NSP Teacher Bios 2021-2022 School Year

Preschool Director and Co-Founder, Assistant Teacher

Stephanie is a Naturopathic Physician specializing in pediatrics and family medicine. She graduated from Seattle’s Bastyr University in 1998 and has spent the past 20+ years working with children and teaching families about health and nutrition. As one of the co-founders of Natural Start Preschool, Stephanie is passionate about fostering young children's learning and development through age-appropriate curriculum, outdoor exploration and play, and daily interactions with the natural world. She considers it an immense privilege to be able to experience each child's innate sense of wonder and curiosity come alive as they explore the forests and meadow surrounding our preschool, learn about insects and animals, plant seeds in the garden, and discover the other natural habitats of our preschool home. Stephanie lives in Bellevue (where she also grew up!) and is an avid hiker, gardener, and birdwatcher. She has a teenage son with whom she loves playing football, going to parks, traveling, and sharing a variety of outdoor adventures. In her spare time, she also enjoys reading, knitting, archery, cooking healthy meals, spending time with family and friends, and going on long nature walks.

Lead Teacher, Explorers Class (M/W/F) 

Jodi earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Advertising from Washington State University. While working in e-commerce for 6 years, she taught gymnastics to kids as her side job. She loved everything about working with kids, so she decided to go back to school and earn her Master’s Degree in teaching from Heritage University. As a certified elementary education teacher, Jodi has worked as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist for the Mercer Island School District, in addition to working as a gymnastics teacher and dance coach. She has a passion for learning and helping others learn, especially in nature. Jodi lives in Newcastle with her husband Wes, two boys, Etcher (6) and Helix (4), and their energetic dog, Hazy (1). She and her family love spending time traveling, camping, hiking, going to parks, and exploring the outdoors. Jodi also enjoys bird watching, baking, reading to the kids, checking out new coffee shops, and trying new educational activities.

Lead Teacher, Junior Explorers Class (M-F)

Mirsa received her Bachelor's Degree (Cum Laude) in Early Childhood Education at Trinity Lutheran College. Her work with young children has included volunteering at V.I.B.E.S and various summer church camps. This will be Mirsa’s fifth year at NSP and she is excited to continue fostering her preschoolers' connection to the outdoors through play and exploration. Mirsa loves spending time with children because of their curiosity and their unique perspective on the world. Because her father took their family out every week, Mirsa grew up exploring and playing in different natural environments that helped foster her love for nature. She currently lives in Bellevue with her husband and two children, Danny (age 9) and Ahri (age 4) with whom she enjoys playing and exploring the outdoors. Some of their favorite activities are creating "mud kitchens", watching the stars and clouds, rolling down hills, gardening, looking for "beautiful" rocks, playing in the rain, and jumping in puddles! When not playing, Mirsa enjoys reading, singing, listening to rock, hiking, wrestling, plucking her violin, and knitting.

Lead Teacher, Explorers Class (T/Th)

Victoria has been proud to call the Pacific Northwest her home for the past 23 years. Originally from Michigan, Victoria obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Michigan State University and has teaching experience from preschool up through the middle school level. This is Victoria’s eighth year at NSP and she feels fortunate to be able to share the wonders of the outdoors with her preschoolers. Like her students, Victoria is always learning and has taken many courses and workshops over the years to keep her up-to-date with the latest practices as she continues building her “outdoor preschool repertoire.” She is excited to explore and share new activities with her students while facilitating a love and appreciation for nature. When she’s not teaching preschool, Victoria enjoys volunteering, hiking, traveling, gardening, and strumming the guitar. Victoria lives in Issaquah with her husband David, teenage sons David and Dane, and rescue lab-mix Loki.

Assistant Teacher, Junior Explorers Class (M/W/F)   

Liza was born in the Philippines and grew up in Seattle. While a stay-at-home mom raising 4 children (3 sons and a daughter), she received her Associates in Applied Science Allied Health, Medical Assistant Certification, and Nursing Assistant Certification. She has volunteered at Issaquah Swedish Hospital in several specialties including Post-Operations, ICU and Post-Partum. She also volunteered at Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center. Her family has a love for soccer, which all her children participated in and/or are presently playing. If Liza is not watching her kids play soccer, she is recording their games. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, exercising, taking long walks, hiking, and creating macrame wall hanging and art décor. Liza is thrilled to be joining the team at Natural Start Preschool and looks forward to connecting with the children.  

Assistant Teacher, Explorers Class (M/W/F)   

Madoka is originally from Japan and has been living in the Pacific Northwest for the past 20 years. After receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Graphic Design from the University of Washington, she worked in the design field for 7 years before joining the staff of an international academic and professional exchange program. Madoka considers herself to be a global citizen and believes that it takes a village to raise a child. She has volunteered at youth homeless shelters in the past and is actively involved in helping young people in the community. When she became a parent, she developed a passion for working with young children. She is excited to teach at NSP and to explore the wonders of nature with her students! In her spare time, Madoka enjoys spending time outdoors and hiking and camping with her family and friends. She also enjoys gardening and cooking, especially with her 5-year-old son. She loves to travel and meet new people, and she is always curious about learning ways to work and live with others in order to make our planet more peaceful and sustainable. 

Assistant Teacher, Junior Explorers Class (M-F)
Margaret received her B.S. in Human Development from Brigham Young University. She moved to Bellevue from Texas and has enjoyed exploring the Pacific Northwest for the past 15 years. She loves adventuring with her three children, ages 11, 9, and 6. Her favorite season is summer, when she and her kids enjoy exploring the low tides, hiking, picking berries, playing at beach parks, and taking road trip to different areas of Washington State. Margaret has spent the past twelve years working with children as a volunteer Sunday school teacher. In her spare time, she likes to watch baking shows and listen to audiobooks. 

Assistant Teacher, Explorers Class (M/W) 

Sarah graduated from William Jewell College with a B.S. in Nursing. As a Pediatric Nurse, she has worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, summer camps, and as a traveling nurse in 7 states. She was an elementary school nurse at her children’s school for 2 years in Kansas. When her family moved to Washington in August of 2017, Sarah felt ready for a new type of career adventure. Her life experiences and passion for working with children influenced the decision to be both a preschool teacher and stay-at-home mom. Growing up in Missouri, she loved spending summers at the lake, helping in her mom’s classroom, and playing outside on the farm. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, crafting with paper and recycled materials, hiking and camping. When exploring nature, her favorite spots are the mountains, beach, lake, and forest, just to name a few! Sarah lives in Bellevue with her husband Scotty, two children Lillian (13) and Fisher (11), and cat Leonard. 

Kelly Butler 

Business Director 

Co-Founder 

Assistant Teacher, Junior Explorers Class (T/Th)

In addition to working with the preschool for the past decade, Kelly been a small business owner and worked for the federal government as an International Trade Specialist. She has a BA in Business Administration and has completed additional training in child development, child guidance and behavior, and health and safety. She is married with a daughter in high school and a sweet dog. She loves watching her daughter play basketball, reading, playing Mah Jongg and being outside.