Teacher Marcella

Co-Teacher Elementary Group Los Gatos

Marcella was born and raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains and continues to enjoy mountain life. Marcella has always loved outdoor activities, whether it is backpacking, mountain biking, camping, bikepacking, or relaxing outdoors.  Having three younger sisters has allowed her to gain valuable experience working with kids. In addition to being an older sister, she has had 6 years of experience working with children from newborn to 11 years old. She has also worked as a co-leader for a non-profit outdoor adventure program. As co-leader she has helped plan, organize, and lead kids ages 5 to 17, as well as adults, on outdoor adventures consisting of backpacking, mountain biking, camping, and bikepacking. She has been able to share her love of math by co-founding a math initiative, which offered one-on-one or group tutoring, enrichment lessons, and extension lessons for advanced learners. She is excited to share her love of the outdoors with the True Roots students!

Teacher Liz

Co-Teacher Elementary Group Los Gatos

Liz grew up in and around the Santa Cruz Mountains, an area that is near to her heart and which has continually shaped her love for being outdoors. She is a credentialed Special Education teacher with a Masters in Education, and has worked with children and families in several capacities for over 15 years. Her experience has included nannying, teaching horseback riding lessons and summer camps, running an outdoor learning and social program at a horse farm, teaching in a special education setting for nearly eight years, and parent coaching. In addition to her work with children and families on a professional level, Liz has two boys of her own and is enjoying the opportunity to share with them (and others) the parts of her childhood that became core memories; dirty feet, dancing in the rain, jumping in puddles, searching for salamanders in the creek, and exploring the beautiful surroundings we are so lucky to have access to. Liz believes that children thrive when they feel connected to peers and trusted adults, connected to their natural environment, and connected to themselves. She strives to honor each child as they are, balancing effective leadership with providing a safe space for kids to step into their autonomy, confidence, and potential. 

Teacher Lucia
Summer Camp Educator

Lucia was born and raised in Peru. She moved to the United States when she was 10 years old. She lived in Georgia, before making a move to Illinois during high school. She went to North Park University where she majored in Biology. The summer before her last year in college, She went to an island called Whidbey Island in Washington State to study Marine Biology and Marine Mammals, and her life changed. Lucia fell in love with the mountains, the ocean, the animals and plants that differ due to location, and the joy that being outside brought her (hiking and camping). During those 5 weeks Lucia got to go hiking, camping, whale watching, tide pooling, and much more. As soon as she graduated college she came to the Santa Cruz Mountains to teach at an outdoor education program where for 3 years Lucia got to hike around with 6th graders, and teach them curriculum and program activities that support the California Science Standards for their grade. She has also been able to learn and teach about the beautiful Redwood ecosystem and others such as Mixed evergreen and Chaparral ecosystems found in the Santa Cruz area. Lucia is so excited to keep teaching students, be able to share the beauty of nature and being outdoors, and the fascinating different ecosystems found here.