Our Team

Tell me and I’ll forget. Teach me and I’ll remember.
Involve me and I’ll learn.

- Benjamin Franklin

Wild Roots is based on high-quality practices of both early childhood education and environmental education, requiring our teaching staff to have skills and experience in both early childhood education and environmental education. We prioritize social emotional learning, creativity, curiosity, and connection to nature.

Meet Our Wild Roots Team

AnnaKate Hein, Environmental Education Programs Supervisor

Born and Raised: Athens, Georgia
Education: Vermont Law & Graduate School: Masters of Environmental Law & Policy
University of Georgia: Political Science, Music Education, and minor in Environmental Ethics
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Rafting, exploring, and camping in remote river canyons with her husband and son
She did what?!: Studied marine ecology and human environmental impacts as a study abroad program in Antarctica

Christy Farrell, Teacher (Monday – Friday)

Born and Raised: Brooksville, Florida
Education: Saint Petersburg College: Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Hiking and exploring with her beloved rescued German Shepherd
She did what?!: Has experience handling various venomous reptiles native to the United States

Jax Von Adler, Teacher (Monday – Friday)

Born and Raised: Connecticut(but has lived in 46 states and 4 Canadian provinces!)
Education: State University of New York at Fredonia: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
Where they can be found outside the Backcountry: Cooking, hiking, traveling, bouldering, climbing, and identifying local plants
They did what?!: Thru-hiked the MA and CT portions of the Appalachian Trail, and canoed from VT to CT

Kathryn Worden, Teacher (Tuesday / Thursday)

Born and Raised: Hinsdale, Illinois
Education: Towson University: Masters in Special Education
University of Maryland, Elementary Education
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Walking trails with her two coonhounds and two kids, or hiking near a creek.
She did what?!: Lived in the Australian Outback for 4 years!

Paige Hartnett, Teacher (Monday/Wednesday/Friday)

Born and Raised: Carol Stream, Illinois
Education: University of Dayton: Bachelor of Science in Special Education
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Camping and paddle boarding with her partner and two old dogs, Sadie & Maisy. And often singing bits of 90s pop music.
She did what?!: Spent 5 years traveling the seven seas on a cruise ship!

Mikaela Capalby, Teacher (Half-Day Camp)

Born and Raised: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Education: Colorado State University: Wildlife Biology with minor in Zoology and Science Communications
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Hiking and trail running around Colorado, or enjoying the sunshine on her paddle board
She did what?!: Backpacked through Baja Sur, Mexico on an education abroad trip learning about the impacts of illegal fishing on sea turtle populations.

Katrina DeBacco, Teacher (Half-Day Camp)

Born and Raised: Visalia, California
Education: University of California at Santa Cruz: Bachelor of Arts in Law and Bachelor of Arts in Politics
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Crafting, hiking, playing and watching sports, and camping in the middle of nowhere with her family. And, oh yes – running a real estate company with her husband.
She did what?!: Spent a summer living in an RV and traveling the United States…home is anywhere your heart is!

Kenzie Feil, Teacher (Half-Day Camp)

Born and Raised: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Education: University of Denver: Psychology
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: At a music concert!
She did what?!: Is learning Spanish and hopes to live in Mexico to teach English one day.

Kat Owens, Substitute Teacher

Born and Raised: Londonderry, New Hampshire
Education: MA Early Childhood Education, Arizona State University & BFA Fine Arts, SVA in NYC
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Finding all of the Hot springs in Colorado!
She did what?!: Taught in France & Japan