Founder

Sarah is a Bank Street Graduate with an M.S. Ed. in Early Childhood Elementary Education, and has taught in a variety of public and private school settings in New York and New Jersey for the past 19 years. She is the 2018 recipient of the Margaret O’Neill Early Childhood Nature Educator Award for her work with Brooklyn Nature Days. Sarah is certified as a Forest School Kindergarten Teacher through Cedarsong Nature School and is currently pursuing her New York Master Naturalist Certification through Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension Program. She currently serves on the Board of the Eastern Regional Association of Forest and Nature Schools (ERAFANS). Sarah holds Permanent Teaching Certification in both New York and New Jersey. She is inspired by children's authenticity, energy, and expression and is rooted in the idea that we are always learning through experience, reflection, and finding the magic in day to day moments. Sarah believes strongly in the freedom, health, and creativity that ample time in nature can provide.

Director & Park-Support

Susannah is originally from Hershey, PA, but has been a Brooklynite for 21 years. She holds a BA in English with a minor in Women's Studies, a study abroad certificate from the University of Wales, an MFA in Poetry from Brooklyn College, and has also continued her education with courses and certificates through CUNY's New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute. Susannah has 15 years of teaching experience with ages 2-10. She is certified in Infant, Child and Adult CPR Pro and Wilderness Advanced First Aid.

Susannah has found her pedagogical home outside in the park surrounded by children and nature. She believes that children are powerful in both body and mind and possess the skills and strength to complete difficult tasks independently. She wants to teach children that it is a sign of strength to ask for help/cry/try again (repeat).

Susannah lives in Kensington with her husband and their two spirited children. She loves baseball (Go Phillies!), birdwatching, swimming, playing strategy board games, 90s R&B, and roller coasters. She does the NYT crossword puzzle every day (nerd alert) and reads 50 books a year.

Assistant Director & Park-wide Support

Nina moved to the big city from the mountains of Asheville, NC. She has a BA in Theatre Studies and a minor in Education from Guilford College.

Since joining BND in Oct 2018, Nina has discovered a newfound love for all things feathered, leafy, woody, and muddy. She feels so fortunate to have found a career where she gets to teach kids to love and care for the earth and all the little critters on it.

Nina lives in PLG with her husband and their little black cat, Bruce. She enjoys crochet, embroidery, birdwatching, camping, hiking, and binge-watching tv shows.

Nina is certified in Infant, Child and Adult CPR as a First Responder and also in Advanced Wilderness First Aid.

Teacher

Ab Hassett is originally from Katonah, NY and currently lives in Brooklyn. They are pursuing a Master's in Education at Brooklyn College, building on an undergraduate degree from Endicott College.

Ab has worked with kids since they were 16, and has spent that time teaching, coaching, and mentoring in classrooms, on athletic fields, and in residential school life. A lifelong outdoors person, Ab loves running, biking, hiking, swimming, surfing, and rock climbing, basically any way to move their body outside. They can also often be found identifying the plants, trees, and animals of New York, a habit that started as a kid playing in the woods with their brother.

Ab is also drawn to art and creativity, and brings that same playful, curious energy into their work with children. They are deeply committed to caring for the earth, and to helping kids build that same connection with the natural world.

Ab is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid

Teacher

Annabelle was raised in Brooklyn across the street from Prospect Park. She spent almost every day of her childhood exploring the winding trails, secret gardens and endless surprises the park has to offer. Annabelle is passionate about nurturing and encouraging children’s curiosity; she is the oldest of four siblings and eleven cousins. She believes in fostering a safe and inspiring environment for kids to thrive, as well as the importance of interacting with nature in children’s development. She is currently a rising sophomore at Beloit College in Wisconsin studying psychology, and spends her free time hiking, opera singing, and painting. You may have seen her busking under her favorite tunnel near the Audubon House!

