Meet our Teachers

“The best days end with dirt under our fingernails, and some sunshine on our faces.” – author unknown

My passion for the outdoors started as a child roaming the outdoor world of my Los Angeles neighborhood with my six brothers. We were kids of the 80s – constantly running around catching lizards and snakes, climbing trees, making tree forts, and wading through the creek that ran through the gully next to our house. I have always felt that call for movement and being outside. 

Fortunately, my husband loves being outside as much as I do, and we’ve had so much fun exploring together with our 4 kids over the last 30 years. I had the opportunity to stay at home with my kids as they were growing up. I taught group fitness classes and went through Yoga training to keep myself busy, but once they got into school I was faced with decisions about how I wanted to spend my time. I realized that some of the funnest years with my kids were their preschool years, and decided I was going to become a preschool teacher. I have been teaching in Reno for almost 10 years now and hold that that was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. Being with these children as they’re learning the ropes of life (empathy, resilience, friendships, problem-solving, curiosity, etc) is nothing more than life-giving.  

Throughout my teaching career, one truth has stood out to me again and again: children absolutely thrive outdoors. I’ve spent years studying the benefits of outdoor play through continuing education, and in 2024, I finally put that learning into action by starting WHOA! Preschool Adventures. What began as “babysitting outside” at local parks along The Mt. Rose Highway, quickly became something much more. Within five minutes—every single time—I watched my studies come alive as children settled, engaged, explored, and bloomed!

WHOA! has become a labor of love that has grown in both vision and popularity. I am excited to be moving forward to build something meaningful that supports children, their families, and a lifelong love of the outdoors.