Our Staff
All classroom guides hold NJ teaching certificates.
Emily Allen
Galaxy Guide
Emily grew up in Sussex County on the banks of the Wallkill River, spending most of her childhood outdoors. Her university studies focused on the ocean, with a semester spent researching marine biology at sea. Suffering severe seasickness, she shifted her focus to rivers, obtaining her master’s degree in geography and GIS, where her thesis explored channel change in the Squamish River in British Columbia. Emily has worked as an environmental educator for over a decade, teaching New York City students about the salt marsh in Queens, Illinois elementary students about old-growth forest and tall-grass prairie, and undergraduate college students about geography, finally returning home to teach about the Kittatinny Ridge in Sussex County. She is excited to work at an institution whose values so closely mirror her own. In the summer, Emily works as a Fluvial Geomorphologist, restoring degraded streams. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, reading, yoga, and spending time in, on, and around bodies of water. Emily lives on the banks of the Little Flatbrook with her partner and their two cats.
Education:
MA Geography and GIS, University of Illinois
BS Environmental Science, St. John’s University (NY)
Jocelyn “Jojo” Carlson
Nova Guide
Jocelyn (Jojo) grew up in the Blairstown area and has always felt a connection to the natural world. She joined RVCS in 2024 after completing an Americorps term through Montclair State University’s “Healthy Community Corps” program. Her passion for working with children was sparked during her internship at Montclair Community Farms, where she helped promote ecological literacy in an urban setting. Jojo holds a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification, which she hopes to use to help students connect to the earth and each other through movement. She loves spending her free time making sourdough bread, cooking, gardening, traveling, running, and simply being in nature.
Education:
BS Sustainability Science, Montclair State University (NJ)
Nancy Christian
Constellation Guide
Nancy grew up in the Morris/Warren county area of New Jersey. She lived in different parts of the country as well as abroad before settling back in the area with her daughter. Nancy began working as a full-time guide at RVCS in 2012. She brings a diverse background with her, with experiences ranging from teaching reading to adults in the New York prison system to being an FAA certified flight instructor and flight school operator. Nancy has also designed and organized aeronautical science camps, youth programs, and college aviation programs. She is a certified Horse Powered Reading and Math Instructor, providing equine assisted literacy and math programs for learners. She is passionate about finding ways to incorporate the connection between animals and students to support students with learning challenges by finding ways to bypass anxiety and more readily access academic success. Nancy enjoys spending time with her family, camping, open water swimming, trail running, SCUBA diving, traveling and learning about other cultures.
Education:
MA Education, College of St. Elizabeth (NJ)
BA Arts, History and Anthropology, Marymount College (NY)
Bridget Fajvan
Support Guide
Bridget joined the RVCS community in 2025. She considers herself creative and an out of the box thinker grounded in reason. She has always loved the earth and being outdoors, especially the exploration of wetlands and their soils and plants.
Education:
BS Environmental Science, Paul Smith’s College (NY)
Michael Florio
Constellation Guide
Mike grew up in nearby Sussex County, and has been a Guide at RVCS since 2005. He is inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner, bringing his growing understanding of Anthroposophy and biodynamic agriculture into his work with students. He facilitates hands-on work with students such as building root cellars to store vegetables grown by the students, cooking, and spoon carving to introduce colonial crafts. Mike enjoys cooking and gardening on his small farm with his wife and children.
Education:
BS Education, East Stroudsburg University (PA)
Kyle Freeman 
Galaxy Guide
Kyle was born and raised in Dingmans Ferry, PA, near the Delaware River. He has worked on flower farms in both Maine and western New York and ran a market garden while in college. In addition to his farming experience, he also experiments with hydroponic systems and has a deep interest in the future of sustainable technology. Joining RVCS in 2021, Kyle considers himself a lifelong learner and believes that the school setting truly is his niche. He enjoys bodies of water, observing insects and spiders, snowboarding, music, art, and exploring the Delaware River Valley.
Education:
BA English, The State University of New York at Geneseo
AA Agricultural Technology, Alfred State (NY)
Becky Garceau
Nova Guide
From a young age, Becky explored the natural world with curiosity and joy, discovering its endless wonders and opportunities for exploration, all of which still inspire her to get outside each day. Becky joined the RVCS community in 2009. She has grown as a lifelong learner with a deep commitment to Earth Literacy, as well as continued deepening her understanding of experiential education and problem-based learning. Becky loves being outdoors and sharing her sense of wonder and awe for the natural world with the children she guides. One of her greatest passions is helping students connect with the food they eat—understanding where it comes from, how it grows, and how we can celebrate it together. She finds joy in guiding children to see the relationships between land, nourishment, and community. Beyond school, Becky spends much of her time exploring with her three children—hiking and wading through local rivers. Her family also enjoys spending time together tending to their chickens and gardens, as well as crafting.
