Vicki MooreFounder Vicki Moore is the Founder of Living Classroom and has been working in the environmental education field for nearly two decades. As a parent of young children in the Los Altos School District, Vicki realized that a structured, educational program was needed to take advantage of all the learning opportunities that school gardens can provide.
Prior to starting Living Classroom, Vicki was the Policy Director for Greenbelt Alliance. Vicki was the Founder and first Director of the San Jose Beautiful Program, a community-based urban beautification program. Vicki is a long-time community volunteer and has served many local school and educational organizations. Recently, she has been a consultant working on policy and legislation to further environmental literacy programs. Vicki also sits on the Santa Clara County Planning Commission. Vicki received her B.A degree in Human Biology from Stanford University. Vicki lives in Los Altos with her son and dog, Kona, and keeps the memory of her husband (Scott Chan) and daughter (Kendra Chan) close to her heart. Oi-Yan ChungBusiness Manager
Oi-Yan spent her youth in Hong Kong and Wisconsin. She holds a BS in Medical Technology and an MS in Medical Informatics. After college, she moved to the Pacific Northwest where she went hiking for the very first time. She had a career in Healthcare IT and worked at not-for-profit organizations that provided healthcare to children. After relocating to the Bay Area and starting a family, she began volunteering at her son’s school as a parent volunteer for Living Classroom. Oi-Yan is excited to be part of the Living Classroom team, and is committed to supporting the organization in its mission. In her spare time, you can find her playing pickleball, hiking, and exploring National Parks with her family.
Susan HarderProgram Director Susan Harder grew up gardening, composting, and exploring nature in Toronto, Canada. After a career in health sciences, starting a family, and moving to California, she began volunteering in her local elementary school garden. She is excited to combine her passions for science and education into a role with Living Classroom.
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Sierra Van ZandtExecutive DirectorSierra grew up in Redwood City, California and has always had a love and curiosity for people and the natural world. Over the past decade, Sierra has fostered meaningful, lifelong learning opportunities in the outdoors for youth.
Since graduating with a BS in Environmental Science and Spanish from the University of Oregon, Sierra has been a Naturalist Intern at San Mateo Outdoor Education in La Honda, an Instructor and Event Coordinator at Vida Verde Nature Education in San Gregorio, and Site Manager at the Edible Schoolyard Kern County in Bakersfield. Sierra believes that all children should have access to environmental education, and is thrilled to continue to support this effort through Living Classroom. Sierra loves harvesting potatoes with children, tidepooling on the coast, hiking, camping, cooking yummy vegetarian meals, canning and growing food. Sierra can speak Spanish, do an Irish jig, and can identify most plants she walks by. She currently lives in Redwood City with her husband and two year old son. Patti BerryhillGarden Lead
Patti joined Living Classroom in 2014, following her dream of working with kids teaching them the love of gardening and nature. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arkansas in Agriculture, with an emphasis in Landscape Design and Urban Horticulture. After moving to California and raising her children, she went back to school and earned an Associate of Science degree in Environmental Horticulture and Design from Foothill College, and is a UC California Naturalist. She has had her own business doing landscape design and landscape maintencance. She also worked for landscape contractors doing maintenance and construction. Now, she's exploring her passions after training with an herbalist and foraging, bird watching.
Michelle BonfilioGardener
Michelle spent eight years running the Huff garden while her three children attended there. When she has free time she can be found taking care of her garden at home. She is excited to join the Living Classroom team to share her passion of gardening with the students, staff and volunteers.
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April Ashlock |
Jessica Merino |
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Instructor/Teacher Liaison
April holds a lifelong passion for teaching and helping kids with all abilities to be successful. She has earned an Education Specialist teaching credential from San Jose State and also has a degree in Exercise Science and Sociology from Georgia State, in her hometown of Atlanta. Before joining Living Classroom, she taught special education and has worked at various nonprofits. With her kids, April enjoys cooking with fresh ingredients and experimenting with new recipes. She also loves the great outdoors: hiking with her puppy, riding bikes with her friends, and exploring National Parks with her family.
Leanne PalmerInstructor/Teacher Liaison
Raised on the beautiful island of Maui, HI, Leanne was surrounded by vibrant landscapes and rich biodiversity, nurturing her appreciation for Hawaii’s natural beauty. With almost 20 years of experience working and volunteering with children, Leanne is excited to bring her passion for education to the Living Classroom team, teaching environmental literacy to the community. Leanne enjoys embarking on adventures with her children, learning about culture and history, as well as cooking, crafting, and being outdoors. She values spending quality time with family and friends. Leanne hopes to continue inspiring and educating others, ensuring that the legacy of Earth’s natural beauty is preserved for generations to come.
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Instructor/Materials Manager
Jessica Merino grew up on Long Island, NY where she could be found outside enjoying nature, at the beach, or playing soccer and softball. She holds a BS in Biology/Health Science from Quinnipiac University and a MS in Secondary and Special Education from Dowling College. She holds a dual CA teaching credential in biology and special education. Jessica has over 10 years’ experience in the classroom where she had a passion for educating children of all learning styles. After starting a family and moving to the bay area, she wanted to again work with children and spark an interest in science. This drive led her to volunteer as a Living Classroom docent prior to joining the staff. She is very excited to be part of the Living Classroom staff where she looks forward to increasing environmental awareness and engaging students in hands-on science lessons. When not working, you can find Jessica volunteering at her children’s school, spending time with family, going to the beach, camping, hiking, traveling, and reading.
Joie PascualJoie grew up surrounded by a garden full of flowers, fruits, and succulents. She developed a love of gardening and the outdoors over the years which she now shares with her two elementary school children. Every year they plant a variety of fruits and vegetables that they share with neighbors and friends. They also enjoy hiking, camping and trips to the beach. Joie has a degree in Business Management from SJSU and previously worked for several nonprofit organizations. Much of her time now is spent volunteering at her kids' school and helping her elderly neighbors. She is excited to help a new generation develop environmental awareness and a love for the outdoors. In her free time Joie enjoys reading, crafting and gardening.
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Our Amazing Docents!
We could not reach as many students with as many lessons without the help of our dedicated docents. Our docents come from many different backgrounds and life experiences, but all come to Living Classroom to share their love of learning with children. Every year, Living Classroom offers fall, winter, and spring training sessions that not only demonstrate how to teach our lessons, but also cover classroom management, cultural relevancy, and effective teaching strategies.