Annabelle is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher

Bella grew up in Oakland, California, where she fell in love with the redwoods and the incredible pacific ocean. Her educational philosophy and pedagogy is deeply influenced by her own experience and love for the more than human world. She holds a B.A in Global Studies from the New School, where her research focused on nuclear ecologies, anticolonial-capitalist approaches to the climate crisis, and ecofeminism. She works with affected communities on nuclear abolition and policy, specifically around birth justice in nuclear frontline communities. Outside of environmental justice, she also is an arts nonprofit worker at Brooklyn Poets. She is an incoming Poetry MFA candidate at Brooklyn College, and as a poet herself, she loves the way that children naturally have a poetic instinct as they are not bound by the confines of language. Bella loves working with children, and has over 10 years of experience as a nanny, an afterschool teacher at the Packer Collegiate Institute, and teaching youth poetry classes. She has lived in the New York City area for 7 years and she loves taking the ferry, swimming in the ocean, growing veggies and cooking with them, running in the park, and going to art museums.

Bella is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid.

Teacher & Floating Park Support

Bryce Sullivan grew up in the Boston area, where she formed a strong connection to the local landscape, spending much of her free time exploring the city. She went on to complete her undergraduate degree at Bennington College in Vermont, where she developed a dedicated focus on environmental education, working with children of all ages in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings. She is passionate about facilitating meaningful relationships between young people and their environment, and believes that a play-based approach encourages a love of learning rooted in curiosity, empathy, and resilience. A Brooklyn resident since 2022, Bryce enjoys biking, reading, and working in her garden.

Bryce is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher & Floating Park Support

Cameron was born on the Isle of Man before moving between Chicago, Belfast, Connecticut and eventually growing up on the north shore of Long Island. For as long as he can remember he’s been fascinated by the outdoors, spending much of his childhood learning and leading on trips from Harriman State Park to the Presidentials. Having been a Boy Scout and having become an Eagle Scout, his fascination with the environment has inspired him to help educate his community on key issues, such as Harmful Algae Blooms and Invasive Species. He is a recent graduate of Emerson College with a BFA in Creative Writing and a minor in Comedy. Cameron has worked as an Escape Room Operator, a Gardener, and Fundraiser for the Human Society among other things, and draws on his years of experience making children’s days brighter. He believes that children are endlessly curious, and providing them with new worlds to explore teaches them to be independent, questioning, and bright. Cameron is delighted to join the Brooklyn Nature Days team for his first full season, and so excited to meet his students and let them discover the wonders of Prospect Park. In his off hours, Cameron loves to paint, write, exercise and do the occasional stand up set.

Cameron is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Carolyn grew up in San Jose California and loves the West coast. She grew up hiking and exploring Yosemite National Park where they discovered their love for nature. 

She just graduated from New York University this past May with a degrees in Applied Psychology! She adores kids and spent the past 2 years at and infant neurodevelopmental lab researching parent child interaction. They’re super excited to work with kids outside and explore Prospect Park. 

Carolyn is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Cher is originally from southern Connecticut and is a new resident of Brooklyn. They have been teaching early childhood education and Afterschool Education for the past year and assisting in teaching elementary art over the last 3 summers. They got their Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Hartford’s Hartford Art School in 2025.

Cher was previously working at a nature based pre-school in New Haven CT and has been in love with the methodologies and practices of a nature based and child led education ever since.

Their connection with nature started long before then in their childhood home with just under an acre of land and a variety of farm animals they considered pets. They now are bringing their love of nature and the arts to Brooklyn Nature Days for the summer of 2026.

Cher is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid.

Teacher

Derick grew up with two younger brothers on a cul-de-sac in Rockford, Illinois. Every summer and winter the whole family would drive out west to the Rockies to camp, ski, bike, swim, raft, hike, and complete Junior Ranger scavenger hunts.

For the year and change that he spent in northern Colorado during the early stages of the pandemic, Derick was an assistant early childhood teacher at River Song Waldorf School. As a teacher, he is phlegmatic, curious, and holds deep respect for the autonomy of children. He is now happy to call Prospect Lefferts Gardens home and loves all the natural beauty that Prospect Park has to offer. The longest adventure he ever went on was a stretch of el camino de Santiago, from Irún to Bilbao, in five days!

Derick holds a BA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College, where he was captain of the Men's Swim Team, and an MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, during the completion of which he learned (among other things) how to play volleyball. When he's not teaching, spot him at a local café and ask about what he's reading.

Derick is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid

Supply Runner / Play Enthusiast / Jr. Teacher-in-Training

Donovan Bortner-Palmer just completed his sophomore year at New York Harbor School, a marine biology-focused high school located on Governors Island, where he is concentrating on Marine Systems Technology and Ocean Engineering. Donovan plays 3rd base and is a relief pitcher for the NY Harbor School Sharks, his school's varsity baseball team. Donovan enjoys baseball (GO Mets!), video games, hiking, and birding. 

