Our Staff

hANNAH McCulloch
LEAD GUIDE, dRAGONFLY ROOM

From a young age, I’ve been eager to stay learning, and I knew I wanted to be an educator. For me, there is nothing better than the curiosity and enthusiasm that each individual child brings to their learning. As a dynamic and devoted Guide, my greatest goal is to pass along my enjoyment of learning and feelings of self-love.

As an Arkansas native, I grew up on the banks of a river, with mud between my toes and endless trees to rest under. My parents were outdoor enthusiasts, owning a gear shop and fly-fishing guide business. Their passions formed a solid foundation for my upbringing, and family trips centered around exploration, absorbing skills, and respecting the Earth. Later, I attended the University of Arkansas and studied Communication and Sustainability. My degree allowed me to thrive in a variety of work environments, from marketing management to leading sales teams. I spent most of my twenties working with Pack Rat Outdoor Center, expanding my outdoor knowledge and compassion for my community. My favorite memories are of hosting Rug Rat Day when we would teach children about Earth stewardship, kayaking, rock climbing, native plants and birds, and much more. My team would also visit local classrooms of children ages 4-6 and encourage them to try their hand at setting up a tent, filtering water, or packing a backpack with the necessities. I watched in adoration as the child would slowly gain confidence and excitement to pass these skills onto their families.

After college, I accepted work as an au pair for a family in Melbourne, Australia. I lived in their home for a year and the two children, ages two and four at the time, attended the local Montessori school. Since I had more free time during the day than most of the other caregivers, I happily agreed to help in the classroom two days a week. It was here that I first witnessed Montessori methods up close. I watched as children prepared their own snacks, waited patiently for direct attention from the teacher, and practiced towel folding alongside mathematics. To be open, I was in awe. I had known that a child’s brain is a knowledge sponge from birth to age six, so it only seemed to make sense that we should begin to guide them through real-life independence as early as possible.

After returning stateside, I quickly made the decision to move out west and I’ve now been living in Portland for six years. It wasn’t until after living here for two years that I chose to return to school and become a certified Montessori primary guide. I feel grateful I was able to earn my Master's in Education alongside my teaching certificate, graduating in the summer of 2020. Fall of 2023 will be my third year with Little Oak, and the growth and community that holds me here is palpable. When I’m not in the Casa, I spend heaps of my time enjoying my favorite foods, dancing and hiking, swimming in Oregon’s rivers, and hanging out with my dog, cat, and partner.

Maria Montessori knew the power of the child’s self-construction. And through my own patience and awesomeness, the children will feel their own power to grow.

KAYLEE BAKER
ASSISTANT GUIDE, DRAGONFLY ROOM

I am delighted to be part of the vibrant learning community at Little Oak Montessori. With a passion for nurturing young minds, I serve as the Assistant Guide in the Dragonfly classroom. Prior to this, I honed my skills as a Behavioral Technician and as a Nanny, which have both greatly contributed to my understanding of child development.

My journey has taken me through various enriching experiences - from tending to the bounties of the earth as a Gardener, to exploring the intricacies of hospitality and farming. These diverse paths have sculpted my worldview and deepened my appreciation for the natural world.

Equipped with a Montessori Assistant Guide certificate, I'm now in my 3rd year at Little Oak, where every day is an opportunity to foster curiosity and a love for learning. Originally hailing from the Pacific Northwest, I've also had the privilege of calling New York and Australia my homes, before finding my heart's haven in the enchanting landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge.

I'm thrilled to be part of your child's educational journey, and I look forward to supporting their growth and curiosity in the nurturing environment of our Dragonfly classroom.

Brittany BernarD
LEAD Guide, HUMMINGBIRD room

Raised North of Chicago, I found my first connection with the natural world in the dense woods of Wisconsin. I began to find my independent expression thanks to much time spent camping and exploring with my family, and playing with the crew of neighborhood buddies. With the years, came increasing exposure to the possibilities of outdoor adventure and recreation. Discovering an absolute love for hiking and snowboarding, I was eager to continue finding ways to get out and venture into the vast mountainous West. Sure enough, the winds of the West swept me to Colorado State University, completing a degree in Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism, with a focus on Global Tourism and Spanish. My heart had been expanded by wilderness exploration and international travel, with this, my butterfly wings really began to fly. The glory of the Rocky Mountains sang to my heart and evoked the passion to share wisdom and beauty with our future generations. Life enriching moments being in the woods with youth, inspiring a sense of wonder, self and survival development, allowed me to see my life’s work is dedicated to teaching how to respect, nurture, love, and receive abundance from moments with the natural world. 

