Staff

Megan

Executive Director

Megan Wilson (she/her) has been working with preschool children for over 19 years and has been at Tree House Hollow since 2007. She has a California Early Childhood Education Program Director Permit and has attained more than 30 units in Early Childhood Education. She holds a BA degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Outdoor Leadership, and a minor in Early Childhood Education from Sonoma State University. She was also a certified wilderness first responder for six years. Megan has a large theatre and gardening background and deep interests in education, the environment, sustainability, and helping young people become good stewards of our planet. One of her greatest joys is helping children learn to identify plant and animal species and marvel at them. She co-created and led our Adventure Day Program at Creekside- bringing students off campus to climb, wade, and immerse in nature. In her personal life, she enjoys doing outdoor activities with her husband and two children. They love to hike, wild forage, garden, geocache and enjoy all of the beauty of Sonoma County. She also currently sits on the board for the Sonoma County School Garden Network. Megan is passionate about Tree House Hollow and early learning, and continues to guide the vision for our school.

Holly

Creekside Program Director

Holly Downing (she/her) has been learning together with children and families for over 15 years, five of which were spent as a teacher and then, director, at Creekside up until January of 2020, when she moved on to a new adventure in education. She spent 18 months working for a local community organization as a specialist in preschool special education and behavioral/mental health support, before being asked to return to Tree House Hollow as Creekside Director. As a teacher, she enjoys learning from children as much as she enjoys leading their learning, and as a director, she looks forward to every opportunity to collaborate with parents and other caregivers in supporting the development of the children they treasure most. Her approach in the classroom is child-centered, using play opportunities to nurture the interests and learning styles of each child, with a joyful and open heart. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development, with a specialization in Early Childhood, and came to Sonoma County in 2014 to work on her Master’s Degree in Early Education. The focus of her studies in both programs has been in children’s mental/behavioral health, and the different ways we can support the diverse learning styles and developmental needs of children. Her specialized areas of education include children's literature, sensory processing and development, art experiences with young children, and children with special needs. A self-proclaimed hobbit, Holly enjoys rolling up her sleeves to bake yummy things, adventuring into the wild as often as possible, and has a great love for tending to things that grow (both children and the garden, alike).

Josey

Redwood Program Director

Josey (she/her) grew up in the mountains of northern Vermont where she developed her love of the outdoors. Her childhood was spent on a farm surrounded by ponds, fields and forest to explore. Here she attended Northern Vermont University and began work in early childhood before moving to Utah. It was in the Uinta Mountain Range that she continued to follow her passion of skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and backcountry adventures. Josey worked at AristCats Children's Academy in Kamas before transferring to Creekside Kids Academy in Park City where she worked as director and a teacher. Her love for developing curriculum for young children allowed her to create a variety of rich experiences that fostered healthy social and emotional skills through exploration and play. Josey is now excited to live on the beautiful pacific coast with her husband and young daughter and to be a part of the Tree House Hollow team. She brings with her a passion for children.

Rachel

Adventure Program Lead, Creekside Teacher

Rachel Amey (she/her) was born and raised in Southwest Florida, growing up with three older sisters. Rachel became an aunt at 10 years old and began babysitting from then on. With eight nieces and nephews, she has experience with a wide range of ages. She got her start in education as a classroom aide at Sonoma Valley High School, and continued to work as an aide at both a middle school and elementary school level. Rachel has 15 units in Early Childhood Education at the Santa Rosa Junior College, has over a year of experience in a preschool setting, and is continuing to pursue a degree in the field. During her free time, Rachel gardens at home and explores local parks and trails. She believes in connecting with families and maintaining a strong, nurturing relationship between educators and families while their children are in her care.

Sky

Creekside Teacher

Sky Thompson (they/them) has been studying early childhood development since high school, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree at Sonoma State University focusing on the many benefits of children's play. Their passions include children's inquiry-based learning (asking questions to foster creativity), helping children develop their social-emotional skills, the educational power of guided play in the classroom, and LGBTQ+ equality in young children. Sky has observed and volunteered all over the west coast and taught at summer camps for young children. They have worked with Tree House Hollow since Fall of 2019 (through the COVID pandemic, nonetheless!), and they look forward to helping the children blossom and grow in Tree House Hollow's little outdoor sanctuary. When they’re not studying or teaching, their free time is spent drawing, singing, and spending time with their spouse Ari and their cat Aspen.

