Summer Guide Wanted

Brett knew he wanted to be a teacher since he was very young.  After receiving a teaching degree from Appalachian State University, in Boone, North Carolina, Brett spent the next few years in the Peace Corps in South Africa. It was there, while living in a small village next to the Kruger National Park, that Brett fell in love with nature-based learning.  Brett returned to the States to teach in North Carolina, was a park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, then made a home for himself in Colorado.  Brett earned his Master's degree in Early Childhood Administration, Leadership & Policy and in 2017 co-founded The Nursery School, a forest preschool in Denver. Now based in Golden, Brett is eager to bring this all-outdoor learning approach to more families. With this vision, Brett started Colorado Nature School and is looking forward to connecting more young children with nature through authentic early learning experiences outdoors. Brett loves skiing, camping, canoeing, and any outdoor activity with his wife, son, and their young and energetic English Lab. 

Even in her home state of Connecticut, Corin has always had a deep appreciation for the great outdoors. Growing up, she was an avid hiker, camper, and enjoyed fishing with her father. She studied at the University of Michigan where she obtained a degree in education. After graduation, she drove across the country to Colorado, which has always been a dream of hers. She had hopes to pursue a career that would bring her closer to her passions in nature and working with children. During her first year in Colorado, Corin gained great experience in a traditional school setting teaching 7th grade math in Aurora. Upon discovering Colorado Nature School, Corin knew that it was the place for her! With an overarching goal of leading Junior Ranger programs in a National Park, she knew that this would be a great step in the right direction. She is excited to share her passions for exploration, conservation, and learning alongside the children of CNS. Outside of education, Corin enjoys spending time hiking and camping in the parks, searching for wildflowers and wildlife, and hanging out with her awesome roommates.

Heather grew up in the Santa Monica Mountains of Topanga, California, enthralled with the natural beauty of the California coast. Her adventures have taken her across the country and back, living in Nashville, Tennessee for her undergraduate degree (a BS in Biology) and in Washington, D.C. for her graduate degree (a PhD in Animal Science). Heather spent a decade working for a conservation biology nonprofit in D.C., before moving to Golden, Colorado, which she has been happy to call home since 2012. She loves getting outdoors whenever possible, on adventures like white water canoeing and rock climbing, exploring the wilderness via hiking and backpacking, or deep, play-based learning with her two children in Colorado’s many parks. Heather developed a love for education while co-leading an outdoor education program during college and educating visitors as a keeper at the Nashville Zoo. She spent much of her kids’ early years engaged in a local Forest School program, and most recently was found world-schooling them in Sydney, Australia. Heather wants to spread her passion to the next generation through Colorado Nature School, using the Forest School setting to help students develop confidence, self-reliance, and a love and respect for the natural world through outdoor learning experiences.

As a native of Pennsylvania, Dana spent summers on Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains. Those cherished childhood memories fostered the seeds for her work as a Forest School Guide. After earning an Associates Degree in Elementary Education, and a Bachelors in Liberal Arts Professional Studies with minors in Peace and Conflict Studies and Professional Education , Dana joined Americorps, where she served for 2 years as a mentor for youth. Dana then  went on to teach in a variety of educational settings and pedagogies, including earning an Early Childhood Montessori Diploma. Through her pedagogical exploration, Dana discovered her heart is most at home teaching in the forest. She earned a Forest School Teacher Certificate from the Forest School Institute and completed an additional 40 hours of study in England. Dana has taught in the forests of New Jersey and the Sandia and Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. She is excited to join the Colorado Nature School community. In her free time, Dana enjoys thrifting, crafting and traveling. 

Bryony recently relocated from Texas to Colorado in December 2024. With a life full of travel—born in England, raised in Virginia, two years spent in Australia, and 14 years in Texas—she has developed a deep love for nature, animals, and a strong respect for the environment and everything it provides.

Her passion for animals and ecosystems led her to pursue a degree in Natural Resources Management with a concentration in Wildlife Biology at Texas Tech University, where she graduated in 2021. It was through her environmental and ecology courses that she truly found her calling.

Throughout college, she worked as a nanny, finding joy in the curiosity and energy of children. That same love for animals and kids guided her professional path—first through an internship at a big cat sanctuary in North Carolina, followed by another at the Dallas Zoo, where she worked with carnivores like lions, tigers, cheetahs, and African painted dogs.

She began her career as a zoologist at the Dallas Zoo in 2021, spending three unforgettable years there—primarily in the Children’s Zoo, where she connected with young visitors every day. She strongly believes that fostering a connection with nature from a young age can have a lasting, positive impact and loves sharing her passion and excitement with future generations.

Kamebry is a Hoosier who always knew she would head for the mountains someday. She grew up climbing trees, creek stomping, and building forts with her outdoor educator parents in the woods of southern Indiana. She has always felt most like herself in nature and decided to pursue both her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Environmental Sustainability at Indiana University to learn how to encourage others to take care of our natural world. After a summer spent teaching children how to backpack, rock climb, and whitewater kayak in the national forests of Virginia, she discovered that nothing brings her more joy than watching a child’s face light up in the outdoors. Kamebry has also spent time in more traditional settings as a substitute teacher and a bilingual classroom aid, but is most excited about joining Colorado Nature School this summer. She can’t wait to play and learn alongside your children! In her free time, Kamebry loves to backpack with her fiancé, read in her hammock, and watch her dog Cricket get the zoomies on hikes.

I am so excited to be joining the Colorado Nature School team! I am a Michigan native who has been based in Colorado for over two years. After finishing college in Kansas and spending some time abroad, I moved out to Denver to pursue my dream of getting my Master's degree in English literature. Although I love my studies, I missed working in early childhood education and spending more time outdoors. I look forward to meeting each of you and getting to know your kiddos this summer!