Thus, the call of the Pacific Northwest danced me to her flowing waters and misty mossy wonderland, into the beautiful Gorge. It did not take long to feel the special radiance of this land, and eight years later, the sparkle continues to glow brighter. 

I am passionate in guiding our future generation into respect and love for the environment, to move forward with loving kindness, and be woven in community. I have experience providing a welcoming, supportive, collaborative, and safe environment for youth, as I began my career working as an Outdoor Educator in 2011. I have worked in the field as an Eco-Week Instructor, a Summer Camp Naturalist, a Science School Resource Specialist, and a Site Coordinator. Locally, I have spent many hours volunteering in the field with Columbia Gorge Ecology Institute and Cascade Mountain School. I have enjoyed time interacting in the bilingual classrooms at Mid Valley Elementary School, facilitating Enrichment Programs at Whitson Elementary School, and I have cherished my teaching at Peace Village. I have received Continuing Education for Science Education/Place Based Education from Cascade Mountain School & Portland State and I have completed my Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Primary Diploma at Montessori Northwest in Portland, Oregon. 

With great appreciation for the techniques of the Montessori curriculum, I connect to the thriving sense of wonder that is uniquely created everyday in the classroom. This deep understanding of human connection, collaboration, problem solving, freedom of expression, patience, and fun, is an environment I am passionate to be involved in. In my fifth year with Little Oak Montessori, I continue to be delighted in sharing my skills and experience in creating enriching opportunities for the students.

All in all, I strive to cultivate my path inspiring youth, and in exchange I am taught profound lessons from their wisdom as well. While outside of the classroom, you can find me internationally traveling, wilderness backpacking, snowboarding, gardening, dancing, practicing yoga, and receiving wisdom from Mother Earth’s medicine, under starlight, around a campfire, or in a glorious body of water.

OKOREE peyralans
ASSISTANT GUIDE, HUMMINGBIRD ROOM

Born and raised in the oak savannah of the Gorge, outside Lyle, I grew up wandering the woods and meadows of the Pacific Northwest, collecting feathers, rocks and trinkets that Mother Earth left for me to gather. Raised in a family of wild-haired outdoor enthusiasts, educators, and gardeners, I have always been keen on adventure. I’ve been lucky enough to spend my life traveling around the globe to places such as Kenya, Tanzania, India, Panama, Thailand and Indonesia, exploring new cultures, and meeting people along the way who have helped shape me into the human I am today. After graduating from Columbia High School, I set out to explore and found a new home in the mountains and rivers of Montana. Feeling the pull of the outdoors, I set up shop in Missoula where I studied Psychology and Fine Arts at the University of Montana, spending my days learning, hiking, floating, fly fishing, snowboarding, and establishing a community of like-minded people.

After completing my degrees, I was eager for adventure and change, knowing there was so much more of the world to explore. I packed up my backpack and moved across the world to Southeast Asia. Spending time working on an organic farm in Thailand before settling in Vietnam where I lived for two glorious years, teaching English to children, motorbiking around the city, eating delicious food, making new friends, and immersing myself in a new culture. My time in Vietnam sprouted a seed in my passion for hands-on teaching, bringing my love for art and exploration into the classroom.

Feeling complete and filled up with inspiration, I decided it was time to return to my homeland in the Gorge, reintegrating into the town and community I grew up in. I’ve spent the last couple years here working as a nanny, guiding children in exploration, play, and creativity. The Montessori method fits with my values and teaching style and I feel so lucky and privileged to be a part of the Little Oak Montessori community.

MELISSA ENOCH REX
LEAD GUIDE, ELEMENTARY

I grew up in Chicago, attending Montessori school from my earliest days of primary through eighth grade. After high school, I pursued a degree in fine arts, which took me to Rhode Island, then to the Bay area, where I received my BFA from California College of Arts (nee California College of Arts & Crafts) and met my husband, Cassidy. After our son, Atticus, was born, I became interested in child development; taking classes at a community college to learn more. This is how I discovered the beauty of Montessori education.

I received my Primary certification from the Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center, in Evanston, IL. Later I completed the lower and upper elementary training at the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, NJ. I found a home at the Children’s House of Bucks County in Fairless Hills, PA where I taught for twelve years- first in a primary classroom, then running their elementary program. After my son graduated high school, we decided it was time to make a move. As my son went to college in Washington DC we moved to California’s Central Coast, near Cassidy’s family. There I spent seven wonderful years as the upper elementary teacher at Children’s House Montessori School in Atascadero, CA.