Georgia

Redwood Teacher

Georgia Bourdens (she/her) was raised with the freedom to play wild and free in a country home located on the outskirts of Santa Rosa. At the age of 12, Georgia began taking Saturday morning art classes at the Sebastopol Center For the Arts (SCFA). Here, while further developing herself as an artist, she unexpectedly discovered a passion for teaching and working with young children. As a sophomore in highschool she began assisting her same art teacher at the SCFA in an afternoon art class for children. During this first teaching experience, she fell in love with fostering the imagination and creativity within others. After highschool, Georgia attended the Santa Rosa Junior College where she began her education in Early Childhood Development. After earning her associate degree in Humanities, she transferred to Sonoma State University. At SSU she completed a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, focusing on the associated benefits of increasing a child's time learning and playing in an outdoor environment. Georgia passionately believes that through their art, children reveal the ways in which they perceive the world and how they choose to candidly express themselves in this lifetime. She finds inspiration from their innate ability to create with a limitless imagination and an unbiased perspective. Georgia loves that art will forever be inclusive, giving her the opportunity to connect with every being through color, movement, and emotion. In her free time, Georgia enjoys painting, hoop dance, and basking in the warm sun with her dog Walter.

Rebecca

Redwood Teacher

Rebecca (she/her) was born and raised in Sonoma County and began providing childcare for her local elementary school as a preteen. A few years later she realized her strengths and natural inclination towards children while babysitting her chemistry tutor’s two toddlers. Rebecca went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature at San Francisco State University. Throughout her time in college and beyond working in member services at a tech company (childcare-finding app), she continued to provide childcare and connect with many wonderful families in the Bay Area. Although previously on a different career path, it wasn’t until after the pandemic that Rebecca affirmed her passion for working with children and their families. Rebecca has completed 9 units of ECE courses at Santa Rosa Junior College and is currently enrolled in more, working her way toward her teaching certificate. Having been a babysitter or nanny most of her life, Rebecca is excited to gain experience in a school setting and hopes to start her own daycare or preschool one day. Rebecca is passionate about providing an empathetic, caring, and respectful environment for children as well as championing parent and caregiver education. She is a devoted Auntie to her niece, cat mom to her kitten Moby, and chicken mom to too many to be named!

Angela

Creekside Bilingual Teacher

Angela Ramirez (she/her) was born in Jalisco, Mexico then moved to the north Bay in 2007. She is a smiley friend who loves cats, roadtrips, the color green, writing, and style! Angela has attended the SRJC since her sophomore year of high school with the goal of becoming a preschool teacher as soon as she turned 18! She continues to attend the JC full time and hopes to transfer in two years to a four-year college . Prior to joining the Tree House Hollow family she worked at an after school program with grades k-3 for two years. She loves getting style inspiration from her students and always looks forward to listening to the wacky stories they share, always something new and exciting! She prioritizes connecting with the children, forming friendships, and sharing lessons and memories that help foster their development in life as happy little humans!

Nicola

Redwood Teacher

Nicola Duffy (she/her) grew up in Davis, CA. As the oldest granddaughter on both sides of her family she has been helping care for and play with younger children for as long as she can remember. She began babysitting at the age of 12 and quickly discovered the joy of reading endless books, using art as a means of creative self-expression, and listening to children's sense of curiosity and wonder as they explored the world around them. Nicola has completed 24 ECE units at Sacramento City College and Sonoma State University, and is working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education. Getting to know children as unique individuals is a passion for Nicola. She strives to connect authentically and ensure that each child is included, supported, celebrated and provided with opportunities to learn and grow at their own pace. Nicola spent nearly three years teaching at the same preschool she attended as a child in Davis before moving to Sebastopol in 2024 with her fiancé. Since moving here, Nicola has been nannying for a wonderful family in the area who connected her with Tree House Hollow Preschool! She is thrilled to be returning to a warm and nurturing preschool environment, and looks forward to spending her days playing and exploring in nature with little ones. In her free time, Nicola enjoys gardening, watercolor painting, time in the mountains and at the coast, and snuggling with her kitten Millie.

Lexi

Creekside Teacher

Lexi was born and raised in Los Angeles. She received an Associate's Degree in Behavioral Science and Early Elementary Education. She continued her education at Sonoma State. Lexi participated in the Naturalist program, where she would give local students a tour of the Fairfield Osborn Preserve. She has a love for nature and animals. She believes that children will benefit when connecting to nature because it creates curiosity, discovering, understanding and appreciating other living things. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies focusing on interdisciplinary studies and a Minor in Environment and Geography. Lexi started a career in Law Enforcement and became a Deputy. She enjoyed giving back to the community and helping others. Lexi is excited to continue her journey working with children, while side by side with nature. She believes that being in a nature-based learning environment will allow children to engage in a variety of subjects and/or skills, which will be a tool into creating interdisciplinary practices. During her free time, Lexi, enjoys golfing, reading, and being with family and friends.