Education:
BA Sociology/Elementary Education, Centenary College (NJ)
Alyssa Garner
Stardust Guide
Alyssa grew up in Connecticut and first came to the area to work as a Park Ranger in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Alyssa has been a Guide at RVCS since 2011. Earlier in her career, Alyssa led outdoor adventure trips for students and worked as an environmental educator at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Passionate about service to others, Alyssa was also a teacher trainer focusing on literacy development during her tour in the Peace Corps. Alyssa enjoys camping, swimming, and introducing her two young children to the wonders of the natural world.
Education:
BA Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education, Loyola University (MD)
Sundae Greame
Stardust Guide
Originally from Andover, New Jersey, Sundae recently moved to Warren County with her husband and four young children. Her professional experience features notable positions including AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador and Watershed Liaison at the Wallkill River Wildlife Refuge, prior joining RVCS in 2006. Sundae enjoys leading hands-on educational activities for children, particularly sewing, wet needle felting, cooking, and natural dyeing. Outside of her professional life, Sundae enjoys engaging in outdoor activities with her family and caring for their flock of ducks and geese.
Education:
BS Marine Biology, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ)
Julia Kelly
Stardust Guide
Julia has lived in New Jersey for most of her life. She and her husband moved to Sussex County in 2013 and she joined the RVCS community in 2018. She and her husband moved to Sussex County in 2013. She has experience developing curriculum with the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education and loves to share outdoor hands-on experiential learning with students. She has a special education certification from Saint Elizabeth’s College. Julia is an avid gardener and received her Master Gardener Certification from Rutgers University. She is passionate about native plant cultivation and runs a food pantry garden at her community garden. Julia and her husband enjoy traveling throughout the US and camping at national parks. Julia was at one time a professional pastry chef and still loves to bake and share her recipes with others. She enjoys biking, hiking and skiing, playing the guitar and singing and spending time with her husband, four adult children, and granddaughter.
Education:
BA Psychology/Elementary Education, Centenary University (NJ)
Jessica Krause
Stardust Guide
Jessica grew up in the Ridge and Valley region of New Jersey and has devoted her career to exploring the role of the human within the living universe. As a teenager, she discovered Genesis Farm, where she began studying cosmology and the work of Thomas Berry. This work continues to shape her life and teaching. She has also been deeply influenced by mentors, including Joanna Macy, whose guidance has supported her integration of ecological understanding with spiritual and cultural renewal. Her studies have taken her to The Center for Education, Imagination and the Natural World, of which she is a graduate of the 2021 cohort of *The Inner Life of the Child in Nature* program, and the Pickard’s Mountain Eco Institute in North Carolina. At both of these organizations she worked closely with teachers in cosmology, ecological education, wild edibles, medicinal plants, and sustainability. In 2005, she earned certificates in permaculture and natural building in Patagonia, Argentina. Since 2016, Jessica has been a member of the Ridge and Valley Charter School community, where she brings her passion for embodied cosmology, ecological literacy, and sustainability to her work with students. Her commitment is to foster educational experiences that help children and communities recognize their place within the unfolding universe story and develop the capacities needed for a flourishing future. Jessica lives with her two incredible sons, who are her most extraordinary teachers and companions in this life.
Education:
BA Sustainable Community Development, Prescott College (AZ)
Clara Miller
Galaxy Guide
After 6 years in Vermont, Clara returned to her hometown of Blairstown to join the RVCS community in 2024. In Vermont, she worked as a portrait artist and a tree nursery attendant before earning her BA in Ecology. She believes Ecology is especially suited to holistic, interdisciplinary learning, as it is by definition a study of interconnection. Clara is a strong proponent of human education: cultivation of engagement, creativity, compassion, and curiosity before grades. At Sterling College, she served as head of the Learning Center and teaching assistant for the school’s Southwest Field Semester. In these roles, she integrated sciences, humanities, and expedition practicum to foster an immersive learning environment. She enjoys playing an active role in her community and loves to connect over creative writing, games, art, music, and time spent outdoors.
Education:
BA Ecology, Sterling College (VT)
Olivia Mohlmann
Support Guide
Olivia joined the RVCS community in 2025. She grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania and spent much of her time exploring northwestern New Jersey. Olivia has always had a passion for the outdoors and working with children, and has learned to embrace curiosity, ingenuity, and stewardship through her work as an outdoor educator and day camp counselor. She is excited about learning and adventuring with the RVCS community!
