Head of School

MANDY MARTIN

Amanda and her family moved to Chattanooga in 2017 from California. She has a background in special needs/trauma informed education and is a huge advocate for social emotional learning. She has been working at Wauhatchie School since 2021. She taught Pre-K at our Reflection Riding and Lookout Lake campuses and coordinated the Friends of the Forest PTA group. After homeschooling her three children for 7 years, Amanda is extremely grateful that she and her husband Jered are able to send them all to Wauhatchie School. She daydreamed for 3 years about this place after finding it through a friend!

As Head of School, one of Amanda’s biggest passions is to find creative ways to make our school accessible to our diverse communities here in Chattanooga. She believes anyone who wants this type of education should have access to it. Amanda knows our school is paving the way for nature-based and developmental education nurturing connection to nature, self, and others. She believes our children are everything and that they need this place in order to know their unique capabilities in this world. Amanda is honored to serve this community as the Head of School and she is thrilled to be a part of something so beautifully disruptive to how we have long viewed education.

Administrative Office Manager

Ashley baker

Ashley moved with her family from Texas in 2021. She has always had a passion and love for educating children and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Elementary Education. Ashley taught public school for 10 years and then moved into a position at a private preschool as the Assistant Director. After discovering forest school for her son’s education, she fell in love with the concept of blending the love of the outdoors with her love for education. In her free time she and her family enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, and she is thrilled to be able to work outdoors daily as part of the Wauhatchie team. 

Director of Admissions and TADS Specialist

Kaitlyn Agee

Kaitlyn was born and raised in Utah, but she and her family have now been living in Chattanooga for several years. Kaitlyn has been adventuring in the outdoors her whole life and especially enjoys hiking, backpacking, canyoneering and paddle boarding. Kaitlyn received a degree from Southern Utah University in Parks, Recreation and Tourism with an emphasis in Education. She worked as a rafting guide on the Colorado River, spent three years working in Wilderness Therapy with at-risk youth and has years of experience in working with computer software and billing. She taught forest preschool for three years for Wauhatchie School at the Audubon Acres campus and has loved watching our forest school grow!

Preschool Manager & Communications

lauren lytle

Lauren grew up in middle Tennessee and earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Anthropology & Ecology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. After graduating, Lauren accepted a job at the Tennessee Aquarium, moved to Chattanooga and quickly fell in love with all of the outdoor opportunities to be found in our great city. At the aquarium, Lauren led preschool programs, summer camps, animal training sessions, outreach programs, and teacher workshops for outdoor education curricula like Project WILD, Project WET and Growing Up WILD. She also served as a member of the Early Matters Chattanooga committee and became a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation. Lauren considers herself a child at heart and sharing in the wonders of nature with little ones is what she loves the most. When she’s not teaching, you’ll find Lauren doing yoga, reading, trail running, rock climbing, hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and playing volleyball around town!

LIZA FOWLER - FOREST Preschool TEACHER + literacy intervention

Liza is so excited to be teaching at Wauhatchie School this year! Originally from Savannah, GA, Liza moved to a farm on Lookout Mountain 12 years ago. She's a certified elementary teacher and a proud mom of two children along with many other beloved farm animals. After spending the last several years focused on the farm and raising her children, Liza is thrilled to return to teaching and be part of such a warm, amazing and welcoming community. She's passionate about animals, nature, learning, connection, and helping kids grow with confidence!

NATALIE WATTS - Forest Preschool teacher

Natalie was born and raised in central Alabama and spent most of her childhood looking for any excuse to be outside. These early moments sparked a lifelong curiosity about the natural world and inspired her to pursue an Environmental Studies degree at Maryville College. After graduation, Natalie joined a conservation corps before going on to work as a research technician at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, where she conducted coastal ecology research along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Her work at the lab deepened her appreciation for the nature, but it's her desire to share that wonder with young learners that led her to Wauhatchie. Natalie is thrilled to be back in the mountains stepping into the world of forest education.