Ruth

Operations Manager

Ruth Wilson (she/her) coordinates enrollment, scheduling, invoicing, and budgets. She also helps Megan with a variety of support tasks, from the mundane to the magical. She is mother to Megan and grandmother to Reid and Serena Bee, which is the most fun ever! She has worked as a part of the catalog production and toy invention team at HearthSong, as a floral designer, technical and creative writer, and office manager. She loves to garden, sew, and bake cakes. Ruth enjoys her occasional visits to the campuses where she sees so many smiling faces.

Franny

Founder, Former Director, Volunteer and Substitute Teacher

At the young age of 19 Franny (she/her) began teaching preschool at the request of her child development teacher and discovered it as her life's work. After receiving her BA and Teaching Credential, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Sonoma State University, Tree House Hollow opened in 1981 as a large family child care home in Sebastopol. Franny continued her education and taught child development classes at Santa Rosa Junior College, Merritt and Alameda Colleges in the East Bay before moving the program to the Apple Blossom Campus in 2007. Franny believes creating a community of families is an important aspect of your preschool experience. Since retiring she volunteers once a week when not traveling and enjoys gardening, cooking and singing with the children. Franny teaches Positive Discipline Parenting Classes and continues to have family meetings with her 38 and 32 year old daughters, Maggie and Zoe, their partners, Jamie and Dylan, and her husband Glenn.

Maricela

Substitute Teacher

Maricela Rodriguez (she/her) was born in Michoacán Mexico. She came to the United States with her family (her four children and her husband) 12 years ago. She has an Associate Teachers Certificate from Santa Rosa Junior College and has more than 7 years of experience working with elementary school aged children in her country. She has worked at Tree House Hollow since 2009 as a Teacher and Substitute Teacher. Her four children have attended Twin Hills School District and her youngest daughter luckily also had the opportunity to attend Tree House Hollow Preschool. Maricela loves to share her heritage through teaching curriculum that is both bilingual and bicultural and teach Spanish to the children in their daily interaction. She exudes warmth and humor and believes a curriculum is the most meaningful when it arises from the true interests of the children. She loves cooking with the children, writing story plays, practicing positive discipline techniques, and playing cooperative games that reinforce children’s self-esteem, teamwork, and self-managing skills.

Evelyn

Substitute Teacher

Evelyn (she/her) was born and raised in Sonoma County. She is a first-generation college graduate in her hispanic family, receiving an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education from Santa Rosa Junior College. She has completed 27 ECE units throughout her studies of child development. In addition, Evelyn has completed 144 lab hours at the childcare center at Santa Rosa Junior College. She currently attends Sonoma State University working towards her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. She enjoys helping children learn and recognize they are capable of many great things, such as developing new skills. During her free time, Evelyn enjoys reading, spending time with family, and going on hikes. Evelyn is passionate about reading and doing arts in crafts with children.

Dani

Substitute Teacher

Dani (she/her) grew up in LA and then bounced around the world working odd jobs and volunteering. She first started working with children in an early intervention program for children under 3 who were “at risk” of developmental and behavioral challenges. Later on Dani fell in love with a play-based school in LA where the foundation of its philosophy was based on Carl Roger’s “unconditional positive regard.” There she was trained with the Hand-In-Hand approach for 4 years while earning her AA in Early Childhood Education. After some time off to focus on being a mother - and moving to Sebastopol - she’s enthused to be back in the school environment, playing and learning with groups of little ones once again. She cares deeply about empowering young children and strives to find ways to facilitate children to have caring and respectful relationships within themselves and one another.

Lili

Substitute Teacher

Lili (she/her) received a BA in Psychology from Lewis & Clark College, in Portland, OR. While she was in college, she spent a year interning at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) with the ECE department, 0-6 years. After graduating from college, she spent two years working at a local charter Waldorf school, SunRidge as an assistant teacher in second grade. Since then Lili has been working toward her Teaching Certificate at Santa Rosa Junior college. She now has twenty ECE credits. When Lili is not busy with school work she enjoys crocheting, knitting, and cuddling with her cat, Marco. Lili was a teacher in our program for about 4 years and now subs for us while going back to Graduate School for a Masters in Art!

Report abuse