Education:
BA Environmental Geography, Colgate University (NY)
Milly Paulson
Support Guide
Milly grew up in the Blairstown area and has always been an avid fan of the natural world. A 2011 RVCS graduate, she and her siblings all attended RVCS. Before returning to RVCS as a support guide in 2020, Milly worked as an experiential educator at local camps, farms, and outdoor centers. Milly enjoys drawing, hiking, playing board games, and spending time with her family and their pets.
Education:
AA Liberal Arts, Excelsior College (NY)
Dena Pheonix Carl
Constellation Guide
A founding guide at RVCS, Dena returned to RVCS in 2024. After nine years as a Guide, she left RVCS to devote her time to her family until both of her children began attending RVCS. Dena’s enthusiasm and dedication to the ancient arts and the natural world, through her experience with sound therapy, fiber arts, poetry, and circle work, has been inspiring, motivating, and transforming for those with whom she has been in relationship, both adults and children alike. She brings those experiences, as well as her extensive experience with Montessori education and interdisciplinary curriculum design, to our community. Dena is filled with a renewed sense of joy and reverence as she continues her journey, deepening her understanding of earth literacy, through a deep time lens of the Universe Story and cosmology.
Education:
BS Elementary Education, University of Maryland
Mike Ross
Support Guide
Guide Mike, an RVCS graduate himself, is local to RVCS. Before joining the RVCS community in 2025, Mike studied journalism at Ithaca College, developing a passion for writing and editing while on the editorial board of the campus newspaper. Mike is a lifelong outdoorsman and artist and is excited to share these passions at RVCS. In his free time, Mike enjoys bird watching, listening to music and drawing alongside his cat.
Education:
Ithaca College (NY)
Tyler Thurgood
Galaxy Guide
Tyler grew up in the Blairstown area. After graduating from Blair Academy, he spent some time traveling and living on the southeast and western coasts of the US. He developed a passion for writing as a way to share and connect stories. Tyler returned to the Blairstown area to raise a family. Since graduating from Centenary University, he looks for ways to connect language with creativity and the interconnectedness of the world around him. After joining the RVCS community in 2016 as a support guide, he became a full-time classroom guide in 2018. Tyler’s passions include spending time with his family, hiking, traveling, poetry, novels, music, and cultivating friendships. The world has always been a classroom for Tyler, and he sees the RVCS mission as one that he can both learn from and support. He is interested in pursuing his passions while endeavoring to better understand his place in the universe.
Education:
BA English, Centenary University (NJ)
Kris Tucker
Nova Guide
A native of Sussex County, Kris joined the RVCS community in 2013 after her son began attending the school. Kris has a diverse professional background, with experience teaching elementary education, special education, and middle school literacy. As a staff developer, she has trained other teachers in the finer points of literacy and reading education. She enjoys sharing her passions for lifelong learning, experiential learning, place-based and outdoor education, humane education, reading, and writing with her students.
Education:
EdD Higher Education and Adult Learning, Walden University (MN)
MA Special Education, Kean University, (NJ)
BA Social Work, Kean University (NJ)
Maggie Vetter
Galaxy Guide
Maggie, whose children are both current students and graduates of RVCS, is a native of the Highlands area of northwestern New Jersey, where she continues to live with her family. Before joining RVCS in 2009, she taught for over a decade at various NJ public middle schools and high schools. She has also worked as a developmental interventionist and therapist for children with autism. In addition to Maggie’s masters in Integrated Learning, she is certified in special education, K-12 and Middle School Math. Maggie brings the RVCS philosophy into her home life, where she and her family enjoy the benefits of growing and preserving their own food, raising chickens, milking goats, and generating alternative sources of energy for their home. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of health, nutrition, hiking, gardening, and making goat milk paint, soap, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.
Education:
M Ed Integrated Learning, Endicott College (MA)
BS in Elementary Education (Specialization in Middle School Math and Special Education), West Virginia University (WV)
Bradley White
Constellation Guide
Bradley grew up in Fredon, New Jersey, just a few miles down the road from RVCS. His deep knowledge and connection to the land can be traced back to his childhood in the area. Bradley joined the RVCS community in 2006. Before coming to RVCS, he worked as a field biologist and environmental educator and brings his passion for these things to his work with the students of RVCS on a daily basis. When he isn’t at RVCS, Bradley can be found birding, playing music, hiking, snowboarding and camping with his wife and daughter.
