Staff and Board

Little Star has a dedicated professional staff that includes teachers who have been here since the beginning, staff who have been employed for more than 20 years and alumni who are now staff – and are sending their own children to Little Star!

Brad Halm
Executive Director

Brad has a passion for early learning and the Montessori philosophy that developed from his own experience at a Montessori preschool and then seeing the profound positive impacts that Little Star has had on his own children. He joined the Little Star team in 2018 as Associate Director and was honored to learn from former Executive Director Dani Reynaud for 4 years before taking on the role himself in 2022. He brings with him a wealth of experience in values-based leadership and financial and organizational management from past managerial roles in the nonprofit and private sectors. In his free time, Brad loves climbing, skiing, playing the guitar, and trying to convince his children Rory and Soren to help him weed their vegetable garden.

Erin Clark
Director of Finance and Operations

Erin is a graduate of Washington State University and has a B.A. in Hospitality Business Management. She has worked in the hospitality industry here in the Methow Valley at Sun Mountain Lodge, and then switched course a bit to take on the role of Office Manager at Winthrop Physical Therapy and Fitness. Hailing originally from Bellingham, Washington, Erin and her partner Jake moved to the Methow Valley in 2009 with the intention of spending one season. Like many of those who call the Methow home, they never left. Instead, they bought a house and had a kid (Briar)! Erin’s interests include hiking and XC skiing, strategy board games, and working on her fishing skills. Erin brings a high level of organization to the Little Star office and loves being a part of this incredible team. 

Sarah Heller
Early Childhood Program Director

After a decade of visiting the valley to recharge, Sarah and her family made the leap to living here in 2022. Sarah was immediately captivated by the values-led community at Little Star and is deeply honored to be joining the staff! Sarah is the co-founder and former director of Fiddleheads Forest School, an entirely outdoor, nature-based preschool located in Seattle. Most recently she taught a math and science course for the University of Washington (UW) Early Childhood Degree Program and nature-based educator workshops for the UW Botanic Gardens. She holds a Master's in Education and a Certificate in Early Childhood Leadership from UW, and has been working outside with kids and families for over 15 years. She strongly believes cultivating a relationship with nature is essential to a healthy childhood and has lasting social, emotional and developmental benefits. Today you can find her exploring the valley forests and river beds with her children, and escaping for trail runs and mountain adventures whenever she can.

Emily Nelson
Director of Development and Operations

After growing up in San Francisco, Emily found the Methow Valley through an outdoor educator course with the Northwest Outward Bound School in 2015. After four seasons with the school in their logistics department, she wanted to commit to the strong, unique Valley community and moved here permanently. Previously, Emily worked at the Kennedy Center and the San Francisco Symphony, coordinating music education programs for youth, and most recently for Methow Arts as their Outreach Coordinator. Trained in classical trumpet and piano, Emily has loved immersing herself in the Valley's musical community through playing with the Orchestra, local bands, and teaching lessons. Emily brings a solid administrative background and passion for education to Little Star, and is proud to join the team in serving the children and families of the Methow.

Nicole O’Driscoll
Early Childhood Teacher, Sky Room

Nicole joined the Little Star team in 2007 and has taught in every age level over the last 14 years. She has been the lead infant teacher, lead toddler teacher, lead early childhood teacher, assistant early childhood teacher, summer camp teacher, and lead afternoon program teacher. She has taught at both the Winthrop and Twisp campus, helping to open the Twisp Infant Program in 2017.

Nicole went to school in Boston to study early childhood education while working as a nanny and volunteering as a preschool teacher. She grew up in the Methow, enjoying all that this beautiful place has to offer! She enjoys spending time with her husband, her 13 year old daughter Isolde and is a passionate baker and cook. Nicole is Montessori Certified.

Quinn Kenworthy
Early Childhood Teacher, Sky Room

Quinn moved to the Methow Valley in June of 2023, from Boulder, Colorado. She loves the area so far, spending lots of time on the local trails on foot and bike. Quinn’s adventurous life has taken her from her East Coast roots (where she got a BA in English from Brown University) to Laramie, Wyoming (where she got a MFA in Creative Writing at University of Wyoming) with stops in Venice Beach, CA; Davis, CA; New York City; and Boulder. She has worked in many areas—university instructor, gardener & landscaper, hydroponic farmer—and found joy and purpose in all of them. As a youngster, Quinn attended Montessori School in Pennsylvania. She is excited to be working in Forest Room and learning from the other excellent teachers at Little Star. You can always find her reading (poetry or nonfiction), listening to the Grateful Dead, or running at Lake Patterson with her pup, Jack Straw. 