CARRIE MIXON - Forest PRESCHOOL & JR. KINDERGARTEN teacheR

Carrie grew up in “the bush” (a.k.a. the boonies) and later the urban jungle of Nairobi in Kenya, East Africa, where she encountered nature, adventure, and a culture of storytelling over a cup of chai from an early age. On graduating high school, she made the wild move from East Africa to her parents’ native Georgia for college, where she gained her Bachelor’s degree in Art from Covenant College and began to fall in love with the quiet beauty of the mountains and valleys and everything that fills them around here. Since then, Trenton, Georgia has been her home base as she worked for a social enterprise and then an outdoor adventure non-profit back in Kenya. Now in her third year of teaching at Wauhatchie. Carrie is thrilled to bring her experiences with and love for learning, nature, children, and creativity to another group of incredible learners!

sara smiley - Forest PRESCHOOL + JR. KINDERGARTEN teacher

Sara Smiley grew up in a big family outside of a small farming community in Texas. On that land, she discovered her love for nature and the escape it offered her from the rest of the world. Smiley attended the University of North Texas where she majored in broadcast journalism with a minor in sociology. A little over a decade ago, on a whim, she came to a music festival in Tennessee. She immediately fell in love with the natural beauty and outdoor opportunities so she packed up and moved by herself to the Chattanooga area as soon as the festival ended. After spending the last 15 years in the service industry, Smiley is grateful that her path led her to the forest with Wauhatchie School. 

AUDREY SMITH - FOREST KINDERGARTEN LEAD TEACHER

Audrey grew up in Atlanta and studied Spanish at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. She then moved to Chicago where she completed her Montessori teacher training and taught at a Montessori school for eight years before moving with her family to Chattanooga. Though she always enjoyed being outside, it was not until she became a parent that she fully appreciated the value of time spent in nature for her own young children. She loves watching students explore and grow and considers it a privilege to spend her days learning alongside them. She has seen that children of all ages are at their best in nature and believes that they deserve unhurried time to explore, play, and simply be children.

AMANDA MORRIS - Forest FIRST & SECOND GRADE TEACHER

Amanda was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN, and never left! She grew up frequenting Reflection Riding and Chattanooga’s surrounding hiking trails, and now lives in the area with her husband and daughter. Amanda has her degree in Early Childhood Education from Covenant College and has previously worked in traditional preschools and elementary schools, which she left after having her own daughter. Amanda also worked as a potter’s studio assistant but three years ago, felt the call to return to the education world! Her love for the outdoors paired with her passion for early childhood education and experiences is what led her to Wauhatchie. Amanda likes to connect with the natural world through hiking, camping, and through arts like pottery and music.

Katie Cooper - Forest first grade teacher

Katie, a native to Chattanooga, grew up roaming the woods of Reflection Riding and Audubon Acres among other wonderful natural gems of the area. She ventured out of the South to get her degree in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis. Venturing further, she worked on several organic farms, studied abroad in Turkey, lived there for 4 years off -grid, taught English and also worked as a Waldorf preschool teacher. Those experiences sparked her interest in combining her love for plants, education, and holistic living. In 2015, she returned home and ran her own garden and landscaping business for 5 years. With her two children (ages 9 and 6 who also attend Wauhatchie), she loves to explore the outdoors and encourage a sense of wonder and trust in nature. As a fifth year teacher at Wauhatchie, she continues to spread her passion for teaching kids to read and empower their sense of self- with her firm belief that there’s no better place to do this than in the forest!

mikaela robinson - Forest second grade Teacher

Mikaela spent her childhood in the flat Midwest, and became in awe of the beauty of the mountains when she moved to Tennessee to receive her degree in Exercise Science at Lee University. Right after college, she moved to North Carolina to become a wilderness counselor at a year round residential wilderness school called Camp Duncan. Over the course of five years, she learned to adapt to living outdoors through each season of the year, as well as mastering and teaching various outdoor skills such as canoeing, cooking over the fire, woodcarving, and building semi-permanent shelters using only hand tools. Through this unique learning environment, Mikaela canoed down 500+ miles of rivers with children and grew to love the nature that this part of the USA offers. She moved back to Tennessee in 2022 to work at Wauhatchie and is so thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with others in nature. Hiking, camping, running, and spending time with her dog, friends, and family are among some of the things she loves doing most.

