People

PUDDLESTOMPERS' mission is to connect the youngest naturalists, ages 2 to 8 (and their parents and caregivers) to the open spaces in their communities. PUDDLESTOMPERS seeks to help build the foundation for a lifelong enjoyment, love of the outdoors, and a lasting stewardship of nature.

Ariel joined the NAAEE team in September of 2021 as a Senior Administrative Assistant. Prior to this role, she has over 15 years of administrative experience in a laboratory and office setting. She is originally from the suburbs of Illinois and moved to Washington DC in 2009, where she attended Howard University. She received her B.A. in Psychology at the College of Arts and Sciences with a minor focus in Administration of Justice. She aspires to travel the world to learn and experience cultures outside her own. Should Italy be next?

 Soul Sprouts

 

---

Soul Sprouts – Vision Summary  (Website Underconstruction)

Soul Sprouts is a nature-centered learning platform dedicated to nurturing the whole development of children and teens (birth–17) by reconnecting them with the living Earth and their own inner awareness. Rooted in the guiding principles of being, beholding, and belonging, Soul Sprouts supports educators, parents, caregivers, and grandparents in fostering environments where young people can cultivate presence, deepen observation, and experience a genuine sense of relationship with the natural world.

Through curated resources, storytelling, contemplative practices, and connections to meaningful programs, Soul Sprouts serves as a bridge between ecological literacy and inner development. It invites a shift from content-driven education to relationship-centered learning—where science, imagination, and lived experience come together to inspire care, responsibility, and wonder for the Earth.

Position:  Doreen Tanenbaum-M.Ed., ECSE and Chief Fairy Godmother 4 Mother Earth: Founder and Guide, Soul Sprouts – cultivating pathways for nature-based, inner-directed learning that supports the next generation in becoming attentive, connected, and responsive participants in a living world.

Teaching at risk high school students how to succeed in an academic environment while enhancing their self-esteem, self-worth and connection to the community and wonderful world that surrounds them.

I am currently work for ODC Network as a nature-based preschool director at Dragonflies Discovery Preschool in Holland, MI. I have worked as a naturalist and early-childhood nature-based preschool teacher previously. I have a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Special Education and love teaching children, staff, and families about the outdoors!

I grew up immersed in forests and developed an early appreciation for environmental literacy that continues to shape my work today. My background includes studies in natural sciences and human development, as well as experience in both formal and informal education settings. I have worked with learners of all ages (from infants to adults) through roles as a substitute teacher, early childhood educator, and prevention specialist. Currently, I work with the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania, where I integrate environmental education with the region’s rich cultural and industrial history.

I serve Westgate Community School as the Environmental Education Coordinator. Westgate is a K-12 charter school that focuses on whole child education. EE lessons and service learning projects are incorporated weekly with support of on campus chickens, goats, barn cats, gardens, and bee hives.

My work as an environmental scientist focuses on water quality, aquatic organism health, and stream convservation and restoration. Part of my work includes educating the public and preK-12 audiences about the American eel, a fascinating fish native to our Pennsylvania watersheds. 

I currently serve as a Farm to School Educator with the School Food Project as an EE Corps/AmeriCorps member. In this role, I support students in building a place-based understanding of food and nutrition. Teaching students where food comes from naturally intersects with the collective health of the non-human world and humans, community well-being, and equity. Through our programming, we honor farmers in surrounding communities while exploring how local food systems support the three pillars of sustainability: environmental stewardship, economic resilience, and social equity. These lessons aim to foster stewardship while empowering students to reframe how they understand and relate to their environment.