Cassady Sheffler-Brennand
Early Childhood Teacher, Sky Room

Cassady grew up in Homer, Alaska and moved to the valley last summer. She is deeply interested in understanding how people learn to navigate their unique paths in the world. Since high school she has taught children, from infants on up, how to swim, fostering confidence and growth. 

Cass attended Fireweed Academy, a Montessori school in Homer, and has fond and profound memories of her time there, which helped shape her views on education and personal development. She has a Bachelors degree in Spanish and Gender Studies from Western Washington University.

Now part of Little Star, Cass is excited to support children in their "coming to be" moments, guiding them on their unique journeys toward self-awareness and understanding. She finds it personally rewarding to help others learn to navigate life's challenges and to appreciate life’s rich joys.

Outside of her professional interests, Cass enjoys mountain biking, skiing, and spending time in the water, embracing her “inner fish.” She plays the double bass and guitar and loves music of all genres.

Michelle Shaffer
Early Childhood Teacher, Rainbow Room

Michelle holds a BA in sociology from the University of Washington, an ECE Montessori certification from NAMC.. During her studies at the UW,  she participated in research through CDMRC (child development) with a focus on object permanence and twin studies. She was also part of a team that coded expression of emotion for Dr. John Gottman’s research focusing on couples and relationships..

 Upon graduating from the UW, she worked for 2 years with handicapped young adults on independent living and integrating into society. She intentionally moved back to her hometown in the Methow Valley in 1993 to begin raising a family and living in and creating community. She arrived at Little Star in the fall of 1999 and has been here ever since! All 4 of her children have graduated from kindergarten at Little Star. In her spare time, Michelle loves to cook, bake, hike, alpine and Nordic ski, swim in our lakes and rivers, paddle board, and escape to the west side for saltwater, sand and ethnic food!

Emily Plott
Early Childhood Teacher, Rainbow Room

Emily grew up in Santiago, Chile until she was 8 and attended a Montessori preschool there. This early childhood experience inspired her curiosity for the natural world and love for singing. Emily attended The Evergreen State College and graduated with a BS in Environmental Science. She has worked teaching kids in community garden projects, beach naturalist programs, aboard the schooner Adventuress, and in western Washington forests. Before moving to the Methow Valley, Emily worked at a mostly outdoor Waldorf inspired preschool in Olympia, where she gained experience and inspiration in puppetry and storytelling. Emily enjoys exploring the mountains with her two kids, Elliot and Azmun, hiking, swimming, playing cello, cooking and cross country skiing.

Nick Hershenow
Early Childhood Teacher, Rainbow Room

Nick and his wife, Phoebe, moved to Twisp in January 2015. Their own children grew up grounded in a close-knit yet open community and that is one of the many things that drew them to the Methow and to Little Star.  Nick started coming in as a volunteer and quickly transitioned to working/playing as an afternoon enrichment teacher, Friday teacher and Spanish teacher. In lieu of a career Nick has had many different jobs, including: white water raft/wilderness guide in Costa Rica and California; Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire (Congo); founding director of a community gardens program in Salt Lake City; elementary school creative writing teacher; Forest Service field tech in central Idaho; mentor and social worker at a Honduran children’s home; health educator in Ecuador; land steward on Orcas Island; and writer (The Road Builder was published by Penguin/Putnam in 2001; he is working on completing a second novel).

Kim Claussen
Early Childhood Teacher, Forest Room

Kim is a lifelong Washington resident who moved to the Methow Valley in 1992. She joined the Little Star team to help start the first toddler program with Liz Singleton, where she remained for fifteen years. She started teaching Early Childhood in 2007. She majored in Early Childhood Education and French at Central Washington University, with a minor in fiber arts. She is a Certified Positive Discipline instructor, and continues to teach her annual class for parents and educators, and did her Montessori training with Rayma Hayes. When she’s not in the classroom, she is quilting, canoeing, gardening, putting up food, enjoying being a grandma, and making pies!

