OUR STAFF
Lindsay Coulter
Program Coordinator
Lindsay Coulter (she/her) is an educator, naturalist, facilitator, writer, gardener,
equine enthusiast, and parent. Her work has been to coach, mentor and
educate parents, teachers, and childcare staff to foster a deep connection
with the living world. She’s developed practices and resources for children and
youth to connect to the Earth as a source of energy and love that can support
them. She’s a co-founder and former Director at EPIC Learning Centre, a
forest and nature school in Victoria, B.C. Lindsay created EPIC to embrace a
forest and nature school philosophy to address disconnection from the self,
others, and the living world. From here, she believes we can begin to reconcile
some of the root causes of our climate emergency and the high rates of
environmental violence. Uncertain and chaotic times are calling educators into a new way of creating safety. Time in nature in relationship with non-human kin is fundamental to human well being. Lindsay is also inspired by the attachment-based developmental approach which focuses on rest, play and relationship. She recently trained with Dr. Gordon Neufeld and has taken many courses through the Neufeld Institute to understand how to help children feel safe in a wounding world and support a child’s potential. She’s the former David Suzuki’s Queen of Green TM with expertise as a public engagement specialist and loved being Canada’s “green living expert” for over a decade with national TV appearances, as well as syndication on radio and in print.
Lindsay is a creator of culture and ritualist who serves as a community catalyst, compassion cultivator, and soul activist. She teaches contemplative practices and leads eco-grief circles and workshops for all ages. See her insights and inspiration @SaneAction on Facebook and Instagram. In her spare time she is a Pulling Together volunteer Lead Steward for Saanich Parks in Haro Woods and a facilitator of Equine Assisted Learning at Heart Lake Farm.
“I have a deep appreciation for the mystery, wonder and awe of life. I thrive when being a part of
something bigger than myself. I lead with compassion and insight and have trained in disciplines like compassion cultivation, compassionate inquiry, grief and resiliency and warriorship.”
Robin L.
Manager, ECE
Educator for all full day 3-5 year old programs
We are so fortunate to have Robin (she/her) back for the 9th year as manager and full-time ECE at the Victoria Nature School. Robin is a certified forest school practitioner and an enthusiastic outdoor educator who has been exploring nature with children for over 15 years. She began as a daycare provider in Northern BC for over ten years before relocating to Saanich with her husband and two sons. She then continued teaching both preschool and school-age groups through various rec centre programs.
"I strive to inspire students sense of wonder during their many child-led adventures on the mountain, in the forest, and at the ocean and believe that outdoor learning fosters children's resilience, self-esteem, leadership and social skills as well as improving their physical literacy. I trust that whatever the group is interested in learning is worth investigating in detail and believe that these early outdoor experiences lay the foundation for a lifelong love and stewardship of our natural environment."
When not in the forest at VNS Robin can be found at her eldest sons soccer games, teaching kids weekend cooking classes or being the volunteer shipping department for her youngest sons technology enterprises.
Andrew F.
ECE-A
Educator for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 3-5 year old full day program
Andrew (he/him) has worked as an Early Childhood Educator Assistant since 2019. Before
joining VNS, he worked with kids of diverse abilities for several years. He also spent five
years bicycling with a multi-age group to parks across Victoria, rain or shine, as a field trip supervisor for Oak and Orca Bioregional School.
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"Reflecting on my time in outdoor education, I'm grateful for the experience of connecting with students, teachers, and natural spaces while having fun and learning together. I've seen my own and others' resilience and wonder grow. "
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He lives with his partner and their daughter and enjoys yoga, music and meditation.
His favourite colour is azure (sky blue).
Erin M.
ECE
Educator for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 3-5 year old full day program
Erin joined VNS in the fall of 2023. She is a licensed Early Childhood Educator and Infant/Toddler Educator. She has been in the field for 20 years, with extensive time working with children with diverse needs. She has taken extra training working with children on the spectrum and Down’s syndrome and advocates for the needs of all children so they develop holistically.
Erin has worked in a variety of settings from pre-school to daycare, an elementary school, and 3 years ago dove into forest education. She completed a 96 hour course in the Coyote 8 Shields Model for forest education and may pursue her Forest Practitioner Certificate in the future. She has trained up to level 2 in American Sign Language. She has also worked as a program supervisor, manager and operations coordinator and has experience in writing and implementing Forest curriculums.
Erin was born and raised on Vancouver Island but moved to the mainland in her early 20’s. She returned to her island roots in November 2022 and has been enjoying being back on island time. In her spare time, Erin supports her twin sisters, working along side them part-time at their coffee shop in downtown Victoria. Erin is also an avid equestrian rider and owns a beautiful chestnut horse named Jasper. She loves to swim, kayak, cook, and enjoy the outdoors, especially roasting marshmallows over a camp fire.
Jenny T.
ECE-A
Educator for Tuesday & Thursday 3-5 year old full day program
Jenny got her ECEA certification at Camosun College and recently
graduated at the University of Victoria with a Child and Youth Care degree.
Her last practicum placement was at VNS where she had the opportunity
to work with different classes (e.g., the morning and full day 3-5
year old and the fox den programs). “It was a new experience for me where
children had the power and freedom to choose how they wanted to spend
their day. I enjoy offering them quality time to explore (make mistakes and
find new solutions), which scaffold their natural curiosity of the world. This motivated me to be more creative, hands-on and embrace the different forms of play that brings upon many benefits.” She looks forward to continuing to build rapport with all the educators and children as well as learning more about nature. Jenny loves to spend time with her siblings, watch dramas/movies and stroll around the neighbourhood basking in the sunlight.
