.Ed. in Science Education. Along with my work at Sonoma Earth School, I also currently work as a Park Program Coordinator at Sonoma County Regional Parks. My goal is to inspire students to fall in love with the natural world and to develop into curious problem solvers.  When I am not working with kids, you might find me on a hike, in my tent, reading a good book, or taking care of my plants.

Socorro creció en México y vino a los Estados Unidos siendo adulta. Tiene 15 años de experiencia como gerente de proyectos y 10 trabajando con niños. 

Socorro tiene una Licenciatura en Arquitectura por la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California y una Maestría en Planeación en Desarrollo Regional por el Colegio de la Frontera Norte. Adicionalmente, tiene un certificado de Educación Primaria Waldorf, por el Instituto Sunbridge en N.Y., y ha estudiado Desarrollo Infantil en la Universidad de San Marcos, CA. Entre otros estudios, Socorro tiene entrenamiento en Escuelas Conscientes, en Yoga para niños y ha facilitado grupos de práctica de plena consciencia. 

Socorro nutre su vida con el estudio y práctica del Budismo, plena conciencia informada por trauma, conciencia intercultural, así como aprender constantemente.  En su tiempo libre disfruta de tejer, hacer manualidades, leer y pasar tiempo de calidad con sus seres queridos. 

Socorro está muy feliz por haberse unido a Sonoma Earth School y formar parte de su creciente comunidad.

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Socorro grew up in México and came to the United States as an adult. She brings 15 years of experience as a project manager and 10 working with children. 

Socorro has a Bachelor's in Architecture from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and a Master’s Degree in Arts of Regional Planning from El Colegio de la Frontera Norte.  Additionally, she holds a certificate in Waldorf Elementary Teaching by Sunbridge Institute, NY, and has studied early childhood education at Palomar College, San Marcos, CA. Among others, she has training in Mindful Schools, and Yoga for children and has facilitated mindfulness practice groups.

Socorro’s life is nourished by the study and practice of Buddhism, trauma-informed mindfulness, cultural awareness, and constant learning. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, crafting, reading, and spending meaningful time with her loved ones. 

Socorro is excited to have joined Sonoma Earth School and become a supportive part of its growing community. 

Kori Behler has been teaching since 1995. Her undergraduate work was completed at University of Nevada, Reno and graduate studies were completed at Sonoma State University in Special Education. In addition, she holds a CA K-12 teaching credential, is certified as an Educational Therapist through the Association of Educational Therapists, completed the Certificate in College Advising through UCLA, and is especially grateful for the training she completed with Dr. Nancy Cushen-White in the Slingerland Multisensory Approach to Teaching. Through her experiences teaching elementary school and working as a disability specialist at SRJC, she is able to consider the whole educational experience for a student and guide them to paths that help them create many options for their future. Kori works with students of all ages teaching skills related to reading, writing, math, study skills, handwriting, and also offers programs for Spanish-speaking learners. Kori offers academic coaching/mentoring specific to students with difficulties of executive functions (such as time management, organization, long-term planning, motivation), attention, and other related difficulties. Consultation and educational evaluations are available.

Leila Allen has been teaching speech and drama in Waldorf schools at the middle and high school level since 1999. She has worked as a consultant to many Waldorf schools, mentoring teachers and helping new high school initiatives. She has taught in Waldorf Teacher Education programs for over 20 years. Leila has been the Administrative Director at Center for Educational Renewal’s Teacher Training Program for 13 years, and has served on multiple non-profit boards.

She sees that a new impulse is needed in education, and believes that many children in this generation will benefit from a nature-based education rather than a conventional or even Waldorf classroom.

Kristin brings over 20 years of experience in management, product, and operations within the technology industry, having worked at Google, United Online and Quantcast. She has successfully led and scaled product, people, and operations teams from the first to the hundredth hire across 11 countries, ranging from Japan to Latin America. She is an empathetic leader with a passion for mentoring and coaching.

She lives in Santa Rosa with her husband and son and is excited to integrate her professional experience, along with her love of camping and outdoor adventures, to help SES become the best school it can be.

Robin has been teaching and mentoring children, teens, and adults in Deep Nature Connection, survival skills, bird language, and tracking since 2004. Through his unique approach to mentoring, he inspires participants to connect with nature, themselves and community. His own love for the wilderness led him to visit and learn from the Nharo Bushmen of Botswana, live in the stone age without modern items in Washington and Idaho with Lynx Vilden’s Four Seasons Stone Age Living Project, and complete the Kamana Naturalist Training Program by Jon Young. Since 2014, he has been learning from Martin Prechtel in Bolad’s Kitchen. He has also completed many solos in nature with minimal gear, and brings inspiring stories and skills from these experiences into his teaching. Robin is a Waldorf graduate, and received his BA in Bioregional Studies with highest honors from UC Santa Cruz. Also a blacksmith, fiddler, and music teacher, he lives in Southern Oregon with his wife and their three sons.

