Our Team

We are so stuck on the idea that children must be
forced to learn that we can’t even imagine that a child
might be better off learning without being forced.

- Peter Gray

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

Joelle Rickard, Teacher (Monday – Friday)

Born and Raised: Littleton, Colorado
Education: Regis University: Master’s of Special Education
University of Colorado: Bachelors of Cultural Anthropology
Where she can be found outside the Backcountry: Hiking, camping, paddle boarding, and hunting for bugs with her husband, daughter, and dog!
She did what?!: Road tripped across Iceland to trail run.

Kathryn Worden, Substitute Teacher

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!

Katrina DeBacco, Substitute Teacher

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!