Our Team
Adela Martinez Berg
Founding Director
Adela Martinez Berg (she/her) is a CA permitted preschool Director and certified CA Mentor Teacher. Adela grew up in Point Arena and attended Arena Elementary and the Pacific Community Charter High School. She received her BA in Child Development and Master’s of Education in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Trauma Informed Practices and ECE Policy/Research from Mills College. Over the past decade, Adela has worked in the Bay Area serving children and families through a diverse range of channels and contexts. Adela served as a leading teacher with Buen Dia Family School, a play-based, arts-focused Spanish bilingual program; and Parent Education Specialist at the Epiphany Center, a residential SUD (Substance Use Disorder) recovery program for women and children (0-3). Adela is thrilled to return to her roots in Mendocino County to partner with the community to bring to life a vision of nature-inspired, play-based, Early Childhood Education.
Jessica Mata
Assistant Teacher
Jessica Mata (she/her) grew up locally in Mendocino County, in Manchester CA and attended Point Arena High School. Jessica is trained as a behavioral therapist and completed her certification through the Inclusive Education and Community Partnership’s program, an organization that serves families with children with special needs via Regional Centers throughout the State of California. Jessica is a Spanish-bilingual educator and family advocate, and is in the process of earning her Child Development permit while teaching at The Forager School. When asked what her favorite part about teaching at The Forager School is, she remarked, “… seeing the children’s smiling faces.” She is excited to be on the team and working towards furthering her education!
Julianne Johnston
Lead Teacher
Julianne Johnston (she/her) has always enjoyed working with children and is regularly inspired by what they can teach her. She’s the proud mother of 5-year-old twins and a long-time local/devoted community member. She obtained her BA from Sonoma State University in 2008 with an emphasis in Child Development and Autism. She went on to get her Child Development Site Supervisor Permit in 2015. She has had the opportunity to work with and support families on the coast for 15 years. She loves gardening, reading, cooking, and singing.
Therese Regonini
Adventure Teacher/Outdoor Enrichment Specialist
Therese Regonini (Teacher T) has a background in art and nature enrichment education with a focus on Reggio-Emilia inspired learning. She is passionate about students’ individuality, creativity, and connections both in and out of the classroom. She believes immersion in nature is a key aspect in learning and fostering lifelong curiosity.
Therese holds her BA in visual arts with a focus on functional and sculptural ceramics. She has worked as an educator in San Francisco, Colorado, Sāmoa, and the greater Bay Area, as well as attended professional development conferences in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and The North American Reggio Emilia Alliance’s meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been visiting Sea Ranch and Gualala, CA for over 25 years, and considers the local environment as a pillar in her upbringing. Therese is looking forward to using all aspects of her background to expand on the outdoor educational offerings at The Forager School.
Jan Henley
Educational Advisor/Teaching Specialist
Jan Henley has been working with and learning from children for the last 40 years here along the coast (ranging from Fort Ross School, Seaview Child Center, Point Arena Elementary, and Head Start in Guerneville). She has a CA teaching credential and a CA preschool director’s permit. Most of her experience has been in the age range of 3-7 year olds, teaching literacy. She offers a play-based instruction that often derives inspiration from a book or the natural world. Jan also offers program consultation and helps source materials for the ever-evolving curriculum. In addition she has also enjoyed teaching Art to K-8th grade students for 20 of those years.
Amanda Mahaffey
Outdoor Education Specialist / Little Sun Village
Amanda Mahaffey is a dedicated Waldorf-inspired educator who focuses on teaching the seasonal stories from the farm, forest, and our community. She is the founder and operator of Little Sun Village, an environmental and art enrichment program for homeschoolers ages 7-12, currently programmed at Oz Farm in Manchester, CA.
Amanda has her Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability. She is currently pursuing her early childhood Waldorf certificate through the Lifeways Program. She attributes most of what she has learned about children and the environment to her seven-year stint at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, CA where she served as the Community Programs Manager and ran field trips, afterschool programs, and seasonal festivals for her community. She has worked with children in various capacities and settings for 15 years. Amanda believes that the preciousness of childhood should be celebrated with song, story, and imagination and she brings this to all of her interactions with little ones. In her free time, you can find her writing, creating fiber arts, hiking, and playing music.
Board Members- 2024/2025
Martine Hughey- President
Kasia Wisniewski- Secretary
Catherine Chin- Treasurer
Lindsay Garlock
Christine Kan
Ali Momeni
Aparna Wilder
Educational Partners
Danielle Warner
Dance Instructor / The Village Studio
Danielle Warner, owner of The Village Studio and a local from Annapolis, started Ballet at the age of 4 in Gualala. To advance her training, at age 9 she started dancing at studios in Santa Rosa 3-4 days a week, earning her way into pointe shoes by age 13. Danielle has also studied other forms of dance throughout her childhood, and while attending college, such as, rhythmic gymnastics, ice skating, contemporary, Kathak Indian dancing, hip-hop, sometimes working with world renowned instructors. Being able to bring her love of dance back into her community to inspire another generation of young dancers and athletes has been a dream. Danielle currently teaches children’s classes in Ballet, gymnastics, and Pilates Fusion for adults!
Community Partners
Redwood Coast Life Support District
Oz Farm
Nature’s Tune Farm
Four-Eyed Frog Bookstore
The Village Arts Studio Gualala
Gualala Arts Center
South Coast Volunteer Fire Department
The Stone Ranch
Elise Allen
Program Naturalist / Summer Program Adventure Teacher
Elise Allen grew up in Point Arena and graduated from Point Arena High School. She earned her BA in Ecosystem Management and Forestry and Marine Science. As a practicing Fisheries Technician working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Fort Bragg, CA, Elise has partnered with The Forager School to share her passion for habitat restoration and studying all things in the natural world with the next generation of young learners.