Magdalena McQuilla lives with her family in Southwest Santa Rosa and is fluent in English and Spanish. She was raised mostly in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa, where she grew up eating fresh herbs, vegetables, and eggs from her backyard. She always loved the outdoors, but other than occasional hikes with her parents or visits to the beach, did not spend much time in nature as a child. She was unfamiliar with how to access the abundant local outdoor space in Sonoma County until her mid-twenties, when she was given the opportunity to work for a local land-based non-profit. As a part of that work, she became aware of just how important access to and relationship with natural spaces is for everyone, and she was honored to help develop Spanish-language programs to further that goal. Although she is now an attorney, her passion for the outdoors has not waned. 

Magdalena believes firmly in the power of the earth to heal our bodies and spirits, and believes everyone should have the chance to form a deep relationship with the natural world. That is why she is passionate about Sonoma Earth School, because the model is so unique and the benefits to children so exceptional. She serves on the Advisory Board to help facilitate the school's goal to engage with and serve under-resourced communities in Sonoma County, so that the benefit of such an awesome educational model can reach all who may need it. Time in the outdoors can be transformational for children not well-served by the dominant educational model, and she hopes children of all backgrounds will have the chance to access this wonderful opportunity.

Born in Los Angeles in 1956, John had the good fortune to work in many different crafts. Motorcycle mechanics, ceramics, woodwork, cell animation, 3D-stereoscopic photography, computer motion control, and directing and editing documentary films about music worldwide. As it turns out, his heroes were not the expert specialists in life, but rather the generalists like Bucky Fuller and Charles Eisenstein whose holistic insights give them unique access to problem solving.

In 1993, in the wake of the LA unrest, John developed a non-profit project called Offspring Urban Farms, a garden training program funded by the USDA in cooperation with the LA Probation Department. Through the program, hundreds of third time offenders of serious crimes earned the title of Green Thumb by demonstrating the parallels of nurturing plants and nurturing themselves and others. In the process, they overcame rival gang affiliations to work side by side with their enemies.

Currently, John and his wife Bella co-direct the nonprofit project called the BirdHouse, an urban hub that provides workshops and classes for folks of all ages to share know-how of regenerative arts and ecology, for people and place. The BirdHouse has become the first urban based Ecosystem Restoration Camp, a global network of land restoration projects. John continues to bring together private, public and nonprofit sectors to build coalitions to have fun while being of service to each other and the places we call home.

I am Maria Cardenas, mother of two young children, an AOD counselor, and a student at Humboldt State University for social work. I have served as the Ya-Ka-Ama chairwoman, and volunteered my time on the land in various capacities.

I see the role of education in our community as helping shape and guide our children to the people they are going to be in the future. Education is more than just books and history; it's about developing relationships with peers, teachers, and the world around us.

I applaud Sonoma Earth School for knocking down barriers that would otherwise limit children within a confined environment. Being in nature allows students to develop a relationship with the world around us, and to learn that caring for our environment is more beneficial than destroying it.

chiin tha ‘eh. (how are you?) My name is Rose Hammock. My father’s people are Pomo and Wailacki from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and Pomo from the Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians. My grandfather’s people are also Maidu. My grandmother’s people come from a tribe in Northern Oregon. My mother's people are Mexican and Nicaraguan. My grandmother’s people come from Mazatlan, Mexico and Managua, Nicaragua. My grandfather’s people come from Acoyapa, Nicaragua and Managua, Nicaragua.

I am a recent graduate from the Santa Rosa Junior College with my Associates of Arts degrees in Early Childhood Education and Social and Behavioral Sciences. I serve many roles within my community, and I have the honor of working with many organizations in my Native and Non-Native community, helping organize events and trainings to help our community come together and share space in a good way. It has been humbling for me to work with the California Rural Indian Health Board, Big Picture Learning Native American Initiative, Redbud Resource Group, Sonoma County Indian Health Project, and the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center just to highlight a few. I hope that through my work in the community I can help spread positivity, love, and motivation to the younger generation to be strong and resilient for the 7 generations to come after them. yah.wii’ (thank you)

Per has been working with young people since 1996. He has taught, facilitated, and provided counseling for people of all ages. He is interested in innovative education, nature connection, and in creating transformational spaces that support human development. He has served on the boards of various nonprofit organizations, including the Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Champlain Valley Cohousing, and Art Everywhere, and he has also held numerous positions in the Anthroposophical Society. Over the course of his professional life, Per has been a Waldorf teacher, a special educator, an outdoor educator, and a movement educator.

For the past seven years, Per has served as a mental health counselor at the Counseling Services of Addison County, in Middlebury, VT, where he works with youth and families. In his current role, Per facilitates therapeutic and social-skills groups using eco-therapy, role-playing game therapy, and play-based therapies. He also practices Open Dialogue family therapy and engages in crisis work with children and families.

Per holds a BA from Oberlin College, an MA in Education, and an MS in Counseling. He also holds certificates in Laban/Bartinieff Movement Analysis, Open Dialogue, and the Kamana One Naturalist Training. Per enjoys canoeing, reading, hiking, adventures with family and friends, and facilitating group processes. He lives with his wife and two children in Shelburne, VT.