Staff
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Central Connections is staffed by school founder, Jan Munger, Tianna Andresen and Liv Thurman Saunders. We have the privilege of hosting student volunteers from the University of Washington on an on-going basis.
Jan Munger has lived in Central Seattle since 1998 and has been an educator since 2002. A veteran of our public-school systems, she taught social studies and language arts to high school students for many years. Since 2017 she has worked with preschool, elementary, and middle school students in a variety of settings. In 2021 Jan completed a yearlong Nature Instructor Apprenticeship with the highly regarded Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, WA, where she learned and played with kids outside in all kinds of weather. In 2022-23 she completed a second year of NIT training with WAS. She is mom to two kids aged 16 and 12. Tianna Andresen is a recent graduate of University of Washington Seattle's Education and American Ethnic Studies programs. She has done outdoor education work since her time at Garfield High School. Tianna believes it is important that Central Area youth are connected to and care about the land and each other and believes play can support youth growth and empowerment. Nature Connection and knowledge of history/peoples of Seattle in youth is one part of working towards community justice and appreciation. Liv Thurman Saunders has been doing Nature Instruction work since she was 14. A recent graduate of Seattle University with a degree in Creative Writing, she grew up attending nature schools on Vashon Island and with Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, WA. She literally brings with her a lifetime of experience connecting with nature herself and helping others experience the joys of playing outside while encountering the more than human world. Previous staff include: Harter Clingman. Harter helped lead our Afterschool Adventures the Fall of 2023 until January 2024. Harter is a professional actor with a love of the outdoors. He delighted our little ones with his well honed playful nature and strong imagination. You can see him around town appearing at 5th Avenue Theater, and we expect him to make occasional guest appearances with us in our afternoon adventures. Amanda Mathieu lead camp the week of 7/24/2023. She finished her WA State Teacher Certification and M.Ed. in 2023. She spent several years working with wonderful program, Pinnacle Adventures Seattle, running afterschool programs and camps. She loves being outside and seeing kids blossom. |