lindsay hurndon - Forest third grade teacher

Lindsay grew up in South Georgia living at Lake Blackshear. She enjoyed lake life and spending time in the woods, hiking, swimming, camping, music and photography. Due to the beautiful mountains and lakes she felt a drive to get closer to Chattanooga to buy land and start a mini farm in beautiful Rising Fawn, GA. She currently has 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, 9 chickens, 3 pigs, and looks forward to a few goats and more once her pasture is completely fenced in. Gardening and animals are her passion, but she especially loves helping children learn and grow. Lindsay is from a long line of educators, following her mother and grandmother in the profession of teaching. Lindsay received a bachelors in Early Childhood Education with a Minor in Science from Georgia Southwestern State University. She taught school for 4 years in Americas, GA prior to moving to Athens where she specialized in small group reading and math. After working as a preschool teacher at Wauhatchie for 3 years, Lindsay is excited to return to teaching third graders in a holistic, child-led, engaging way. She deeply believes that this earth is a gift and that it is up to us to take care of it responsibly. Being a part of Wauhatchie continues to be a dream come true for Lindsay!

AL AEBI - Forest fourth GRADE TEACHER

Teacher Al grew up in Northeast Wisconsin where he spent most of his childhood playing in the woods and swimming in lakes. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. In 2015, Al moved to Asheville, NC where he took advantage of the beautiful hiking trails and fell in love with the Appalachian Mountains. Al moved to Chattanooga in 2017, where he first started his teaching career as an online ESL instructor. Al’s experience teaching online inspired him to pursue and earn a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. After teaching 1st-4th grades at Wauhatchie over the past two years, Al’s firmly rooted belief in the benefits of connecting with nature on a daily basis have only grown. He is excited to work somewhere that perfectly combines a love of outdoors and a passion for sharing knowledge with young learners.

MICHELLE DUNN-LOVELESS - Forest fifth grade teacher

Michelle Dunn-Loveless is most at home under open skies & among the trees. Her connection to the outdoors runs deep, rooted in memories of camping, fishing, catching frogs, biking through the woods, and playing with friends until the sun set and the mud stuck. Michelle began her teaching career in Hamilton County Public Schools in 2007, drawn to Chattanooga by its rich outdoor landscape and the winding Tennessee River. She served elementary and middle school students as a literacy lead and model teacher for over a decade. A lifelong learner, she earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership in 2015 while raising her daughters and teaching full time.

In 2018, Michelle transitioned into the nonprofit sector, where she deepened her commitment to equity, advocacy, and community outreach and found comfort in nature, spending time on the river and trails with her two daughters. In 2021, she joined her partner as co-owner of an outdoor adventure business, leading paddle boarding, SUP yoga, and retreats. She also began teaching at Yoga Landing, grounding herself in a rhythm of movement, mindfulness, and connection to the land. In 2024, a sponsored cross-country campervan trip took Michelle through more than 20 states and over 20 National Parks, reawakening a sense of awe and a renewed commitment to bold, present living.

Now, Michelle brings her lived experiences and spirit of adventure to the forest. Her passion for teaching continues-with muddy hands, a full heart, and an ever-growing sense of wonder. She believes that the forest is a wise teacher, and that curiosity, movement, & reflection are powerful tools for growing resilient, rooted learners. In her free time, Michelle loves traveling, paddleboarding, hiking, cooking with love, and soaking up time with her daughters and her granddaughter - who reminds her daily to pause, listen deeply, and stay present to the magic of now.

Carrie ‘cb’ bryant - Forest 3rd/4th/5th grade support teacher

CB was raised in Cookeville, TN enjoying the abundance of nature and over time, learning to really appreciate the wilderness. They attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU Carbondale) and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management. While studying at SIU Carbondale, CB learned Leave No Trace (LNT) which created a more significant relationship with the great outdoors. CB went on to receive their Master’s degree from SIU Carbondale in Recreation Administration. Shortly after graduating, CB taught English as a second language in Seoul, South Korea, where they developed a passion for working with young children. During CB’s time there, they learned that four walls of a classroom were stifling and so a desire to interact with children in nature prompted an interest in forest schools. CB completed the Forest School Teacher Training endorsed by Southern Adventist University and was trained by Dr. Jean Lomino of the Forest School Teacher Institute. During CB’s free time, you can find them exploring the wonders of nature through hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking (white water/flat water), or any other outdoor activities.