Bri Veleber
Early Childhood Teacher, Forest Room

Bri grew up on the west side and moved to the Methow Valley in 2021 after years of weekends visiting and playing in the magical lands. She attended Gonzaga, where she earned her B.Ed. in Physical Education with endorsements in Elementary Education and Health and Fitness. After graduating, she subbed with several school districts where she became a well known guest teacher in both PE and elementary classrooms, additionally taking a long term sub position at the alternative high school. She then taught K-8 PE for 7 years before moving on to a new school, teaching K-5 for the next 3 years before having her first kiddo. At this school she further learned the importance of social emotional learning, project based learning, and began training and teaching with Positive Discipline. In between, all her summers “off” were spent in Alaska fishing commercially. Post-becoming a mama, Bri joined Little Star as a sub as well as summer camp teacher. She is obsessed with providing a safe space for children to explore emotions and learn in their own way in their own time, regardless of age, as well as watching the wonder of a child who is learning a new skill.

In her off time, she enjoys snowboarding, cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, baking gluten free, learning how to garden, yoga, and learning about the human body and nature. She and her husband, an infant, and a curious 5 year old, who keeps them learning everyday.

Meghan Lentz
Early Childhood Teacher, Forest Room

Meghan was raised on Camano Island, WA and moved to the east side of the mountains to attend Whitworth University and play basketball. She graduated from Withworth with a B.S in health, fitness and physical education with a minor in theology. After graduating, she was a P.E teacher in Arlington, WA and coached basketball and cross country. Meghan taught many summer and sports camps for ages pre k and up (and coached T-ball locally in Methow). Later, Meghan went back to school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

Meghan lives in Twisp with her husband Eric and two children Trygve and Lucy. In her free time, Meghan enjoys mountain and road biking, cross country skiing, golfing , cooking, playing and coaching almost any sport. Meghan is excited to teach and be a part of the Little Star Community . 

Sophia Irvine
Early Childhood Teacher, Forest Room

Sophia grew up in Seattle, traveling to the Methow throughout her whole childhood. She moved to Twisp in 2019 with my parents, drawn by its solitude and small-town living style—aka, the dream!

Sophia comes from a family of teachers and educators, so an education major felt like a natural path. After a year and a half at GCU, illness necessitated a move back home. Now healthy, she’s been teaching at Little Star since the summer of 2024, and she’s so excited for this fall!

Sophia is eager to continue fostering creativity in young learners this year. It’s an honor to be part of such a supportive and close-knit community at Little Star, where she can nurture children’s minds and be there watching them grow, while all their hands-on learning takes place.

In my free time, she enjoys journaling, hosting dinners, and creating—whether it’s art, cool projects, etc. It all fuels me and inspires my teaching. This creative energy is where much of my inspiration takes flight!

Zanna Gable
Early Childhood Teacher, Meadow Room

Zanna’s involvement with Little Star School began in 1983 when she was one of Rayma’s little stars, followed by teaching summer camps, toddler, afternoon program and as a substitute teacher. Zanna believes every child should be empowered through education and treated with respect. She is delighted to be a Little Star teacher and looks forward to having the privilege of learning and growing with your children. She lives in Winthrop with her husband, Michael, and their two sons and two dogs. She enjoys being outdoors, gardening, teaching yoga and spending time with her family.

Jen Ellsworth
Early Childhood Teacher, Meadow Room

Jen first came to Little Star as a substitute teacher and almost immediately became the ‘go to’ sub that every classroom in the school asked for. Jen has subbed at every level (infant, toddler, EC) and at both our Twisp and Winthrop campuses with almost full time weekly hours during the 2021-22 school year. She began working in the Early Childhood field 20 years ago, with time spent working privately, for Early Head Start and Head Start and as an Enrollment Coordinator. Jen has completed numerous ECE trainings and looks forward to continue gaining Montessori knowledge and training through Little Star. Jen first moved to the Methow Valley in 1982 with her father and she graduated from Liberty Bell High School in 1989. She has two grown sons and a daughter and three amazing grandchildren. Jen is excited to be based permanently in the Meadow Room and to create with her team a fun and inspiring year for new and returning students!

Hillary Silva
Early Childhood Teacher, Meadow Room

Coming soon!

