Meet Our Director

Nicole Corbo
Founder : Roots and Sky Nature School
Lead Teacher: Nanny in Nature

​Nicole has spent the last three decades educating learners of all ages in nature. Nature is her happiest place, and she loves sharing her awe, wonder, and curiosity with early learners. Although she began teaching early learners in a traditional setting, Nicole entered the Nature Preschool field by way of Cedarsong Nature School, where she was a lead teacher and also trained other early childhood educators. Nicole has since founded Roots & Sky Nature School, where she can support children, educators, and families through professional development and consulting services, as well as the Nanny in Nature program for preschool and kindergarten students. As a Cedarsong Way Certified Trainer, Nicole also leads training programs around the country. She has extensive experience with nonprofit organizations that focus on youth in nature and conservation, and she became involved in WaNPA several years ago because she saw the tremendous value of connecting with others who feel passionately about nature-based education. Nicole is thrilled for the opportunity to support the diverse community of educators, administrators, and families who make up the Washington Nature Preschool Association.

Meet Our Advisory Board

This dedicated group of nature school leaders bring their passion to WaNPA, representing the needs and goals of outdoor schools across the PNW and facilitating resources for other programs & WaNPA events.  They are the heart & soul of this organization!

Sarah Salazar-Tipton

Executive Director and Lead Teacher
Olympic Nature Experience

Sarah is the founding Executive Director and lead teacher of Olympic Nature Experience and its nature school programs. She has a B.S. in Marine and Environmental Sciences from the US Coast Guard Academy and received her Forest Kindergarten Teaching Certificate from Cedarsong Nature School. She is passionate about connecting people to nature because she knows its rejuvenating and inspiring effects in her own life. 

Michele Cardinaux

Nature Center Director
Nurture in Nature Preschool

Michele has been the Director of the Tacoma Nature Center since 2005. With a background in interpretation at county, state and federal parks throughout the west, and experience at other nature centers, residential outdoor schools and a zoological facility Michele is well positioned to lead the staff in educational, fun and innovative programming. She especially enjoys teaching adult education courses and workshops, with a focus on supporting educators. In 2009 Michele led a small team in the development of one of the first nature preschools in Washington State. More than 400 preschoolers and almost 10 years later, the Nurture in Nature Preschool has evolved into a truly unique and wonderful resource with Michele still at the helm as Director.

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Caroline Cook

Early Childhood Education Supervisor
Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center
Pacific Science Center

Caroline has been a part of Polliwog Preschool at the Mercer Slough since 2015. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Education from UNC Wilmington, and has taught at camps and parks for over a decade. Caroline loves jumping in mud puddles, holding millipedes, and sharing her love of nature with early learners. She’s especially passionate about nature preschool because she’s seen how time outdoors helps children become more confident, observant, and empathetic.  

Sibyl Maer-Fillo

School Director & Teacher
Washington Outdoor School

Sibyl Maer-Fillo is the Washington Outdoor School Director & Teacher in both Roslyn and Ellensburg branches. Sibyl believes learning should be meaningful and integrated, the Earth and all its inhabitants and ecological systems should be respected, appreciated and cared for and finding ways to nurture and encourage the innate creativity in each person is of the utmost importance. She has a Masters degree with certification in Special Education and has been in Education for over 20 years working with Preschool through High School age students. Creating Washington Outdoor School fulfilled a dream.

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Kit Harrington

Founder Of WaNPA
Former Director of Fiddleheads Forest School

​Kit is the co-founder and former director of Fiddleheads Forest School. She is an AMS accredited Montessori Early Childhood Educator with a background in perceptual learning and child development. Her work is grounded in her understanding of perceptual learning and early childhood development as well as her passion for helping young children with diverse needs and experiences develop self-regulation and social and emotional skills. Kit is passionate about curriculum development, philosophy, family communication, research, outreach, and developing equitable and culturally responsive policy and procedure. She provides leadership to the nature-based and outdoor preschool movement on a regional and national level through her work with the Council on Nature and Forest Preschools and WaNPA. Kit developed her sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world during her childhood in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where she spent her days exploring the back woods behind her house.

Rachel Franz

Director of Education
Tiny Trees Preschool

Founder
Twig & Thread Consulting

​Rachel Franz (she/her) is the Director of Education and former founding Lead Teacher of Tiny Trees Preschool. She earned her MEd in Early Childhood Education from Champlain College, focusing on nurturing preschoolers’ self-control in an “instant gratification society." Rachel is also a Simplicity Parenting Family Coach and runs Twig & Thread Consulting, offering workshops and support in intentional outdoor learning, anti-bias education in public spaces, materialism in early education, and more.