Nicole started BFP with a business partner in 2013, and has been running the program since 2014. After five years of teaching in the East classroom in addition to running things, she decided to step away from teaching to create more time for her administrative role. She is excited for the opportunity to revisit her goals and vision for the school. Before BFP, Nicole graduated from UVM’s Early Childhood Education program & attained her Educator’s license for Birth - Grade 3, and taught at several preschools and afterschool programs. Her time at UVM and the lab school there greatly influenced her approach and teaching philosophy. Nicole has always loved spending time exploring and learning with children in the natural world, and is honored to provide this opportunity to children at the Homestead! She lives in Richmond with her partner and two cats, and enjoys making art, hiking, paddling, skiing, gardening, reading, traveling, and neverending home improvement!

Leah was born in ME and grew up in VT, and now lives in Burlington with her husband Gavin and two boys, Holden (15) and Hudson (5). She has worked in Education for over 20 years both as a teacher and a director, and holds a BS in Sociology from the College of Charleston. She has taken graduate courses in Education and has a Level IV ECE certification and Level 1 ECE Director’s Credential. She loves working with children and families as the early years are such a special and magical time with children. She also enjoys supporting teachers and working together to create a happy, safe, and loving environment. Leah enjoys every season in VT and all of the changes they bring. She lives close to the Homestead and often hikes the trails with her family. She feels lucky to live in such a beautiful state and enjoys being outside whenever possible. There is so much peace, wonder, and endless moments of learning in nature with young children!

Originally from Boston, MA, Sofia fell in love with Vermont while studying Education and Geography at Middlebury College. Since graduating, she has worked in outdoor and early childhood education in Massachusetts, New York (Adirondack region), New Zealand, and Vermont. Sofia enjoys spending her days outside -- hiking, climbing, camping, and canoeing -- and she feels so grateful to be able to learn from and teach in the natural world! This past summer, she thru-hiked the Long Trail and is more in love with the Green Mountains than ever before. This is Sofia's second year at Burlington Forest Preschool, and she can't wait to get back to exploring the Homestead with her class!

Ana is very excited to be joining the Burlington Forest Preschool community! She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.S in Environmental Science. Afterwards, she found herself working in the science research field, eventually realizing her passion for sharing the wonders of the natural world with young minds. She believes the future of our planet is highly dependent on the next generations' relationship with nature, and she feels fortunate to be part of a community that provides children with the opportunity to create daily, positive experiences with the natural world. In her free time, she enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible by traveling, hiking, outside sports, and gardening. She looks forward to meeting the Burlington Forest Preschool families this school year!

Barb holds both a B.S. in Environmental Science as well as an Associates in Early Childhood Education. She has been working in a preschool setting for the past 8 years. In addition to working in preschool, she volunteers at a raptor rehabilitation center on the weekends where she assists with health checks, feedings, and the occasional educational programs. She spends her free time with her two dogs (Sandy and Samson) and four birds (Simon, Bodhi, Opal and Pearl). She also enjoys hiking, biking, and gardening. She is really excited to combine her two passions (nature and education) this school year at BFP!

Kayla is happy to return to BFP this fall for a second year! She had an excellent time teaching and is looking forward to many more days spent in the forest. She finds that everyone becomes the best version of themselves when surrounded by nature, and appreciates getting to teach young minds in such a great setting. She enjoys how forest preschool blends lifelong social-emotional learning with critical ecological knowledge and care for the earth. Kayla has had the pleasure of serving as an assistant director at an outdoor summer camp for the past two summers. Prior to that, she spent 4 years as a camp counselor. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 2021 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. In her free time you can find her playing outside.

Kristen is very excited to be joining the Burlington Forest Preschool community for another year! She originally hails from Long Island, NY and graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 2020 with a B.A in Environmental Studies and a minor in Psychology. Currently, she is entering her second year of the Saint Michael’s College Masters in Teaching program, and will graduate in May with a license to teach in both Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Kristen believes there is much to learn from developing a relationship with the natural world. She finds joy in experiencing the “aha” moments with young children in addition to fostering their innate curiosity for the world around them. Ultimately, Kristen finds that children are able to build a strong sense of love and empathy through getting acquainted with nature. In her free time, Kristen enjoys practicing yoga, swimming, spending time outside, and hanging out with loved ones.