Robbie Carver
Early Childhood Teacher, Meadow Room

Robbie is the father of Zev, who is just entering second grade and still talks about Little Star almost every day. When he’s not acting as Zev’s personal jungle gym, he enjoys taking his dogs to the river, mountain biking, and exploring this beautiful Valley.

Katy Spencer
Early Childhood Teacher, Late Afternoon & Friday Teacher

Katy grew up in Seattle, and moved to the Methow when her parents retired there in 2017. She has been working on and off at Little Star since 2018 in the Early Childhood Program and summer camps. She has since gotten her BA and MAT in Elementary Education from Colorado College. In her free time, Katy enjoys mountain biking, music, hiking and reading. She is estatic to be a part of the Little Star team again! 

Michelle Larsen
Toddler Teacher, Luna Room

Michelle’s connection to Little Star began in 2002, when her youngest son attended as a preschooler. She soon joined the Little Star board of directors where she developed a love and admiration for the school and its philosophy. Michelle joined the staff in 2015 as an afternoon enrichment teacher, and after two years, she became part of the toddler teaching team. She continues to be grateful for the opportunity to nurture and connect with the valley's young children and their families. Michelle’s time away from work is spent enjoying her three grown kids and grandchildren, and fishing with her husband Charlie.

Carmi Paz
Toddler Teacher, Sol Room

Coming soon!

Nimbe Cruz Garrido
Toddler Teacher, Sol & Luna, Spanish Teacher

Nimbe was born in Veracruz, Mexico, where she studied communications. She moved to Utah in 2002, where she worked as a babysitter and then started a cleaning company. She met her husband in Seattle in 2015, and soon after moved to Winthrop. She has a 6 year old daughter and stays very busy keeping up with all her activities!

Florence Sawyer
Toddler Teacher, Sol Room

Florence is happy to be back with toddlers. She continues a 20 year career with Little Star which began as the grateful parent of four Little Star students now ages 27, 25, 23 and 19. Florence holds a Bachelor Degree (English Major, Spanish Minor) from the University of Utah and has attended many Montessori conferences and trainings over her years at Little Star. Florence is always looking for opportunities to renew and re-envision creative and respectful ways of accompanying the children in her care.

Florence balances her working life with gardening, hiking, and lake swimming…until wintertime when it becomes knitting, snowshoeing and skiing. Florence appreciates the presence of joy in daily life with these beautiful little people.

Vanessa Levine
Toddler Teacher, Sol Room

Vanessa was born in Lima, Peru and moved to the Methow Valley in 2016. In Peru, she worked as a Montessori guide for seven consecutive years. Vanessa loves the Montessori philosophy of teaching. “I've had the privilege of applying this extraordinary educational method with young children, adolescents, and young adults, through lecturing and providing workshops throughout my city for many years before arriving in the US.” Vanessa joined Little Star in 2017 and has taught in both the early childhood and toddler programs. “I love being a mother and a teacher, being an active witness of how little boys and girls get to discover this world, learning everything they can thanks to their inquisitive minds.” Outside of teaching Vanessa enjoys cooking, dancing and playing with her daughter. Spanish is Vanessa's native tongue and she is working on her English, with help from the children who very much enjoy being the teachers! 

Sarah Thomas
Infant Teacher, Gemini Room

As a new mama and life-long wonder seeker Sarah is excited to join Little Star. Her educator background is in environmental education and language learning through experiential programming. She has worked to develop and teach intergenerational French camp programming in the San Juan Islands, including French cuisine, kayaking and island ecology. She also spent a season of ecological exploration at the North Cascades Institute as a mountain school instructor and family camp getaway coordinator. She, her husband Max, and their dog 'Razz'berry welcomed our newest family member in May, Xavi (zah-vee). He is enjoying spending time with his new friends in Gemini room. She looks forward to playing and learning with our Sol class on Fridays, and to meeting you all soon.

Elena Hall
Infant Teacher, Gemini Room

Elena grew up in the Methow Valley and recently graduated from Liberty Bell High School. She’s been working at Little Star since 2020, and loves getting to see the infants grow and learn. In her free time, Elena likes to swim and hike.