During the incredibly hot, dry summers of California, I would escape to my aunt and uncle’s home in the verdant Columbia River Gorge for extended stays. After my uncle’s passing last summer, the desire to be closer to family began to take hold. When the property next door to my aunt became available, it seemed serendipitous. Since arriving in mid-June, I have been enjoying the wilderness, working on my house and land and learning how to process my neighbor’s alpaca’s fiber into yarn.  

Kathryn Eagan
LEAD GUIDE, ELEMENTARY

I grew up in rural North Dakota where summers were spent at the lake and roaming through the Badlands, exploring nature as much as possible. I attended college to study zoology at Colorado State University. Shortly after receiving my BSc in Zoology, I moved abroad to South Africa where my love of travel and learning about the greater human family was cultivated. I attended postgraduate school at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Here I studied wildlife management and rural community involvement with ecotourism. When I returned to America, I resided in Colorado. I joined a public school district as a paraprofessional, working with severe needs children. During the school year, I facilitated a program of exchange between my classroom and the classroom in the village where I worked in South Africa. This experience in cross cultural exchange inspired me to develop a more global perspective of education. This is where my love for Montessori was born. 

My husband and I settled in the Gorge where I discovered Little Oak Montessori in 2009 and was hired as a classroom assistant just as the school was experiencing its first phase of growth. I spent four years assisting and teaching in both the children’s house and elementary classrooms. During this time, I received my Montessori elementary education certification at the Montessori Institute of Northern Texas.

I have worked 8 of the past 12 years at Little Oak Montessori; I have two children enrolled. I’ve worked as an assistant guide in both the children’s house and elementary, after school program coordinator, elementary co-teacher, facilitator for the parent toddler program and as both the assistant in the elementary class and the At Home learning facilitator as a part of our hybrid model, and an elementary lead guide last year.

In my spare time, I seek travel and adventure in the outdoors. I enjoy sewing, weaving, herbalism and permaculture. We live on 10 acres in Husum, Washington and spend a great deal of our time outside stewarding the land and with our animals.

LILY Hill
ASSISTANT GUIDE, ELEMENTARY

Being born and raised in the Columbia Gorge, each day, I am filled with gratitude for this special place and the community of people who live here. My childhood was filled with endless adventures in the woods. I spent the majority of my free time as a kid outside, exploring and letting my curiosity lead me to discover all the hidden gems. My childhood was filled with numerous treasures and life-changing experiences, one of which was Little Oak Montessori.

In 2004, my parents and a small group of other eager and determined parents dreamt up the makings of a Montessori school. As the pieces began to come together, they needed a space for this little school, so my parents offered up their newly built shop space. This became the very first Little Oak Montessori School. I have only the fondest memories of my time at Little Oak, from bringing Julie (my teacher) her Earl Gray tea in the mornings to spending hours doing my work with peers.

After graduating high school in White Salmon, I moved north to Bellingham to attend college at Western Washington University. I have always felt drawn to working with kids, learning from them, and guiding and supporting them in their adventures through life. Teaching was the best way for me to follow this passion. In 2022, I graduated from Western with a dual-endorsed degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. My time at Western was impactful in all the best ways. I am currently working on my master's in education, and I look forward to expanding my knowledge in the world of education. I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to learn more about the Montessori Method, and I am eager to soak up all that I can.

Stepping back into Little Oak last year as a substitute teacher, I immediately felt at home as memories of my time as a Montessori student flooded my mind. I have always felt a strong draw toward more progressive education models, which stems from my experiences at a Montessori school as a student. I look forward to guiding students in their growth in independence, sense of self, and human connection. 

NOELLE BLACKFORD
ASSISTANT GUIDE, ELEMENTARY

I grew up in New Jersey where I attended public school from kindergarten through high school. I had always felt that the traditional classroom environment did not cater to my needs and learning style as a neurodivergent student, so I chose to attend a liberal arts college to continue my education. My very first seminar class was School Choice, and from then on I became passionate about both pedagogy and the larger systems that determine what, why and how children learn. I pursued this interest further my junior year in a semester-long child development program in Denmark. I was inspired by the respect their school system and culture have for children’s natural capabilities and knew I wanted to incorporate this philosophy into a future career. I graduated from Bowdoin College in 2020 with a degree in psychology and education.

After graduation, I took time to explore a wide variety of places and jobs. I whitewater raft guided on the Kennebec River in Maine, completed a thru hike of the Appalachian trail, and worked in lift operations at the ski resorts of South Lake Tahoe. I moved to Hood River in the summer of 2022 to be a raft guide on the White Salmon River. I quickly fell in love with the abundance of natural beauty and the wonderful community of the gorge. I began substituting at Little Oak in the fall of 2022 and felt an instant connection to the school and its community. 