KYLE HOLCOMB - Forest preschool teacher + KINDERGARTEN SUPPORT

Kyle was raised in south Florida where his love of nature and the outdoors bloomed very early on, from learning how to swim at the beach, to trail riding in the swamps in Okeechobee. He moved to Chattanooga in 2005, fell in love with Appalachia, and is happy to call this place home. Kyle enjoys sharing his love of the outdoors with everyone, including his 17 nieces and nephews. He has shared lessons in kayaking, rock climbing, disc golf, and creek hopping for the last 10 years. As a child, Kyle remembers teachers fondly as inspirational adults that helped him foster his own love of learning. He hopes to contribute to the next generation by creating a space that allows the whole child to develop that same love of learning by following their natural curiosity. Kyle’s approach to education is all about supporting learners by being a safe, energetic, and thoughtful role model. During his free time Kyle enjoys spending time outside with his wife and pup, playing music, or working on his hobby of the month.

SARAH PYRON - Forest preschool teacher

Sarah was born and raised in Southern Illinois and began substitute teaching in 2022. She quickly fell in love with education and went on to get her degree. After discovering Wauhatchie, Sarah and her husband, Dylan, felt so drawn to the school’s mission that they dropped everything and moved their family to Chattanooga to be part of it. They have four curious, energetic, and adventure-loving kids and are excited to plant roots in Tennessee together. Sarah enjoys exploring nature, camping, going to the skate park, visiting antique malls, and tinkering with anything she can take apart and fix. She loves tea, Thai food, and quiet moments outdoors.

COURTNEY KELLEY - Forest preschool teacher

Courtney grew up being homeschooled until the 8th grade where nature was often her first teacher and some of her fondest memories are being raised along the West Coast of California and Washington and then later on a small horse farm in Middle Tennessee. She has dedicated her life and career caring for and teaching young children and has a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Metro State University of Denver where she lived for 7 years with her husband and two dogs. She has an accreditation in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and studied abroad in Costa Rica focusing on Spanish for the classroom setting.

She has worked in a Reggio Emilia Preschool, was a substitute teacher at various Montessori schools, and taught 2nd grade at a Project-Based Learning Charter school in Nashville. After becoming a mother and moving to Chattanooga, she began searching for a more naturalistic approach to teaching, both for her and her daughter, and felt like it was meant to be when she stumbled upon the community at Wauhatchie. In her free time she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, doing yoga, gardening, and finding local swimming holes with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

LESLEY ROBERTS - Forest PRESCHOOL teacher

Lesley is originally from Nebraska, where she loved spending all her time outdoors: swimming, riding bikes and running free. She frequently spent time wandering around her grandparents’ cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere. Lesley studied Spanish and Art at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. After graduating, she found herself working in education at an elementary school, because it worked so well for her growing family. She fell in love with teaching and spent 4 years in special education. Two cross country moves later (via Florida) Lesley, her husband, and their 5 kids made the Chattanooga area their home in 2018. They spend their time exploring all the green places, hiking, and disc golfing throughout the Tennessee valley and Appalachian foothills. Finding Wauhatchie Forest School is like a dream come true for Lesley, combining her two big passions - nature and child education. She feels truly blessed to cultivate curiosity, nurture a love of learning, and instill a heart of nature and conservation in the next generation.

ALLISON MELLAS - Forest preschool + JR. KINDERGARTEN Teacher

Allison lives by the motto "outside is my best side" and is excited to help foster a love for the outdoors and learning in the next generation. She graduated with her Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Western Governor's University. Allison grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and then moved to Orlando for a couple of years before relocating to Chattanooga for the opportunity to fulfill her dream of working at a forest school. Her favorite childhood memories were spent outside camping or roaming the woods and ponds looking for critters, and she wants kids to experience the beauty of the outdoors as well. She spends most of her free time riding bikes, camping, hiking, and reading. 

TORI VAUGHN - Forest preschool + JR. KINDERGARTEN teacher

Tori is a native to the woods and waters of the East Coast, where spent the first half of her life on a small homestead outside of Charleston, SC. Early on she was instilled with a passion for community care and reciprocity with nature. As a young adult she traveled abroad, studying various forms of land-based living and alternative education. She now resides in the rollings hills of Wildwood, GA with her husband and daughter. As a family they enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and any kind of outdoor adventure life has to offer. As a former children’s yoga teacher, Tori is grateful for the opportunity to serve her community in a new way, as a member of the Wauhatchie School.