Molly Bonham
Infant Teacher, Gemini Room

Molly was born on a small island outside of Seattle, and grew up with dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and Pygmy goats. She fell in love with teaching as a volunteer aid in a 2nd grade classroom when she was 17, and went on to work as a camp counselor and daycare assistant while earning her degree in English Lit from University of Oregon. After graduation, she became the Toddler Lead at University Temple children’s School in Seattle, where she developed a STEM program and became RIE certified. Molly moved to the Methow in 2022, and is thrilled bring her passion and experience in early childhood education to Little Star. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Sully, backpacking, kayaking, gardening, and painting and writing children’s books.

Joanne Hunold
Infant Teacher, Gemini Room

Joanne (Jo) and her husband Alexander chose Winthrop as their retirement destination while visiting friends in 2017. Determined to contribute to her new community, Jo volunteered to serve as a Board Member at Jamie's Place. During her tenure there, she was one of the organizers behind Methow Valley PPE: a volunteer group whose members produced and distributed hand-sewn masks throughout the Methow Valley. Jo  joined Little Star as a part-time teacher after responding to a recruitment notice from Methow At Home. Jo's true love is babies, so she is thrilled to teach in the Gemini classroom, where she marvels at their rapid pace of developmental changes. She finds her work at Little Star fun, entertaining, and challenging. When she is not juggling babies, Jo enjoys a plethora of outside activities: swimming, cycling, hiking, learning to Ice skate, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, and foreign travel.

Calli Chase
Toddler Teacher, Treehouse Room

Calli grew up in Washington state, and has been working in Early Childhood centers for 24 years. She has has a certificate in Early Childhood Development, and over the years she has had a blast creating art, storytelling, singing and dancing in the classroom. She and her husband have a blended family of 3 daughters. She loves going on adventures in the mountains, going to the beach, reading and being with her family.

Barbara Szalay
Toddler Teacher, Treehouse Room & Infant Teacher, Gemini Room

After being raised in a military family where moving was a way of life, know she found a place to call home when she settled in the Methow Valley in 1995. She was immediately drawn to the beauty of the area and the kind, caring community.

Barbara has a strong background in early childhood education, working at both the Forest Service and Community Center childcare centers. She has also raised children of her own, and has seen first hand the importance of the Valley’s community in her and her family’s growth and success. She is excited to join the Little Star team and once again experience the joy of early childhood!

Khristina Erickson
Infant Teacher, Birds Nest Room

Khristina grew up in the Methow Valley, graduated from Liberty Bell High school in 2017, and soon after began her career with Little Star. She worked within the Toddler program at the Twisp campus for a few year, including as lead teacher, and is now working in Birds Nest with the babies. During her time outside of Little Star she is going on adventures and making memories with her dog Daisy, husband Kevin, and their three kids, Kacie, Kody & Kash. 

Krista Breckenridge
Infant Teacher, Birds Nest Room

Krista is a native of Skagit Valley where she graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School and continued her education through Skagit Valley College, graduating with her AA Degree in 2002. She moved to the Methow Valley in 2013 as a stay at home mother of 2 daughters, adding a 3rd daughter to the roster shortly there after. Krista has a passion for young babies and is thrilled to be part of the Little Star Twisp teaching team. She enjoys spending time with her family, cheering her girls on at their many sporting events, painting, and spending time in her garden and at the river.

Bahia Rowan
Music Enrichment, Winthrop

Bahia Rowan has been teaching music in person, and virtually, for adults and children for over 20 years through private instruction at Bahia’s Music Studio. She teaches guitar, ukulele, mandolin, voice, piano, music theory and Eurythmics. With a bachelor’s in musical theatre, classical guitar training, 7 years of voice training, and continuing education from Cornish College of the Arts, she brings years of experience to teaching music and movement classes. Bahia’s love for teaching and nurturing children shine’s through over her 20-year commitment in childcare experience. She has dedicated her time to day cares, childcare classes, child developmental learning courses and nannying. She is passionate about meeting kids where they’re at and fostering growth from ages 0-16 years of age.

Board of directors

Will Kiefer, board president
LaTanya Ott, vice president
Steve Hirsch, treasurer
Alieta Gregg, secretary
Erin Cooley
Kristie Fisher
Leverett Hubbard
Anna Patterson
Sam Rayachoti
Lurline Sweet

Advisory board members

Ardis Bynum
Laurel Canan
Fran Kaul
Ashley Lodato
Julie Palm
Eveline Wathen
Katharine Bill