Meet The Saplings Summer Camp Team
Austin Merenyi Amuchastegui
Austin (he/him) is a licensed service dog trainer with PADS, focusing on advanced training and socialization for dogs. At Saplings, he brings service dogs in training along, sharing his expertise and always happy to answer questions!
Sara Shojaee
Sara grew up in a large family in Iran, where her love for teaching began. With a Master’s in Teaching and ECEA certification, she brings a holistic, nurturing approach to early learning, supported by her passion for mindfulness and nature.
Cait Boulianne
Cait has five years of childcare experience and is completing her degree in Child and Youth Care and Visual Arts at UVic. Known for her fun, forest-friendly art projects, she brings creativity and passion to every camper interaction.
Emma Daly
Born and raised in North Vancouver, Emma has been working with children since 2013. Currently completing a Bachelor’s in Child and Youth Care, they bring creativity, inclusivity, and a passion for helping children celebrate their uniqueness.
Mahboubeh (Mahi) Shafiei Alavijeh
​Mahi is an experienced educator passionate about play-based and inclusive learning, she brings creativity and compassion to support each child's unique potential.
Mahya Yousefinia
​Mahya is an Early Childhood Educator Assistant certified through UBC, with experience in daycare and before/after school programs. She brings creativity, a nurturing approach, and a passion for nature and watercolor painting to foster joyful, meaningful learning experiences.
Keane Vallis
Originally from Nova Scotia, Keane has a deep love for the outdoors and the coast. With experience in childcare and volunteer work, they bring creativity and a passion for art to their role on the After School Care team.
Evan Hancock
Evan has worked with children for over 7 years and joined Saplings in January 2025. With an ECEA certification and a love for the outdoors, they are excited to be part of a team that values nature-based learning.
Jacqueline Kerr
Jacqueline is a certified Early Childhood Educator and Forest School Practitioner with a diploma in Parks and Outdoor Recreation. She draws on experience in ecology and land stewardship, bringing creativity and curiosity to her work fostering early connections to nature.
David Han
​David is an Early Childhood Educator with a background in Social Sciences from the University of Toronto. Passionate about the outdoors, he brings a love for nature, experience with children, and a commitment to fostering young children’s curiosity and growth.
Sarah Scripture
​Sarah has worked with children since 2019 and is passionate about child-led, creative, and outdoor learning. With a love for art and nature, she encourages children to explore their interests, build confidence, and express herself through hands-on experiences.
Stefanie Zaldarriaga
Born in the Philippines, Stef is an enthusiastic educator with a Bachelor’s in Special Education and 7+ years of experience. Currently completing her Master’s in Leadership, she brings warmth, creativity, and a passion for outdoor learning to Saplings.
Trevor Funk
Growing up in Banff National Park sparked my lifelong love for nature. With over a decade of experience in education and childcare, I’m passionate about guiding children through outdoor learning that fosters curiosity, resilience, and connection to the natural world.​
Shabnam Golafshan
Shabnam, born in Iran, has 17 years of teaching experience in bilingual schools. With an MBA and ECEA certification, she creates nurturing, inclusive learning environments rooted in love, patience, and creativity, driven by a passion for children’s growth.
Ankit Abbot
Bio coming soon.
Rebecca Fernandes
Born in Dubai, Rebecca is an artist and educator with a Master’s in Art Education. With experience teaching children in various settings across Canada and internationally, she brings a love of outdoor, hands-on learning and fosters children’s creativity and confidence.
Emma Veness-Kehler
​Emma, born and raised in Vancouver, joined the Saplings after-school team in 2024. With a background in Psychology and experience in classrooms, she’s passionate about supporting young learners, fostering curiosity, and exploring the local ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest.
Tanee Duong
Tanee holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership and an ECEA certification from UBC. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in inclusive, engaging learning environments for children aged 3 to 10, especially those with special needs or learning differences.
April Thompson
April is a certified Early Childhood Educator with a BA in Anthropology and four years of teaching English abroad. Passionate about outdoor learning, early literacy, and languages, she brings a global perspective and adventurous spirit to her role at Saplings.
Ally Dafoe
​Ally is an Early Childhood Educator with four years of experience and a passion for building one-on-one relationships. With a love for the outdoors, music, and sports, she brings energy, creativity, and curiosity to Saplings’ dynamic outdoor environment.
Grace Sarlandie
Grace (she/they), from the Tseshaht and YuuÅ‚uÊ”iÅ‚Ê”atḥ First Nations, brings a passion for land-based learning to their role at Pemberton Heights Preschool. They foster children’s curiosity and connection to nature on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Devora Laye
Devora has over 20 years of experience in childcare, including work as a nanny, in daycares, preschools, and nature schools. A Langara ECE graduate, she’s passionate about fostering a love for learning through outdoor exploration, music, and movement.