JESS KROGH - FOREST KINDERGARTEN LEAD TEACHER

Jess is a native of Southern Utah and is a recent transplant to the Chattanooga area. She studied Family Communications at Utah Tech University and transitioned to a degree in Early Childhood Education after working in a district-based early childhood intervention program supporting at-risk, special education and low-income families. In her 6 years working for the program, her love of childhood wonder deepened and her desire to provide a holistic and natural learning experience was born. She is delighted to begin her first year at the Wauhatchie Forest School and cannot wait to learn from and with her students. In her free time she can be found hiking, camping and soaking up time with her husband, Nathan and her dog, Rudy.

EMMELINE FAILMEZGER - Forest kindergarten INTERN

Emmeline was born and raised in small town South Carolina. She moved the Chattanooga in 2021 to attend Covenant College, recently graduating in May with a degree in International Studies and Community Development! Emmeline loves to travel, backpack, and enjoy nature. She has been to 14 countries, lived in the Grand Canyon for a summer, and spent a semester in Jordan studying Arabic. Nature has always had a hold on Emmeline from the earliest childhood memories as she was homeschooled with the Charlotte Mason curriculum, where book and wildlife guided her education. Emmeline is so excited to be a part of something that has shaped such a core part of who she is!

Dominic Boydston - Forest Preschool Teacher

Dominic was brought up in Soddy-Daisy where he developed a love for nature through the area's many trails and parks. He is currently a student at Chattanooga State and works with high school kids as a Young Life leader in Ooltewah. Now entering his fifth year of teaching, Dom joined the Wauhatchie team because it is a combination of two things he is very passionate about: working with youth and exploring the outdoors. In his free time Dominic enjoys backpacking and bushcraft camping and loves to share his knowledge with his students!

KAYLA LOUTZENHISER - Forest PRESCHOOL teacher

Kayla is a lifelong lover of the outdoors, animals, and adventure. She holds a degree in Psychology and Political Science from Emory & Henry College, where she also played four years of collegiate soccer and served as team captain for two. With over 11 years of experience as a preschool teacher and professional nanny, Kayla has a deep passion for early childhood development and hands-on, play-based learning. After taking time away from work to raise her children, she’s excited to return to education—this time, blending her teaching experience with her love of nature. Originally from Louisiana and raised in Chattanooga, Kayla now shares her home with a small herd of animals and an even larger sense of curiosity. She’s thrilled to be joining this vibrant community and can’t wait to grow and explore alongside the children.

Brittany Wilkins - Artist-in-residence

Brittany Wilkins is an artist and educator raised on Walden’s Ridge where she currently resides with her spouse, Andrew, and two children. Since earning her bachelor's degree in fine arts from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, she has created and taught art and yoga-based enrichment programs for preschools, church programs and summer camps. She believes in the interdisciplinary relevance of art as a way to foster creative thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, and that the essence of art is truly experimentation. In her own artwork she draws heavily on experiences in nature and feelings towards the environment for inspiration. Brittany’s love of the outdoors grew from childhood excursions with her family, such as camping on Cumberland Island, climbing Mount LeConte, sailing on the Tennessee River, and embarking on countless evening walks in Walden, naming trees and looking for owls. Her appreciation for and interest in the natural world continued to grow during her high school years at Baylor School when she took an environmental history class, traveled through the American Southwest, and participated in a landscape painting trip in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Her greatest joy now is in revisiting these formative experiences and sacred places with her own children.

ELEANOR COOPER

Eleanor is an award-winning author and a lifelong educator of a different sort—not in a classroom but in her community. She worked for non-profits, co-founded EARTHWORK: Center for Food and Land in the San Francisco Bay Area, and served as Executive Director of Chattanooga Venture where she learned the value of civic engagement and community-wide visioning. Eleanor has two grandchildren here at Wauhatchie School. When she’s not writing, she loves to arrange flowers, make quilts from fabric she has collected, and play games that make you laugh.

Ethan evans

Ethan earned a BS in Environmental Science at UTC, an MS in Secondary Science Education at UTK, and a JD at Belmont School of Law. He taught middle school science for four years in Hamilton County and practiced law in Chattanooga for eight years. Ethan has returned to education at ChattAcademy Community School where he serves as Founding Science Teacher and Coach.  His experience in science, education, and law led him to Wuahatchie, and he is honored to serve on our board