Our Teachers 

Lisa Allen

She/Her/They

Director of Education - Vision Holder

Lisa grew up among the redwoods, mountains and seashores of Northern California.   A Juilliard trained flautist, her master’s degree was followed by a startling turn, finding her true calling working with children in the most natural, playful ways possible.  
Four decades of teaching span from creative child-centered music making and flute instruction to mindfulness practices for all ages.  Having mentored many young professionals in elementary music education Lisa herself has received mentorship from world class masters in flute performance, Orff-Schulwerk music instruction, and mindfulness for children.  
Public school music and mindfulness teaching became interlaced with Lisa’s personal passion for Non-Violent Communication and complex trauma resolution.  She began to see behavior as varied expressions of the universal human need to be seen and loved within a caring circle of safety.  Her teaching took on new life when guided by this deeper, quieter, wilder harmony.  Teaching early childhood in the forest is her natural response. 
Lisa enjoys her thirty-nineth year of marriage with her Juilliard sweetheart. They share deep gratitude for their two vibrantly wild grown children.

Jennifer MacGregor Dennis

She/Her

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Program Director

Jennifer is a mother with 2 decades experience working with children. Growing up in Scotland she spent her childhood outdoors in all weather conditions and carries with her a deep love of the natural world, inspired constantly by its beauty and power. She is a trained Iyengar Yoga teacher, holds a BA in Human Geography, studied Design at IED, Madrid and is a graduate of Tamalpa Institute's Expressive Movement and Art Therapy Training. She is also a qualified bodyworker through the School of Holistic Therapy. Jennifer has taught Art, Yoga, Nature Connection and English to children of all ages in Madrid, India, New York, Edinburgh and Peru.
"I was once told that if you can make friends with nature you are never alone, I now know this to be true."

Andrea Cortes

She/Her

Andrea is a teaching artist originally from New York City and has been working with children for over 17 years. She is passionate about play and the outdoors; and loves to inspire confidence, joy, and creativity in her students. She has taught dance/movement, mindfulness practices, and expressive arts to a variety of age groups from 2 years old to adults, including young adults on the spectrum.  She started exploring filmmaking and in particular dance films while studying at Wesleyan University where she got her B.A. in psychology, and has taught dance film production to children through SF Recreation & Parks. Earlier in her career she was a doula at SF General and recently she studied Energy Kinesiology as part of her growing fascination with the body's innate intelligence to both communicate and heal itself. She has lived in both Chile and Argentina, where she studied tango and taught children dance, but has found the landscapes of California to feel most like home.