Julia S.
ECE
Educator for Tuesday & Thursday 3-5 year old full day program
I'm Julia and I am so excited to be starting my journey here with VNS! I identify as queer and use both she/her and they/them pronouns.
I grew up on the territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit and completed my undergraduate degree while working on Kanien'kéha (Mohawk) territory, also known as Montreal.
I am a specialized educator with a bachelor's degree focused on diversity and exceptionality in early and elementary education. As a certified ECE, some of my favourite memories are exploring outdoors and conquering the questions that come from 3-5 year olds and I can't wait to make more! I'm currently working towards a master's of Education in Educational Psychology at Uvic, where I'm really starting to use more passion for play-based learning to shape my focus and learn more to support our children and alternative ways of education
My passion for the outdoors budded at overnight summer camp in northern Ontario, where I grew over several years from camper to counsellor. I hold that space and what it provided myself and my, now what I call family, with during our youth years. The opportunity to spend our days in the forest with one another was something I will always be grateful for as it shaped me into the person I am today. That time continues to fuel my passion to offer similar spaces for children. From there I moved to working with families to create fully inclusive and accessible summer camps for people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and their families. After 3 successful summers, I moved on to my education where I focused on inclusive spaces in education and adaptive programming. I came to "Victoria" 2 years ago to become part of larger communities that connected children with the land and have since been finding spaces myself, where I can learn and grow from. I'm so honoured to be invited to share these spaces with all of you at VNS and can't wait to see what we all share together!
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Caroline S.
Forest Educator
Educator for Tuesday & Thursday 3-5 year old morning program
Carolyn (she/her) is excited to return for her third year with VNS. She began
my career with children starting with Summer Camps and Nannying over 30
years ago and has been in Childcare Education/Management in Victoria
since 2007.S Carolyn was first introduced to VNS in 2017 when she registered
her oldest son at the time for his first year in preschool. Carolyn is an outdoor
enthusiast, who loves to play sports, travel, hike, camp and retreat to the forest for grounding whenever she can. She was excited to have the opportunity for her children to enter the forest for back-to-the-basics play, as well as growing their social-emotional skills with the embrace of Mother Nature. Carolyn is appreciative that both her children had two years at VNS for Preschool, and that now she gets to come multiple times a week to help encourage, nurture and support our students as they grow with the seasons.
"I can not think of a better way to introduce young children to socially connecting, learning and facing challenges among the trees and on top of our solid soil foundation that will also provide cushion for falls and feelings that arise as we grow each day. I look forward to each day at VNS, every day is a beautiful new day.
Birttany D.
ECE-A
Educator for Tuesday & Thursday 3-5 year old morning program
Born in Saskatoon, on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis, Brittany’s happy childhood memories are of spending time outdoors, skiing, fishing, camping, canoeing! She lived in the UK, France and Chile before moving to Vancouver Island seven years ago. Brittany has worked with children in educational and recreational settings over the last 15 years, always being drawn to the creative energy, curiosity and compassion that comes with being around children. She graduated from Camosun in 2018 with a Diploma in Community, Family and Child Studies, certified as an Early Childhood Educator Assistant.
Throughout all the places she has lived, Brittany has never missed an opportunity to get out into the wild, particularly camping, hiking and cycling. Being out in the natural world is like medicine for her! Brittany looks forward to playing, exploring and learning with children, from Nature as our teacher! A certified Yoga Instructor, she strongly believes that mindfulness, breathing techniques, self-care and compassion are amazing tools that every child should be able to have access to. She enjoys sharing these with children. She feels blessed every day to be able to witness the beauty and live on the homelands of the Lək̓ʷəŋən People.
Bela S.
Forest Educator
Educator for Monday & Wednesday Fox Den Programs
Bela is starting starting her forth year with VNS. She is a certified forest school
practitioner and received her Hon. BSc specializing in Ecology from the University of Toronto. After working in the field of environmental assessment, she began providing supportive educational learning to children. She spent over 10 years, running a gymnastics centre and coaching kids of all ages. Children are her passion, as is the great outdoors.
"I am living my dream of helping kids to connect with all the wonders that our natural world has to offer. I feel blessed to watch their little minds and little hearts grow as they explore and play in beautiful Mount Doug".
Bela loves adventure and her family. She is happiest when she is taking her boys camping into the backcountry, climbing or wandering in the wilderness.
Kirsten D.
Forest Educator, B.Ed,
Educator for Monday & Wednesday Fox Den Programs
This is Kiresten's (she/her) 2nd year with VNS. Kirsten is a BC certified teacher,
facilitator of nature education and park naturalist passionate about spending
time outside and supporting her friends and community to play and explore in
this world through a nature lens. Kirsten is in her happy place when she is
outside swimming in a lake or in the ocean, wandering through the beauty of
theGarry Oaks meadows or hiking through the local forests. Learning and
teaching about how to connect deeper with nature and gain a sense of place on this earth is what has grounded Kirsten to pursue her passion for environmental and outdoor place-based learning over the past 20 years. Kirsten became inspired in these places to want to learn more about the natural world and gain a sense of belonging among the trees in the forest and water in the rivers, lakes, and ocean.
Kirsten grew up in Southern Ontario on the traditional land of Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe people and moved to Vancouver Island in 2014. Because she loves to travel and has been to so many beautiful nature places around the world, she feels a great sense of connection to the Orca whale who travels long distances as well over the course of their lifetime.
"Come play, explore and expand your imagination this year with me at Fox Den. We will sing together, create and share stories and go on many incredible adventures through the forest and spend time together by the ocean."