Parisa Alvarzandi
Parisa is an ECEA originally from Iran with a deep love for nature-based learning. She believes outdoor play fosters creativity, curiosity, and lifelong learning, and is excited to support children’s growth and connection to the environment at Saplings.
Meghan Ormandy
Meghan Ormandy, from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, carries her traditional name ʔəy̓wəttənat. She shares knowledge of Squamish language, traditional medicine, canoeing, and longhouse ceremonies. Passionate about working with youth, Meghan brings cultural wisdom, joy, and energy to her role.
Mako Kawamura
With a BA in Sociology and ECEA certification, I’m a passionate educator who values outdoor learning and “risky play.” I create safe, engaging environments where children build creativity, resilience, and connection—drawing inspiration from nature and my love for adventure.
Zakary Mahmoud
Zakary returns to Saplings with a background in film and art and a passion for creativity, exploration, and lifelong learning. He’s excited to grow alongside the team and support children in discovering and connecting with the natural world.
Katie Shobridge
Katie, a lifelong North Shore resident, is excited to join Saplings and share her love of nature, music, and kids. Passionate about outdoor adventures, she enjoys hiking, singing, and spending time with her three dogs outside of work.
Nadine Obstaculo
​Nadine is a psychology student with 8 years of experience working with children. She hopes to become an elementary teacher and is excited to step into her role as an outdoor educator, combining her love for teaching and the outdoors.
Sepideh Ansari
​Sepideh is passionate about supporting young children’s growth and development through care, patience, and play. Drawn to Saplings’ outdoor-based approach, she believes nature fosters confidence, creativity, and curiosity through rich, hands-on learning experiences in the early years.
Rho Pylypenko
Rho (she/her), born in Ukraine, brings a love for art, teaching, and nature to Saplings. With experience as a STEM teacher’s assistant and years of environmental volunteering, she’s passionate about supporting children’s learning through curiosity and outdoor exploration.
Jillian Burke
Jillian teaches at Saplings and Sprouts Academy, with a background in special needs education, theatre, and ELL. Passionate about hands-on, nature-based learning, she brings creativity, inclusivity, and a deep commitment to nurturing individual growth in every child.
Katherine Mussenden
​With a background in geology and education, and experience teaching across BC, the NWT, and Nunavut, she brings a deep love for nature and responsive, play-based learning. She’s passionate about fostering curiosity through connection, representation, and outdoor exploration.
Julianna Reimer
Bio coming soon.
Morgan Sims
Morgan is from the North Shore and has lived in Colorado and California. With a degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and ECE training from UBC, she brings a passion for science, nature, and sports to her work with children.
Bhawandeep Kaur
Bio coming soon.
Abby Gribble
Bio coming soon.
Nikoo Delkhah
Bio coming soon.
Richita Goli
Richita joined Saplings in 2025 while completing her Master’s in Forestry at UBC. With experience teaching science outdoors, she brings curiosity, creativity, and a love for hands-on learning—helping children explore nature, ask questions, and connect with the world around them.
Katy Chen
Bio coming soon.
Devon Livingstone
Devon is currently studying Early Childhood Education at Capilano University and is passionate about inclusive learning, especially supporting neurodiverse children. Growing up on the North Shore, Devon has always loved the outdoors and values nature’s role in children’s development.
Farnaz Taheri
Farnaz is an Early Childhood Educator with a background in graphic design and business. She creates inclusive, engaging environments that nurture each child’s individuality, supporting growth through play, nature exploration, and meaningful social-emotional learning in early education settings.
Liz McCusker
Liz is an outdoor educator from North Vancouver who studies biology and loves hiking, camping, and exploring nature. With three summers of experience working with kids, she enjoys sharing her passion for the outdoors as part of the Saplings team.
Kathy Chen
​Kathy joined the Saplings team in 2023 as a substitute and has loved it since! She's currently a student at UBC and studying Speech Sciences and Psychology. Kathy absolutely loves the outdoors and spends her free time paddleboarding, swimming, bouldering, and hiking.
Ilo Feldman
Ilo (pronounced ee-low) has over 6 years of experience working with youth of all ages, including neurodiverse and disabled children. Passionate about free outdoor play, they love joining in kids' games and exploring the Lower Mainland by bike and guitar.
Robyn Warden
Robyn has worked at Saplings since August 2024 and holds a Psychology degree from UBC. She also works as a behaviour interventionist and is passionate about children’s mental health. Outside work, she enjoys weightlifting, painting, and beach days.