Faculty and Guest InstructorsWith a wealth of knowledge and many years of experience, each of the staff at Alderleaf Wilderness College brings a high level of instructional excellence and professionalism to our courses. 
Jason Knight is the program director at the
Wilderness Certification Program
and a co-founder of Alderleaf Wilderness College. He has taught Traditional Ecological Knowledge for over ten years, with expertise in animal tracking and wilderness survival skills. He is a seasoned wildlife biologist and wilderness educator, having worked with conservation organizations, government agencies, and in the private sector. Jason is certified as a Level III Track & Sign Interpreter through
CyberTracker International
and holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Environmental Education from The Evergreen State College. Jason has managed cougar studies for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as gray wolf research in central Idaho. He continues to consult on wildlife projects through
Wetland Resources, Inc.
Jason also enjoys studying sustainability issues, spending time with his wife, and playing jazz guitar.More information on Jason Knight 
Filip A. Tkaczyk is an instructor and experienced naturalist who has extensively studied the ecosystems of Washington state for a decade. He earned a B.S. in Wildlife Science from the University of Washington. Included in his experiences as a naturalist, he has lead bird walks with Seattle Audubon and taught tracking/outdoors skills to adults and youth for various organizations such as the Wildlife Society. Filip has also worked with the Olympic National Park conducting bat research, and for the University of Washington, leading an in-depth study on nutria in the Seattle area. He is also a professional nature photographer who has captured wildlife images around the world. For enjoyment, he gleefully pursues his childhood passion of obsessively studying the mysteries of the natural world.Visit Filip's "Adventures in Nature" blog 
Heather Swift is an instructor at the Wilderness Certification Program and also assists with marketing and outreach at Alderleaf. She is the founder of Cohabitats, a consulting collective that fosters conservation, restoration and stewardship. As a member of Cascade Tracker Team, she worked on a wildlife study for Cascade Land Conservancy. For Conservation Northwest, she participated in a remote wildlife camera study. After converting her backyard to be a certified wildlife habitat, she now instructs homeowners on enhancing wildlife habitat on their properties. Heather is a regular speaker for organizations including Built Green, the Northwest EcoBuildling Guild, and WSU Extension. She holds an M.S. in Management from Antioch University Seattle where she is on the faculty. She recently completed WSU's Forest Stewardship program and is certified as a CyberTracker Level II for Track & Sign. Heather is an artist and enjoys hiking, cycling and rock climbing with her husband Ben.
Dave Scott is an instructor at the Wilderness Certification Program. Dave is an accomplished naturalist, tracker, and survival skills teacher and the co-author of Bird Feathers - A Guide to North American Species. He is also certified as a Level III Track & Sign Interpreter through CyberTracker International. As a child growing up in Texas, Dave found a great love for the outdoors and immersed himself in the natural world through exploration and the close observation of wildlife. He has worked with troubled teens in Texas at a wilderness residential treatment center using his skills as a naturalist, survivalist and wildlife tracker to design new programs for the center. Through Dave's teen programs many of his students succeeded in altering their behavior and changing the course of their lives. Dave is currently working on completing a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education.Adjunct Faculty: Adjunct faculty offer their expertise as regular guests at the Alderleaf Wilderness Certification Program . Several of the adjunct faculty also teach workshops through their own organizations. 
Karen Sherwood has taught ethnobotany for over twenty-five years. Karen is a guest teacher at the
Wilderness Certification Program
, where she shares her strong understanding of traditional uses of wild plants, including their edible, medicinal, and utilitarian uses. Karen is a Northwest native who grew up studying the flora of the Pacific Northwest. Karen studied botany at the University of Washington and spent 15 years working for Tom Brown's Tracker School where she developed their wild foods curriculum. In addition to her botany background, Karen also spent many years in search and rescue, fine tuning her wilderness survival skills. She also teaches for the Department of Ecology, Washington Outdoor Women, and King County Parks. Karen co-founded
Earthwalk Northwest
, where she offers in-depth ethnobotany programs. Her current passion is teaching about the vast and wondrous uses of seaweeds, as well as traditional Northwest basketry.
More information on Karen Sherwood 
Frank Sherwood has been teaching wilderness skills for over twenty-five years. Frank is a guest teacher at the
Wilderness Certification Program
where he offers his expertise in skills such as bow making, traditional tanning, primitive fishing, flintknappping, and other aspects of wilderness survival. He has taught courses to a diversity of students, including environmental groups, military, and law enforcement agencies. Frank has a Recreational Leadership degree and has studied with some of the leading primitive technologists in the country including Steve Allely, Errett Callahan, Jack Cresson, Jim Hamm, Dan Stueber, and Charles Worsham. Frank was a Senior Instructor with Tom Brown's Tracker School for over 15 years before he and his wife co-founded their own school,
Earthwalk Northwest
. Frank’s mastery of skills, and his ability to help others master skills of their own, makes him a unique and effective mentor.
