Beth has been an educator and early childhood advocate for a lifetime. She received her BA in English Literature at UC Berkeley and then completed her Early Childhood Master Teacher/ Site Supervisor teaching permit at San Francisco City College. She spent most of her 20s teaching at a diverse, play-based preschool co-op in the San Francisco Mission neighborhood, where she solidified her belief that the early years of a child's life are both critically important and also require a strong network between family, community, and school.

Although her 14-year teaching career led her in many directions subsequently, this initial experience cultivated a perspective that focuses on family communication and connection; her hope is to nurture parents and children alike, creating bonds, offering compassionate understanding for all parts of the human experience, and hopefully ultimately creating a web of connection that uplifts every part of the family.

Forest school represents the intersection of her professional experience and her passion. As an avid outdoor adventurer, she finds herself retreating to nature when life seems overwhelming and has seen repeatedly how time in nature acts as a poultice for all the busyness, distraction, and disconnect of our current social climate. She believes education should focus on joy, connection, emotional literacy, and an understanding of the self both as an individual and as part of a greater community. Forest school is a place where her own two young daughters have evolved into assured, emotionally-attuned, tree-loving, powerful creatures.

When she’s not teaching, she loves disappearing into a good book, hiking, camping, practicing Functional Patterns, dancing, exploring alternative modalities of healing, and expanding her fledgling knowledge of bushcraft and wilderness survival skills.

Katie grew up in Santa Barbara and has been a nature girl for as long as she can remember. She and her husband have been together for 20 years and have three beautiful children, Jaidin, 19, Annika, 9, and Bear, 5.

When Katie became a mom at the age of 20, she became interested in early childhood education and studied at SBCC. She started teaching preschool at 22 and has been at it ever since, incorporating her love for plants, animals, and creativity in her curriculum. After many years of working with children, she continues to be excited to be part of providing a magical and meaningful experience for children and their families.

As someone who has always felt most comfortable barefoot in the woods, Grace feels right at home at A Thousand Mornings. Grace is passionate about enjoying the simple pleasures presented by nature, and is grateful to spend each day doing so with preschoolers. Having grown up in a relatively rural area, Grace’s core memories consist of perching in pine tree branches, creating make-shift trails and hideouts in the woody acres of the backyard and, of course, building fairy homes. Grace is delighted to continue enjoying similar experiences with both the students and teachers of A Thousand Mornings.

Having worked with kids of many ages, the preschool years remain Grace’s favorite. She loves the raw emotions, and the perpetual “what” and “why” questions about the everyday things that adults have generally stopped thinking much about.

Outside of forest school, Grace can often be found wandering a trail, camping, or strolling the beach-always accompanied by her cattle dog sidekick, Clover.

Gretchen loves sharing her passion for the outdoors and has done so through many different avenues over the years. After graduating with a degree in Adventure Education, she became a backpacking guide. She worked in Yosemite for 7 summers sharing about the flora and fauna of the Sierras while equipping clients with the skills they needed to thrive in the Sierra Nevada backcountry. During these trips she utilized outdoor activities as catalysts for personal growth focusing on themes such as trust, communication, and leadership.

Gretchen realized that the reason she loved her guiding job was not just the beautiful landscapes (although it was a huge plus) but the people she was sharing it with. The rich diversity we see in nature is also represented in human beings. She celebrates differences, and sees them as ways to learn and connect with each other.

Gretchen has worked with children and adults of all ages. She has worked with 8 month olds up to 90 year olds. She believes that each of us has something to teach and share. She is very excited about working with preschoolers specifically because of their energy and curiosity.

Outside of work, Gretchen enjoys beekeeping, surfing, trying new recipes, taking public transportation, and swimming in whatever body of water she can!

Leilani was born and raised in Hawaii and has been living in California for six years. She spent her childhood as a mermaid and enjoying playing in waves, finding shells, and collecting flowers. Her middle name is Sunshine, which resonates with her love for frolicking endlessly in the sun and her undeniable warmth.

Leilani has a UCLA degree in environmental studies, geography, and food studies. Aside from official academics, the bulk of her learning comes from independent research that takes place in years of exploring and letting her curiosity lead her to the magic of the world. She enjoys backpacking to remote places, surfing little waves, making flower crowns, dancing outdoors, and playing with her friends (human and non-human). 

Her love for earth, food, and beings led her to work experience in farming, food rescue/security, and spending time with children. Leilani’s favorite word is wonder, and it is through that admiration and curiosity of the natural world that she finds herself and her love for other beings. She believes that working with children feels like a gift and an invitation to embark on an adventure to the center of ourselves and our earth. 

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Georgia moved to sunny Santa Barbara from her hometown of Seattle, WA, in 2024. Having spent her childhood hiking, camping, and swimming through the mountains, forests, and islands of the Northwest, she is happiest when surrounded by flora and fauna, no matter where she is!

After graduating from Anglo-American University in Prague, CZ, with a degree in Humanities and Social Sciences, Georgia began working with youth in 2022. She started as a swim team coach and later worked as a classroom teaching assistant, and more recently has worked as an outdoor educator in and around the Santa Barbara area. In the summer of 2025, she served as a backcountry trip leader, guiding students on overnight expeditions that included backpacking, climbing, kayaking, and canoeing in the remote wilderness of Western Wyoming.

In her free time, Georgia can often be found playing one of her many beloved instruments, knitting yet another hat or sweater, or hiking, camping, and kayaking around Santa Barbara.