Education:
BS Ecology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Staff
Ieva Alverson
Leadership Team
Ieva Alverson lives a life of wonder in northwestern NJ. She believes conflict, contrast and silence hold the answers to her questions. Ieva has been a guide at the Ridge and Valley Charter School since 2007. She believes strongly in the school’s mission, education for a hopeful sustainable future, and strives to empower children to stewardship based on a deep love of the earth and respect for the planet’s systems and interconnectedness. Ieva has spent her life’s work in relationship and feels that Thomas Berry’s work evokes the awareness needed for earth’s next phase for humanity. Until then, she is loving the challenge of discovering her true nature. She is a certified yoga teacher and recently completed the Inner Life of the Child in Nature training certification. Ieva enjoys baking, yoga, kayaking, singing, wandering and gathering.
Education:
MA Special Education, New Jersey City University
BA Elementary Education and Psychology, Caldwell College (NJ)
Robin Balles
Infrastructure Coordinator
Robin grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania, where she split her time between forest, farm and lake. She lived and studied in Italy, Panama, Atlanta, NYC and Jersey City before moving to Blairstown in 2021 and joining the RVCS community as the Infrastructure Coordinator. Prior to her work at RVCS, Robin worked as a multidisciplinary environmental designer in architecture, landscape and urban design. She is passionate about biophilia, integrating this with holistic design problem solving to address social and environmental needs across various scales. An avid gardener, she has led garden design, activities and educational programming in a community garden setting. Robin loves to help others explore, discover, and foster their own creativity. She enjoys anything aquatic, as well as creating artwork, biking and camping with her family.
Education:
M Urban Design, The City College of New York
BS Architecture, The Pennsylvania State University
Tina Manning
Child Study Team Coordinator
Tina moved to NJ when she was a child. She spent her childhood in Sussex county and has since lived in various locations across the state. After high school she worked at Saint Barnabas Medical Center as a patient transporter and Histology Technician. She left Saint Barnabas to manage a medical practice and over the next ten years lived a very active life aboard boats, scuba diving around the world. She loves diving and being in the silent world of the oceans. She returned to Sussex County as an adult and raised her daughters there. She has worked as a School Psychologist in various schools in northwest NJ and joined RVCS as a leave replacement coordinator in 2023. She moved into the role full time the following year. Tina loves the mission of RVCS and the supportive staff, alternative education focus, and the focus on teaching the whole child.
Education:
MA Counseling, Jersey City State College (NJ)
BA Humanities, Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ)
Lisa Masi
Integration Coordinator, Leadership Team
Lisa, a founding guide, was exploring alternatives to traditional education when she discovered RVCS. While her two youngest children were benefiting from an RVCS education, Lisa spent 14 years joyfully exploring the universe as a guide for the school’s youngest students. A part-time member of the Leadership Team since 2008, she transitioned to a full-time role in 2018. Lisa’s professional background is rooted in early childhood education and a commitment to implementing place-based, project-based, and sustainable education practices. She has developed curriculum through The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Trail to Every Classroom program. She is also a graduate of the Education for Sustainability Leadership Academy at Shelburne Farms and holds a Teacher of Students with Disabilities certification. With a deep interest in farm-based learning, Lisa earned a Permaculture Design Certificate focused on permaculture education for children. She is grateful for all that she has learned through circle practice, and for the weekly RVCS assemblies that build community among students, guides, and families, as well as offer space to share her love of community singing. A 30+ year member of the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm, she is passionate about helping children connect with the bioregion through local food and farming. In addition to spending time with her family, friends, and pets, Lisa loves to read, hike, swim, ice skate, and cook with locally sourced foods.
Education:
M Ed Educating for Sustainability, Antioch University New England (NH)
BA Geology, Colgate University (NY)
Toni Mazzariello
Nurse/School Health Coordinator
Toni was born and raised in central New Jersey and relocated to Warren County over 30 years ago to raise a family. Before returning to Warren County, she spent time hiking, backpacking, and working as a chef while traveling in Europe and Australia. Toni has organized multiple backpacking expeditions on the Appalachian Trail for teens as a 4-H leader, as well as taught holistic health classes, organic gardening, and herbal medicine to homeschoolers at Fireside Academy. Toni has been practicing holistic healthcare for over 25 years and has worked as a med-surg nurse, school nurse, and hospice nurse for over a decade. She is also certified in Clinical Aromatherapy and Reiki Level III, in addition to holding a NJ School Nurse Certification. She loves spending time with her family and being a grandparent. Toni has a passion for organic gardening, playing with dogs, wild crafting, making herbal medicine, cooking and spending time outdoors. She joined the RVCS community in 2020 and believes a classroom without walls in the natural world can open the mind and the heart to cultivate love and respect for nature.