More information on Frank Sherwood 
Chris Kenworthy has been teaching wilderness courses for over 15 years. At Alderleaf Chris shares her passion and knowledge of nature awareness, plants, and native scout skills. She is the director of The Coyote's Path Wilderness School which she founded in 1994. She now lives in the Northeastern Cascade Mountains on 160 acres in a remote cabin off the grid. Chris has been a registered nurse for 27 years working in ER & ICU and is well versed in both modern and herbal wilderness medicine. Her philosophy is that wilderness skills allow you to feel at home and safe no matter where you are. This cultivates a relationship with nature where nature is truly your mother that provides you with everything you need.
Allan “Hawkeye” Sande has over fifteen years of experience teaching young people about nature and Native American life. At Alderleaf Allan shares his expertise in education, mentoring, and program development. Allan is the director of
Quiet Heart Wilderness School
, which he founded in 1997 when he saw the need for children to have the opportunity to explore and understand the wilderness. Since that time, Quiet Heart has grown into an educational program for people of all ages with a child’s heart for the outdoors. Allan has a degree in Business Management and a background in Childhood Education. His desire to bring young people back in touch with the Earth fuels his passion to teach.More information on Allan "Hawkeye" Sande 
Adam Rawson has been teaching and implementing permaculture, sustainable design, and organic agriculture for over 15 years. Adam leads the Permaculture Design component of the
Wilderness Certification Program
, sharing his strong sense of human sustainability based on nature’s model. He also coordinates the design and implementation of the master permaculture plan of the Alderleaf campus. Adam is the founder and lead designer of Eden Cultivation,
a whole systems design firm specializing in permaculture, sustainable living and land use. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design and Ecology and works with private citizens, commercial developers, governments, nonprofit organizations and tribal nations in the Pacific Northwest and abroad to design and build complete sustainable living systems in balanced harmony with the native environment. Adam grew up exploring the wildlands of Washington and Oregon, and enjoys raising his children, hiking the backcountry, and empowering his community.Guest Instructors and Presenters: Alderleaf also hosts guest instructors for special workshops and events. They are often visiting experts from different parts of the world. Alderleaf is honored to be hosting the following guests. 
Adriaan Louw is a professional wildlife tracker from South Africa. He specializes in trailing dangerous game such as African lions and leopards. Adriaan has worked for ten years in formal conservation including five years at Kruger National Park. He has trained rangers, guides, and trackers, and is a certified tracking evaluator for CyberTracker International. Alderleaf hosts Adriaan Louw for a special
Trailing Workshop
and
Evening Presentation on Wildlife Tracking in South Africa.
Susan Morse is a nationally recognized naturalist and habitat specialist with thirty years of experience tracking and interpreting wildlife uses of habitat. Her research has focused on cougar, bobcat, black bear, and Canada lynx. In 2001 Susan was the recipient of the Franklin Fairbanks Award for her lifelong creative and dedicated service to enriching the awareness and understanding of the natural world among the residents of New England. Susan founded
Keeping Track
in 1994. Alderleaf hosts Susan Morse for special
bear, cougar, and bobcat tracking workshops.
Phil Bennett has been a naturalist and wilderness guide for ten years in Washington, Idaho and California. He has taught survival skills, naturalist studies, and wilderness therapy. For the last two years he has worked in arboriculture with Down to Earth Tree Care in Duvall, WA; a company dedicated to ethical and sustainable practices. Phil helps to steward a 160 acre parcel in eastern Washington, a 67 acre parcel in east San Diego County, and has written a forest stewardship plan for a 20 acre parcel in western Washington. His favorite tree is Quercus robur, the English Oak. At Alderleaf, Phil teaches the
Forest Stewardship Course.
Administrative and Farm Staff: 
Kerry Knight serves as the Farm Manager and Administrative Coordinator at Alderleaf Wilderness College. She has spent many years studying herbal medicine and permaculture, and is certified as a Community Centered Herbalist (CCH) through
Ravencroft Garden.
Before co-founding Alderleaf, she worked in a variety of positions maintaining small farms and large greenhouses. Kerry was an assistant curator at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, involved with artifact preservation at The Glen Black Lab, and also worked on a Mayan archeological site in Central America. Kerry holds a BA in Anthropology from Indiana University. At Alderleaf, Kerry provides logistical support to all programs and manages the office, land, and community housing. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of herbal medicine and working in the garden with volunteers and students in the
Wilderness Certification Program.
Steve Nicolini is the land steward at Alderleaf. He helps coordinate and implement the master permaculture plan and forest stewardship activities on campus. Steve is also a teaching assistant at Wilderness Certification Program field trips. Steve was born in Novato, CA and grew up hiking and bicycling in the oak forests of the North Bay Area. He has always loved the outdoors and was inspired to study wilderness living after a life changing journey to the Amazon rainforest in early 2007. Steve is a graduate of both the Wilderness Certification Program and the Instructor Internship at Alderleaf. He has led summer camps and enjoys working with youth. Some of his hobbies include woodworking, playing the banjo, and harvesting wild foods.To stay updated on courses taught by Alderleaf faculty and instructors subscribe to the Alderleaf eNewsletter. Return from Alderleaf Faculty back to the Alderleaf Home Page
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