Donovan has attended Brooklyn Nature Days first as a student, and now as a teacher-in-training, since 2016. This summer, he will be responsible for delivering materials and supplies to all the groups and ensuring everyone has what they need. He will also be available for reading books to groups, helping out with art projects and games, and supporting teachers with their child-led activities while under supervision of an adult teacher. He is excited to learn more about nature and play-based learning this summer! 

Donovan is certified in CPR and First Aid. 

Teacher & Floating Park Support

Giovanna was born and raised in sunny San Diego, California, where her childhood was shaped by a love for the outdoors—camping and backpacking along the coast, in the desert, and deep into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. When she’s not out adventuring, she enjoys expressing her creativity through writing, photography, and filmmaking.

She has educational experience in the performing arts, Spanish language, as well as the outdoors. One of her most unforgettable adventures was co-leading a group of high school students on a challenging backpacking trip that ended with a successful summit of Mt. Whitney.

For the past five years, Giovanna has lived just steps away from Prospect Park and is thrilled to spend the summer exploring its natural beauty alongside this year’s campers!

Gio is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Jade grew up in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and spent her childhood summers learning to live with and love nature in the mountains of New Hampshire and Western North Carolina. During her junior year of high school, she attended the Maine Coast Semester School in Wiscasset, Maine, where she discovered her passions for outdoor education, organic farming, and communal living. After graduating from Brooklyn Friends School in 2022, Jade embarked on a journey West to earn her bachelor's degree in environmental studies at Colorado College. She spent a semester in Thailand learning from local communities about environmental issues and solutions, where she found joy in camping, hiking, and snorkeling as a part of school curriculum. Jade took a semester off from college to continue her travels, where she lived in an eco-village in Greece and learned about permaculture, natural building, and kombucha making. She recently moved back to Brooklyn for the summer and is excited to go on long walks, do yoga in the park, join a community garden, and help little New Yorkers connect with the outdoors at Brooklyn Nature Days!

Jade is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Jae is a native New Yorker, mother of 2, devout yogini, and nature lover.  When her children were young she facilitated free weekly meet-ups in the park for families and toddlers. Having raised her children in the park, she has witnessed first hand, the power of unstructured play in a natural environment.  As an “edu-carer” she hopes to instill a deep sense of curiosity and wonder, as well as gratitude for the natural world.  She is so very grateful for the resource that is Prospect Park, and honored to join the Brooklyn Nature Days team. 

Jae is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher

Jennifer has been a resident of Brooklyn for 20+ years.  She holds a B.S. in Acting and Italian from Syracuse University.  Before becoming a mother herself, she worked with Inwood House, a non for profit youth agency focused on improving outcomes for young mothers in child welfare.  In the past few years, you may have seen her volunteering in Prospect Park leading parent-child forest groups, singing songs, reading in ridiculous character voices and participating in imaginative play. Jennifer believes that immersing a child in nature balances their mind and body, offers them the opportunity to explore their innate interests, as well as practice kindness, empathy, and respect with each other and the living organisms around them.  She is so happy to be part of the incredible team at Brooklyn Nature Days and cannot wait to meet your tiny yet mighty adventurer.  Let the play begin!

Jennifer is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Liv grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, where exploring tide pools, catching (and releasing) lightning bugs, and crafting with natural materials sparked her lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

She earned her degree in Education and Art & Visual Culture from Bates College in Maine, and later received a Master's in Youth Studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies. Her professional journey has taken her from the rocky coast of Maine to the redwoods of California and the mountains of Wyoming, where she worked in outdoor education before settling in Brooklyn seven years ago.

In New York City, Liv has taught human rights education, visual arts, and youth leadership programs across diverse classroom settings. She is passionate about designing experiential learning opportunities that inspire curiosity and extend beyond traditional classroom walls.

When she’s not teaching at Brooklyn Nature Days, Liv can be found working in art and design, leading cycling classes with Bike New York, or getting humbled in the ceramics studio.

Manisha loves getting outside, digging in the soil, and helping kids connect with the natural world. She volunteers with Red Hook Farms and serves on the board of City Growers, a Brooklyn nonprofit focused on youth environmental education.

