Cotati Staff

Director:  Heather Ashton Black

I am honored and excited to be a part of Mixed Greens, a real-life dream come true, and a place of love, peace, and learning for children and grown-ups alike!  To learn more about me and our beginnings, please visit the Director tab in the About menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Site Supervisor & Blossoms Core Teacher: Jessica Crosier

Hello everyone my name is Jessica Crosier and I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to grow with the Mixed Greens family as the Site Supervisor at our newest campus! I was drawn to working with children after my first official job in high school and since that moment, I knew some form of work with children was the career path for me. After high school, I spent a few years at the Santa Rosa Junior College exploring various courses and completing an Associates’s Degree in Elementary School Teaching before transferring to Sonoma State University. There, I completed my B.A. in Early Childhood Studies with a focus on Education. I have been working alongside children since 2011 in various positions, including being an assistant director for a child care facility for five years, and have learned so much from each experience.

During the 2020 school year, I joined Mixed Greens as the Atelierista at our Farmstead campus! I really have enjoyed this position and the opportunity to strengthen my teaching skills and ability to meet the children where they are, providing creative, open explorations to further build on their interests and skills. I’m so incredibly grateful and humbled to now be part of a further extension of the wonderful Mixed Greens family as we continue to build a community of lifelong learners who feel safe and supported in their education journey.

I believe that children are leaders in their own learning and that learning best occurs when it is developed from the child’s interests. Having various materials readily available for open exploration encourages children to express themselves freely and symbolically through various forms of work and play. I am so happy to be a part of the  Mixed Greens family and am looking forward to meeting everyone and getting the chance to grow alongside your little ones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organic Garden Educator & Sprouts Core Teacher: Alaina Probst

Hello, My name is Alaina and I am happy to be joining the Mixed Greens family at the Cotati campus as the Garden Educator!  I studied Early Childhood Education at College of Marin, where I completed my teaching practicum at the Indian Valley Campus Preschool, and earned my teaching certification. In addition to my ECE certification, I am a certified Life Lab Garden Educator through UC Santa Cruz.

I have worked in environmental education for over 15 years. My experience ranges from leading nature classes with the National Forest Service to local restoration projects with youth as an AmeriCorps member at Conservation Corps North Bay. I studied Sustainable Horticulture through College of Marin while simultaneously working the IVC Organic Farm and Garden, and as the garden educator at Loma Verde Elementary School. My passion for plants has lead me to many different areas of learning, including my herbalism certification through the Living Awareness Institute. Most recently, all these passions lead me to leading Tinkergarten classes with children and their families in our local parks.

When I am not in the garden or the classroom I love to explore the outdoors with my two sons, Dylan (5yo MG grad), and Sawyer (2yo MG kid). Together we enjoy frequent dance parties, garden snacks, bird watching & engaging play that utilizes all our senses! I am now so excited to bring all I’ve gleaned to the “Mix”💚 and am so honored to be joining the Mixed Greens community of learners, families and educators!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atelierista:  Lauren Johnson

Hi, my name is Lauren Johnson and I am so happy to have been a part of the Mixed Greens Family for quite a few years now! I completed my Early Childhood Education training at the SRJC and have been taking care of children and infants for over seven years. I grew up as the oldest of five children in my family, so I love being around young, imaginative minds. I’ve always wanted to work with children, helping them grow into loving and respectful members of the community and now I get to live my dream. 

Coming from a very artistic family, I love helping children discover their creative side. I have loved music all my life and enjoy playing ukulele and guitar in my free time. On top of that, I enjoy the creative and therapeutic benefits of painting and other mixed media art forms. I consider it a wonderful opportunity to be able to share these passions of mine with children of all ages!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Rae Jeanne McDonald

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Marissa Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Tyrrell Salath

Howdy folks! My name’s Tyrrell and I’m super duper excited to be a part of the community here at Mixed Greens. I’m currently enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College and working on getting my credentials. My experience working with children has been an adventure. Every party and event I’ve attended, children seem to gravitate towards me like how I seem to always gravitate towards the all-you-can-eat buffet tables. I also worked in another preschool a few years ago, and worked for an after school program for an elementary school. Being around all the kids I’ve come across in my life has helped me gain a lot of knowledge and also feed my spark of passion to work with kids. One of my memorable moments working with kids was when one of the kids who was considered difficult by other staff members told me that I was his favorite teacher because I know how to talk to him, unlike everybody else. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Teacher: Bridget Laugesen

Hi everyone! My name is Bridget and I’m so excited to be a part of Mixed Greens! I’m currently attending Sonoma State as a Hutchins Liberal Studies major, with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. I’m from San Jose and this is my second year here at Sonoma and I love it here! Some of my favorite things are cats, reading, sunsets, painting, hiking, and the beach! I was a cheerleader all four years in high school and I coached kids gymnastics for a little bit too! I love being creative, spreading kindness, and making others laugh. I absolutely love working with kids and I’m so excited to get to know everyone here and make new friends! I cherish all of the connections I’ve made with children I’ve babysat/ worked with before and I can’t wait to make more <3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Cam West

Hello! My name is Cam, and I have had the privilege of teaching at all three MG campuses for several years. I resonate with the MG belief that students reach the goals of cognitive growth and educational development through child-interest based, teacher-facilitated projects, and that the potential for learning is stunted when the endpoint is formulated in advance. Over the years, this belief has become one of my core values as a teacher. I have supported children who have wanted to learn how to horseback ride before they could even ride a bike and other children as young as 5 years old who had the desire to learn how to solve Rubik’s cubes. With the strong belief of all our projects being child-interest based, we have had the opportunity to engage in so many creative fun activities like raising goats, hatching chicks, and even taming blue jays! I value building confidence through strong encouragement and support while creating an environment with developmentally appropriate activities that will facilitate critical thinking. I’m excited to see what’s to come next!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Teacher: Kathryn Haidinyak

Heyo!! My name is Kathryn and I’m so excited to be a part of the Mixed Greens family! I am currently a student right here at Sonoma State, where I am part of the Hutchins program, which is helping me on my way to a elementary teaching degree and credential. Ever since I was 16 and had my first job working with kids, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. To make a child smile and show them the way in learning is so fulfilling. There is no better feeling then when you have been working with them for a long time and get to witness them achieve something new and exciting.  I live for that excitement about gaining new knowledge and knowing they did it themselves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Teacher: Susan Magnuson

Hi everyone, my name is Susan Magnuson and I’m excited to start a new journey with the Mixed Greens family. I’ve been working in daycare for more than 15 years, in addition to raising three of my own! A move from the South Bay to Santa Rosa two years ago put me in Heather’s path and I’m so excited to learn from, and hopefully teach something new to, all the bright and curious children I’ve had the pleasure of working with!

 

 

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