Board of Directors
Lia Grippo
President
Born in Riga, Latvia, Lia spent many of her earliest years foraging and fishing the nearby woodlands with her family. Her early relationship with Nature has remained a constant thread in her life. At an early age, Lia was drawn towards working with young children and has been an early childhood educator since 1989. She has been fortunate to have had wise and skilled mentors in both early childhood education as well as nature connection. Lia has taught in a variety of settings including small and and large preschools, a Waldorf kindergarten, a parent cooperative, and wilderness programs. In 1996, Lia founded her first preschool, Seedlings, and in 1998 she opened Wild Roots Forest School, a preschool and kindergarten roofed by the sky and carpeted with the living woodland floor. In 2010-11 Lia directed Orca School, a Waldorf inspired k-8 school with nature immersion at its center. Lia is an accomplished storyteller, parent educator, naturalist, and herbalist and teaches classes and workshops in all of these areas of study. She is co-founder and presenter of the annual Reaching Nature Connection Conference and co-founder of the Academy of Forest Kindergarten Teachers. Lia resides in Santa Barbara, CA with her musical husband, Jim, her two, nature-immersed, tree-climbing sons, and their three cats.
Megan Dusablon
Treasurer
Megan grew up in Vermont and cherishes the memories she has of playing outside with her siblings and neighborhood friends making mud donuts, climbing trees, drawing and swimming. Growing up, her family cared for many creatures, sparking her fascination with animals large and small. It is on and off trails, crossing creeks and playing in the snow in Vermont where her nature connection began. Megan believes that these early, positive outdoor experiences are crucial in developing a connection to nature and a lasting love for the Earth. Outside, children are free to explore their imaginations and challenge their physical capabilities, building confidence, creativity and resiliency. Megan has worked with children since 2006. She received a BFA from Lesley University. In Boston, she volunteered to bring studio art programs into elementary schools. She moved to San Francisco in 2008 and attained her Early Childhood Education credentials. After working as an atelierista (art studio teacher) in a Reggio-inspired school, Megan was immediately drawn to the approach and philosophy of Reggio Emilia. Holding the child at the center of learning and combining her love for the natural world, Megan partnered with Ilana Israel in 2013, to form Parks Plus Creation. Parks Plus Creation offers nature connection programs for children and families in San Francisco, including a forest preschool, called Spire School. Megan, her husband, Kevin and their two children live in San Francisco.
Liana Chavarín
Secretary
Formed by the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Santa Ana Winds, Liana spent her childhood exploring the rich colors and textures of Southern California. From playing chase with tumbleweeds in the Mojave Desert, to investigating decomposing animals in her East LA neighborhood vacant lots while wearing the dried surf on her skin after a morning on the beach, Liana’s relationship with nature in all its forms have been a lifelong source of reverence and inspiration for her. After studying child development, art education, and graduating from California College of the Arts with an emphasis on textiles and Earthworking, Liana began to combine her passions which brought her to the mossy and wonderful world of forest school. She has been working in early-childhood art and nature programs since 2002, and founded Berkeley Forest School after the birth of her child in 2011. Liana remains passionate about increasing access to the benefits of forest school to under-resourced communities, . Liana is passionate about access to greenspace from an emotional-health perspective, and sees forest school as a vehicle for community healing in connection with the land.
Susan Seiguer
Board Member
Susan grew up in a rural town in Virginia. From a young age she was grateful to have space to roam and explore. Some of her fondest memories were playing hide and seek in the forest, catching tadpoles and playing outside all day. This love of nature continued on into her adult life taking her on many traveling adventures. The biggest adventure was becoming a parent to two amazing boys. Susan has been working with children and families for the last 13 years. She is the founder and lead teacher of All Friends Nature School. Susan has a genuine appreciation for the outdoors and is passionate about teaching young people to have a meaningful connection to nature and the world around them.