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.Core Faculty: 
Jason Knight is the program director at the
Wilderness Certification Program
and a co-founder of Alderleaf Wilderness College. He has taught nature skills for over a decade, 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 Track & Sign Specialist and Trailing Level III through
CyberTracker International
. He received a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology & Environmental Education from The Evergreen State College and holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. Jason has managed cougar studies for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and assisted with 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 family, and playing 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 is certified as a Track & Sign Specialist, holds a Permaculture Design Certificate, and 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 
Darcy Ottey is an instructor with the Wilderness Certification Program and assists with human resources development at Alderleaf. She is a talented teacher and mentor with over fifteen years of experience in environmental, adventure, and experiential education. Darcy provides expertise in community-building, rites of passage, and training outdoor educators. She has taught people of all ages and walks of life. Her diverse background includes providing high level leadership at both Rite of Passage Journeys and Outward Bound. She has a holistic understanding of the workings of an environmental organization, including program development, staff training, strategic planning, community engagement, financial management, outreach, and fundraising. Darcy holds a Master’s Degree in Environment & Community, with a focus on Leadership, from Antioch University Seattle. Darcy's passions include ritual and ceremony, anti-racism and cross-cultural education, and spending time outdoors.
Steve Nicolini is an instructor and the land steward at Alderleaf. He teaches courses and helps coordinate and implement the master permaculture plan and forest stewardship activities on campus. Steve holds a Level III Track & Sign certification through CyberTracker International and holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. He also holds an Associate of Arts degree from Santa Rosa College. 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.
Heather Swift is an instructor at the Wilderness Certification Program and also assists with marketing and outreach at Alderleaf. Heather is passionate about ethnobotany and regularly harvests wild plants for medicine and food. She has been an ethnobotany instructor at Cascadia Community College and taught private classes in wild edible and medicinal plants. She is the founder of Cohabitats, a consulting collective that fosters conservation, restoration and stewardship. She has applied her tracking skills working on wildlife studies for Cascade Land Conservancy and Conservation Northwest. 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.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. 
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 provides logistical support 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 and has also completed a Permaculture Design Certificate. At Alderleaf, Kerry provides logistical support to programs and manages the farm and community housing. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of herbal medicine, animal husbandry, and working in the garden with volunteers, her family, and students in the
Wilderness Certification Program.
Michelle M. Peziol is the Office Manager and Teaching Assistant at Alderleaf. She coordinates much of the behind-the-scenes administrative functions of the school. She also instructs on field trips and supports other classes at the Wilderness Certification Program. Michelle is an experienced naturalist dedicated to pursuing advanced studies in wildlife tracking and ethnobotany. She holds a Level III Track & Sign Certificate a well as a Level II Trailing Certificate through CyberTracker Conservation. She recently completed a Plant Apprenticeship and Ethnobotanical Studies Program. Michelle is also a graduate of both the Wilderness Instructor Internship and the Wilderness Certification Program at Alderleaf. She also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate and has a Bachelor of Science in Geology from State University College at Fredonia. In her free time, Michelle enjoys tracking, camping and hiking with her dog Oscar.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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