I am so excited to continue my journey at Little Oak this year! I feel honored to be a part of an educational environment that I wish I had had access to as a child. I am looking forward to deepening my relationships with all the wonderful students and staff I met last year as well as welcoming new families to our community!

Carmen Brown
Office Coordinator

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, a love for nature and adventure have always been with me. Prior to having my son, I spent 15 years in Property Management & Salon Management within the Portland/Seattle Metro areas. It was in 2020 that we said goodbye to Seattle, and moved to the Columbia Gorge so that my son could attend Little Oak Montessori.

Having spent four years in a cooperative preschool with my son, I witnessed firsthand the lasting impacts that early learning experiences have on a child's development. This strengthened my belief that children not only deserve an education that inspires a love of learning, but a school that nurtures and supports the whole child.

When the opportunity to become more than just a parent at Little Oak presented itself, I knew this is where I was supposed to be. I am proud to be a part of this community, and the strong foundation that is setting the framework for who our children will become. My office is always open for connecting with children, and supporting families on this journey.

LULU Henschel
Admissions Coordinator

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona; my family and I relocated to the gorge in 2019 to live our dream.  In between my birth home and now forever home, I have also lived in Chicago and Portland, spending summers in Japan connecting with an important part of my heritage.  All these places equaled a variety of professional endeavors including positions in small business management, restaurant management, cosmetology, fashion design, event planning, personal home/life organizing and more.  As different as each of these roles has been, what I’ve discovered to be consistent within myself is an innate passion to serve others, to provide a sense of comfort and home, and to maintain and deepen connections within the community.  

I now reside in Snowden with my husband, our three magical children, two dogs, and six of our extended family members living together in a sometimes chaotic, often wild, absolutely special multigenerational family compound. We are learning, growing, and grateful every day.  Raising my children within the Montessori methodology has been a priority of mine since my own family began.  I have watched each of my children’s minds open and their individual personalities nurtured through this school.  I am elated and honored to work with the incredible team at Little Oak Montessori and look forward to growing together for years to come. 

Lindee Lewit
Head of school

I am truly honored to have been chosen in 2019 as the Head of School at Little Oak Montessori, a remarkable educational institution. I find this a wonderful opportunity to create a caring learning community. 

Perhaps my earliest years well prepared me for this position. I grew up in a large, loving family as a middle child with responsibilities for caring for my younger siblings. I then moved on to take a job as a nanny on the east coast working for several years to help raise two wonderful brothers and to manage a household for their busy parents. Till today, they are part of my extended family.  

I knew that education was my calling and while working, I studied at University of Maryland, graduating with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Later, I further pursued my interest in teaching and received an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University. I gained valuable work experience at the Woodland School in San Francisco, first teaching second grade and later promoted to serve as Vice Principal. 

Attracted by the Montessori approach, the elegance and simplicity of its classroom settings, the skillful guides leading its students, my husband, Ben, daughter Jessica and I together joined the Little Oak community in fall, 2018. During that year, I served as co-chair of the PTO and got to know the inner workings of the school as a parent and volunteer. And I really fell in love with the Montessori method as I saw how Little Oak gave its students opportunities to develop their personal interests and grow as confident individuals. 

Please know that I am always open to your fresh ideas and your questions. I am sure that, with your help, Little Oak can grow to even greater strength in the years to come. I feel well prepared to be at the helm and hope to continue to earn your trust. 

Kathy Gillies
Children’s House After School Program Coordinator

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Education from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. I’ve spent my career teaching kindergarten first grade for 10 years and preschool for 16 years. 

I find joy in creating an inspiring and nurturing environment for children that supports and encourages a love of learning. I’m grateful to have a job that helps build a strong foundation which positively supports the child’s journey in their early years and beyond. 

I grew up in the midwest but have lived in Portland, Oregon for the past 30 years. My family recently moved to White Salmon for our next adventure! We love spending time outdoors whether it’s kiteboarding, biking, hiking, or pickleball!

Board of Directors

The Little Oak Board is composed primarily of Little Oak parents. Board positions are volunteer positions with a suggested term of 2-3 years. The Board strives for a balance of representatives, both in terms of their own professional experience as well as with regard to the age/s of their child/ren. The purpose of the Board is to support the needs of the school and staff by working in coordination with the Head of School. Parents are invited to attend an open session at the commencement of each Board meeting, generally held at 5:30 pm on the 3rd Thursday of every other month.

Current Members:

Anna Henschel (Interim Chair), Kelly Miller (Interim Secretary), Katie Thetford (Treasurer), Members: Kelly Turso, Rebecca Armistead, Amy Wilson, Phoebe Kruchoski and Lindee Lewit