Education:
M Ed Curriculum and Learning (School Nurse Instructional), William Paterson University (NJ)
BSN Nursing, Moravian College (PA)
Christine O’Donnell
Administrative Support Guide
Christine is thrilled to have joined the Ridge and Valley Charter School community in 2024, where her personal values align so deeply with the school’s mission of fostering interconnectedness, sustainability, and outdoor experiential learning. As a parent of RVCS students, she feels deeply connected to the school’s vision and is inspired daily by its innovative approach to education.
In addition to her role at the school, Christine owns her own tallow-based skincare company focused on clean, non-toxic, and sustainable products. Her passion for natural living and holistic wellness extends beyond her business; she is also an experienced certified yoga teacher. During the summer months, she combines her love of nature and yoga by teaching outdoor classes with alpacas, offering a truly unique and joyful experience. She is a former dancer, having owned and operated her own dance studio where she nurtured creativity and community while managing a thriving business. These experiences have given her a diverse skill set in administration, organization, and fostering meaningful connections.
Education:
BA Individualized Study, New York University
Traci Pannullo
Curriculum Coordinator, Leadership Team
Traci grew up in central New Jersey. She spent time out west, returning in 1998 and starting a family. Traci joined the Trustee circle in 2003, and then became the Curriculum Coordinator and a member of the Leadership Team after the school opened. Traci has a great respect for and kinship with the natural world, and uses that as a foundation to learn about and promote actions that are in alignment with the elemental processes of the universe, helping shape the school and its mission. She brings together her beliefs and practices of alternative forms of education, including Montessori, Waldorf, and Democratic, at RVCS. Traci enjoys organic gardening, cooking, yoga and tai chi, singing, making art, dancing, drumming, and spending time with her family. She is proud and grateful that all three of her children have had the opportunity to attend RVCS, and cannot imagine a more wonderful school experience for them.
Education:
Post-Master’s Ed. Leadership Program, Thomas Edison State College (NJ)
MA Science (Elementary Science Specialist), Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ)
BS Elementary Education, The College of New Jersey
BA Psychology, The College of New Jersey
Jennifer Ross
Business Coordinator
Jen spent her childhood in New Jersey and had never heard of Blairstown until, as an adult, she went to an RVCS open house. Jen is the mother of two RVCS graduates, one a US Marine and the other currently attending Ithaca College. She is a member of Blue Star Mothers of North Warren NJ. She fell in love with the area, community and the school and relocated to Blairstown in 2012. Jen first became involved with the school as a parent volunteer, and then began working as a Guide in 2010. In her free time, Jen enjoys volunteering, hiking, reading, and cross-stitching.
Education:
Gannon University (PA)
CONSULTANTS
Morgan Amels
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Morgan grew up in Bergen County and moved to Sussex five years ago. She started practicing as an occupational therapist in 2021. She believes that her life values align very closely with RVCS. When not practicing OT, Morgan enjoys gardening, cooking and baking (especially mastering the art of homemade sourdough), camping with her family, arm-knitting, taking care of chickens with her son, and spending time appreciating nature. Coming from a family of farming ancestors, she appreciates nature and living off the land. Becoming a mother over the last few years has also expanded her love for pediatrics and has helped her gain new perspectives when working with school-aged children so that she can help connect with them (and their parents) on a deeper level.
Education:
AAS Occupational Therapy Assistant, Eastwick College (NJ)
Noelle Brock
Counselor
Noelle has been working in the mental health field since 2014 in different settings and with varying populations. She focuses on a person-centered approach that empowers each individual to find their inner strength. Noelle has a passion for helping people find their voice and grow to be their best selves by giving them a safe space, supporting them, and showing respect for the individuality of everyone. In her free time, Noelle enjoys hiking, camping, playing with her pets and reading.
Education:
MA Counseling Psychology and School Counseling, College of Saint Elizabeth (NJ)
BA Psychology, College of Saint Elizabeth (NJ)
Kira Macedo
Speech/Language Pathologist
Kira grew up in the Lehigh Valley where she continues to reside with her husband and young daughter. While at East Stroudsburg University, she was the secretary of ESU’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. Completing internships at both medical and school placements, including abroad in St. Croix allowed Kira the opportunity to work with individuals of all ages with a wide variety of disabilities. Kira is passionate about providing client-led and play-based therapy whenever possible. She welcomes diversity and encourages individuality in her therapy sessions. In her free time, Kira enjoys gardening, hiking, kayaking, and traveling. She is thankful to have had the opportunity to travel to 13 countries to date and looks forward to continuing to explore the world with her family.
Education:
MS Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Stroudsburg University (PA)
BS Communication Sciences and Disorders, East Stroudsburg University (PA)