Misse Axelrod
Program Director, Founder, Educator
Misse’s 20 years of experience in sustainable food systems and farming lead to a passion for education. Misse has been weaving farms, food, and education in public schools (PK-12) and on the farm for 10 years. Teaching farm, food, and nutrition education in 12 plus Vermont schools grew into a pilot school at Drift Farmstead this year. The pilot has been so rewarding for students and families that Misse is excited to expand it into a full-time independent school on the family farm.
Misse holds a B.A. in Sustainable Food Systems & Community from Green Mountain College
“It takes a village to grow a school. Community is the heart of education and by integrating nature, food, and elder knowledge into our curriculum we can learn together to be the best stewards of both our education and our land.” -Misse
Ryan Johns
Educator
Ryan Johns and his family live in the Montpelier area (soon to be Roxbury resident) and spend as much time as possible exploring the Vermont woods together. Ryan has a background in learning and teaching primitive and homesteading skills as well as training and experience in formal education. Ryan has been teaching for most of his life and especially enjoys working with kids in the outdoors. Ryan believes that everyone learns best when they are having fun and students can expect to play and laugh together all year long as we make friends with each other and our forest community.
Jamie Cotton
Educator
Jaime Cotton has been an educator for over 20 years, teaching science, math, and environmental and outdoor education. She is passionate about connecting children to the environment in ways that promote inquiry, amazement, and cultivating care. She has a degree from UNH in Environmental Conservation and a master’s degree from Antioch New England Graduate School, with a degree in Environmental Studies and a grade 5-9 general science teaching certification. Jaime loves winter, gardening, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Helen Borrelli
Educator
Helen has been an educator for over 10 years working with children in pre-k through 4th grade. In 2017 she left the traditional classroom with the hope of returning to education in a more organic environment where children are learning through meaningful connections to their surroundings and their community. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from The College of New Jersey and is currently completing her Master’s in Education from Southern New Hampshire University. She loves spending time outdoors with her husband, son and pups.
Yasi Zeichner
Educator
Yasi has been involved in nature mentoring for over a decade, bringing to her role a passion for cultivating curiosity and joy in learning, and her background as a homeschooled child growing up in rural Vermont. She began her outdoor education journey at age 15 at EarthWalk Vermont, growing into a staff mentor there through her late teens and mid 20’s, and she now carries on the mentoring skills, stories, and songs which inspired her there. Yasi’s love for the outdoors weaves together with her love of music, and she enjoys sharing songs, fiddle tunes, and dance steps with anyone who wants to learn! She performs around New England (sometimes with her siblings as The Zeichner Trio) and teaches fiddle and percussive dance lessons, as well as serving on the boards/advisory boards of music non-profits Summit School of Traditional Music and Culture, and Young Tradition VT at VT Folklife. Yasi holds bachelor’s degrees in Equine Studies and Business Management from Vermont Technical College. When not playing music or wandering through the woods, she might be found dog-sitting, hanging out with her ducks and goose, journalling, reading, carving spoons, or feeding the resident chickadees out of her hand.
Jen Degen
Social/Emotional Coach
As a somatic coach, resiliency expert and psychotherapist, my own self-study, passion, and curiosity has led me intentionally to a place of helping others find theirs. I have a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation, with a Minor in Exercise Physiology. I achieved my Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University. Additionally, I am trauma trained with Wellspring Mental Health in Hardwick, in Somatic Psychology practices. Collectively I have 30 plus years of experience in the field of self-discovery. The most influential component of my work is my meditation and life practices that promote higher levels of curiosity and intuition. Simply put, our unfolding awareness, helps us find what is getting in the way of our happiness and promotes health and well-being. We all have an inner guide that we can tap into to reach our greatest potential. My greatest joy is running resiliency groups for people who have made it a habit to care for everyone else and have forgotten themselves in the process.
To learn more visit www.mindbodyawareness.net
Anne Massie
Farm to School Educator
Anne graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2011 with a focus on Ecological Agriculture and Social Justice. She is a a midwesterner hailing from Ohio. She has been a certified Permaculturist for a decade. Anne just graduated this Spring 2022 from Master of Science Food Systems program at The University of Vermont. Her focus in graduate school was the intersectionality of Social Justice, Climate Change and Food Access. Anne’s a chef who owned and operated her own farm-to-table food truck for five years. She’s also worked with non-profits addressing food insecurity, in education and on farms. In her free time Anne enjoys hiking with her two dogs, djing on WMRW Warren, Vermont radio, attending concerts, and gardening.
Brooke Miller
Assistant Teacher
Brooke comes to VFFS with an eagerness to foster joy, empowerment, and connection. She brings 15 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist in both public and private schools, as well as home-based therapy settings. Most recently she served as a special education transition specialist for high school-aged students and young adults, working to increase independence and self-advocacy skills.
As a foster/adoptive mom, Brooke is extremely passionate about weaving trauma-informed care, somatic healing and restorative practices into her professional work.
She believes a nature-based setting affords both students and staff the opportunity to feel safe, stretch outside of their comfort zones, and find growth, healing, and joy.
Originally from CT, Brooke is thrilled to be back exploring Vermont after a 20 year stint in Austin. She enjoys yoga, paddling, traveling and taking on new adventures with her family.
Brooke holds a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Boston University and a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of Texas.
Sonya Currier
Summer Camp & Friday Program Mentor
Sonya is a mentor that leads with a bright light! She finds and shares joy in cultivating connection with all the students in nature, through stories, crafts, cooking, and play!! Sonya is a native Canadian who now lives in Northfield with her cats and family!!! When Sonya is not at VFFS you can find her snuggled with her kitties reading!
Taryn Colonnese
Farmer and Farm-Based Educator
Taryn has over 10 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. She has worked in a variety of schools as both a classroom and garden-based educator, and especially loves teaching in a hands-on, outdoor environment where curiosity and investigation drive learning. She is thrilled to be working at VFFS/Drift Farmstead where she can both farm and connect kids with authentic learning experiences on the land!
Taryn has a B.A. in Educational Studies and Sociology/Anthropology from Swarthmore College, a M.A. in Education from University of the Pacific/Bay Area Teacher Training Program, and a Vermont Level II Elementary teaching license. She also attended the Learn to Farm program at The Farm School in Massachusetts. In her free time, she loves to bake, ride bikes, hang out with her chickens, and read books.