Before moving into sustainability work, Manisha worked as a software engineer and earned her degree in Computer Science from Princeton University. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Climate & Sustainability Engineering at Duke University.

Manisha enjoys bringing curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning into outdoor experiences. She's excited to explore Prospect Park with her Brooklyn Nature Days students and help them build confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging outdoors.

Manisha is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid.

Teacher

Mariana was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and has called Brooklyn home for the last 5 years. She is fluent in both the Spanish and English language and has extensive experience working with children as a childcare provider for local families as well as a mother to her own two beautiful, inquisitive children. Since her early years growing up in the Dominican Republic, Mariana has always been drawn to nature and the outdoors and is thrilled to be part of a program that matches her enthusiasm for child-led exploration and learning. Mariana’s joyful sense of curiosity is contagious and mirrored in her students excited faces as she empowers them to discover new things about themselves and the natural world around them.

Teacher

Maya grew up in Portland, Maine, where she spent her days exploring the woods and the beaches and attended a forest school herself! Maya has been working with kids outdoors and indoors for the past five years – she has been a counselor at a coastal farm camp, a creative writing teacher, and a tutor! Since graduating from Oberlin College last May with a degree in creative writing and education, she has been teaching environmental science in the Bronx. She loves any opportunity in which she can help kids to stretch their curiosity and imaginations in creative and silly ways. In her free time, Maya loves reading, writing, knitting, and going on bike rides. Maya is incredibly excited to work with Brooklyn Nature Days this summer and share her love of nature and playing outside with campers!

Maya is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult First Aid and CPR

Teacher

Jess was born and raised in Queens, New York, where she grew up exploring neighborhood parks and discovering that some of the best adventures happen outdoors. As a proud Latina and the daughter of immigrants, she values the importance of community, belonging, and creating spaces where every child feels welcomed and celebrated.

She recently graduated with her Master's in Social Work and is passionate about supporting children and families through relationship-building, creativity, and play. She believes that access to green spaces should be a right, not a privilege, and that every child deserves the opportunity to develop a meaningful connection with the natural world. Her approach is rooted in child-led exploration, curiosity, and the belief that confidence grows when children are given the freedom to wonder, take risks, and get a little muddy.

Outside of Brooklyn Nature Days, Jess enjoys hiking, traveling, trying new restaurants, and exploring new places. She is currently training for her first marathon, the 2026 Chicago Marathon! Jess is excited to spend the summer exploring, creating, and making memories with the friends at Brooklyn Nature Days.

Jess is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher

Rizzo was raised in the woods of Connecticut and was educated by his parents in the identification and stewardship of nature from a young age. They have always loved children and have been working with kids since his first babysitting gig in middle school. Since moving to New York in 2021, he has been a full-time nanny. He realized you could combine a reverence for nature and child education when he first started working at Woodcock Nature Center: the nature sanctuary, animal rehab and summer camp in Connecticut that he went to as a kid. Since then, they have aimed their career towards being an early childhood nature educator. Rizzo has a BFA in Theater Performance from Chapman University, and is pursuing certification in Nature education for early childhood. Rizzo’s teaching style is centered around empathy and kindness. They believe children deserve autonomy and should be given the space and respect to exercise it. Rizzo LOVES to read and has taught himself ecology, mycology, and sustainable foraging. While not working, he will most likely be found doing those things or community organizing for the Trans and Gender Non-Conforming of Brooklyn.

Rizzo is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR and First Aid

Teacher

Rox is an herbalist, musician, and maker, born and raised in the great state of New Jersey, who is deeply passionate about the relationships amongst plants, people, and creative practices. They strongly believe that interpreting the world with environmental literacy has the potential to breathe wonder and curiosity into daily life, and that spending time beneath trees is a key component to a regulated nervous system.

After studying Communications and Music Industry at Northeastern University in Boston, and pursuing a career in music festival production in NYC, Rox made a pivot in 2020 and relocated to Burlington, VT, where they spent the next 3 years in the woods exploring with field guides and foraging. Seeking to deepen their understanding of medicinal plants, Rox enrolled in Arbor Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism, a comprehensive 3 year program in New Paltz, NY, where they studied Greco-European Herbalism, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and more, and held consultations with clients in a student clinic for 1 year. Their favorite aspect of herbalism is teaching people how to decipher the sea of green through plant identification, a skill they continue to sharpen through independent and organized study, and share by leading walks in city parks and beyond. They are especially passionate about trees. Humility, humor, and curiosity are at the heart of what they do.

