Shea has taught drama to all ages for over twenty-five years. She received her B.A. in Theater and Speech Communications at Iowa State University with an emphasis in Acting and Directing. She was the founder of Iowa State Student Players, has taught drama as a grade school and middle school specialty teacher, and developed intergenerational drama programs as a Minister Through the Arts. Shea has directed countless plays and is the mother of two adult daughters - both aspiring actors. She is also a family educator, author (www.gileadpress.net), and the facilitator of Sacred Listening Circles small groups.
A long-time Waldorf educator, Andrew is currently a PhD student in Education at Arizona State University focusing on the significance of play and movement in the classroom. He has taught painting, drawing, modeling and movement for over 20 years as a kindergarten, grade school and middle school class teacher, and as an adult educator. He is currently supervising student teachers in Education at ASU. Andrew holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, B.A. in History, M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction and Waldorf Teaching Certificate. He is parent to two young adult daughters.
Jennifer O'Connell- Spanish Language and Cultural Awareness
Jennifer has a love for language, culture and children. She received her B.A. in Foreign Languages from Arizona State University with an emphasis in Spanish and Latin America Studies and a Master in International Management from Thunderbird - The American Graduate School of International Management. She is a bilingual and bi-cultural professional who left the multinational corporate environment to start her own entrepreneurial ventures. She has a passion for teaching and sharing knowledge in areas of language, culture, holistic health and nutrition. She is a mother of two boys - a bilingual 15 year old who is a performing artist/musician and her newest love born August 2009.
Terry has been involved in education for twenty years as a high school counselor, teacher, and a mother of four children who each “walk their own unique walk.” She has a BA in Social Work and a Masters in Education and Curriculum. Terry is currently opening a private school on the west side which will offer a new approach to education.
As an educator in the public school system Terry witnessed an increasing need to teach/guide children in a new way. As the number of “out of the box” children increased Terry experienced the dichotomy of allowing children to learn in individual ways and nurturing all aspects of the child as the public system stressed uniformity and testing. So incorporating different teaching methodologies Terry created an approach which allows the child to guide their own learning and grow into their full potential. Check out her website at www.opendoorscenter.org.
Brent has been in Arizona over half his life, originally from Illinois. Charmed early on by the beauty of this state, he has enjoyed extensive hiking and backpacking adventures and generally loves spending time outdoors, including building, gardening, and tending to pets and livestock. “Green before it was cool,” Brent has lived at his own frontier of eco-/enviro-responsibility and stewardship and looks forward to sharing skills and values to this exciting program! He presently enjoys yoga and allowing Realization, and earned a bachelor of science degree from ASU’s Construction Program, Engineering College, in 2001.
Matthew Nelson is passionate outdoor professional who is dedicated to helping people connect to each other and the natural world through adventure, introspection and community activism. He has worked with youth from diverse backgrounds in a variety of contexts since 1998. During that time he has been a ropes/challenge course facilitator, summer camp director, teen wilderness adventure leader and service project organizer. Matthew organizes and facilitates various outdoor activities for schools and organizations throughout Arizona. Matthew is also the volunteer chairman of Tucson’s Inner City Outings program, a project of the Sierra Club that works to share the joys of Nature with inner city and at-risk youth and their families. He lives off-the-grid in the Sierrita Mountains west of Tucson, and in between teaching programs and guiding outdoor adventures, he works as a field archaeologist and nature writer.