An older sibling to two teenage boys, and an older friend to many young ones in their life, Rox is excited to both share their knowledge with, and learn from, the kids at Brooklyn Nature Days this summer.

Rox is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher

Sid grew up in Lower Manhattan and returned to Brooklyn after earning a degree in Media, Culture, and the Arts from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Since graduating, Sid has primarily worked in creative production as a project manager, while also gaining valuable experience as a nanny and volunteering enthusiastically at youth-focused events. After calling Brooklyn home for five years, Sid recently moved to Queens.

An avid biker and nature lover, Sid is happiest outdoors and is passionate about helping children explore their creativity and enjoy meaningful time in nature. With a warm, attentive energy, Sid brings a thoughtful and engaging presence to their work with kids. A lifelong New Yorker who spent countless hours in places like Prospect Park, Sid is excited to support city children in connecting with the outdoors and growing into their fullest selves.

Teacher

Sinclaire was born in a small town in the foothills of Northern California. She grew up skiing in the mountains, swimming and boulder hopping in the nearby river, and building fairy houses deep in the forest. She went to University in Santa Barbara. There she started working (playing) with kids at the beach and in the mountains as an outdoor educator. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and an Early Childhood Education Certificate.

Eventually Sinclaire wanted to explore beyond California. She has since spent time as a bartender in Brooklyn, a full time crafter and explorer in London and she is now back and excited to be a part of Brooklyn Nature Days.

Sinclaire is passionate about environmental and social justice in her personal life and her work with children. She believes that a caring relationship for the earth and its beings comes from fostering connection, exploration and collaboration and that the access to this is a right not a privilege.

Her teaching philosophy is based on empowerment, child led play, building non-violent communication skills (she even wrote a children’s story about this!) and anti-bias education.

Sinclaire loves exploring, dancing, playing in the mud, crafting, being silly, trying new things, and siiiiiingiiiiing 🎶

Oh! And she looovvveesss doing hard things. You’ll see!

Sinclaire is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult First Aid and CPR

Teacher

Sofia is an educator and artist from Massachusetts, and she often finds curiosity, purpose, and inspiration in the natural environments surrounding her. She has experience working in forest preschools as well as indoor programs. Her educational philosophies center curiosity, exploration, and creativity, which she finds most often encouraged by natural environments. She is a graduate from Boston College, where she majored in Psychology and held minors in Studio Arts & Hispanic Studies. She has also worked for artists, galleries, and personal art projects that center collaboration, the climate crisis, and healing in art making. 

In her free time, Sofia loves making ceramics, cooking, biking, dancing, going to the movies, spending time with her family and friends, and being outside!

Sofia is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid

Teacher

Stella was born in Brooklyn and moved to rural upstate New York when she was seven years old. There, she fostered a deep appreciation for nature. Her first job was as an art camp counselor in a sculpture park. She loves working with kids and giving them the skills and tools to express themselves creatively. She recently graduated from Smith College with a degree in History and Middle East Studies. She has studied Arabic in Jordan and Morocco. In her free time, she enjoys reading, drawing, and writing. Some of her favorite books include Germinal, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Beloved. Before BND, she spent time in Prospect Park almost daily, exploring and going on runs.  

Stella is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid.

Teacher

Xylem (you may know them by their former name, Kate) is originally from the Hudson Valley and currently lives in Brooklyn. They graduated from Binghamton University in 2017 with a degree in biology, focusing on ecology, evolution, and animal behavior.

A lifelong nature enthusiast, Xylem enjoys hiking, camping, and stargazing whenever they can. In their free time, they also love to swim in the ocean, sing, paint and draw, play video games, and deepen their knowledge of their favorite trees.

Xylem is continually inspired by the natural curiosity children bring to the world. They are passionate about helping kids connect with and appreciate nature in meaningful ways. Xylem (formerly going by Kate) has been teaching at Brooklyn Nature Days since 2021.

Xylem is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult First Aid and CPR

Teacher

Hannah is certified in Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, and First Aid