Our Team
Hope Helms
Program Administrator and Educator at Vinegar Flats Farm School
I grew up in rural Wyoming, at the base of two mountains. I spent the long days of my childhood under the canopy of trees that surrounded a creek on our property. I was free to create my own space there, and I created an elaborate kingdom. I loved spending time with the horses that we shared our acres with, and I fell asleep each evening to the howls of coyotes. What I was given as a child in that place is one of my most treasured gifts.
I was lucky to find my passion for teaching at an early age, and I have spent over fifteen years working with young children (ages 2-6). I believe in an approach that encourages security, autonomy, and competence. I believe in a child’s ability to be the initiator of their own discoveries, and I believe a natural environment is the most ideal setting for this important work. My education in Early Childhood Education has given me the tools to advocate for quality early learning programs that meet the needs of the whole child.
As a grown-up, I live in Spokane Valley with my husband, two daughters, two cats, and a dog. We love exploring together as a family and spend as much time outdoors as we can. We love to camp, hike, bike and garden.
Olli Gluskin
Educator at Vinegar Flats Farm School
I spent the first 5 years of my life living in Kiev, Ukraine, a large, old city surrounded by forests and a large river. During those years, I spent the summers in the country with my grandparents where we foraged for mushrooms and gardened. I have fond memories of eating berries off the bushes and taking naps under the grape arbors. At 5, my family moved to Southern California. We spent a lot of time playing and exploring at the beach, and camping in the mountains. In my early 20s, I moved up to Washington on my own. Shortly after that, I became interested in farming and herbal medicines. I spent a summer traveling around the country and working on farms through WWOOF. When I returned to Washington, I found a farm to work on for several seasons. I proceeded to study for a BS in Botany in northern California, before returning to Spokane to work on Vinegar Flats Farm for 5 years. During that time, I was a substitute teacher at the farm school, as well. I've always loved playing with kids, following their lead in learning and exploration, and watching them discover the world. Now I am also proud to call myself a Doula in the field if birth work! I live in Spokane with my partner, and our 3 kiddos. We have dogs, chickens, fish, and a cat and love to grow plants, play in the river, and go sledding!
Brittany Fitzgerald
Educator at Lilac City Harvest Farm School
Growing up in a small town in Ohio, I lived a pretty urban lifestyle but had the benefit of an older brother who took me around the neighborhood on our bikes until the streetlights came on. For the most part, it was a City Girl life, but in the summers, I was enrolled in camp after camp while my single mother worked full time. It wasn't until I had my own children that I realized what a gift a childhood spent outdoors really was and how rare opportunities have become for our own children to enjoy nature without expectation or time restraints.
As a military family, we spent 10 years living in Oklahoma City. While attending The University of Central Oklahoma, I feel in love with the forest school movement and observed several field studies at outdoor education programs. I also taught process art to preschoolers at OKCMOA and dove deeply into my studies of the emergent-curriculum, constructivist-based Reggio Emilia philosophy. I had the amazing opportunity to complete my student teaching hours at a Reggio-inspired preschool and even traveled to Italy to study Reggio Emilia's inquiry-led teaching methods.
I was so excited to discover GreenPlay Northwest when our family moved to Spokane in 2018 and enrolled my then-3-year-old as soon as I could. It was quite a learning curve to learn to dress her for INW winters but attending the program at Vinegar Flats Farm School (then Urban Eden) paved the way for finding real community and friendship as newcomers to the area. Since then, we have enjoyed the marked seasonal changes, exploring family-friendly hiking, and family bike rides through the neighborhood. When I'm not teaching, you can find me studying in the hammock for my graduate program in Family & Child studies with a jumbo iced coffee in hand, playing with my two husky mix doggos, or volunteering in my kid's classrooms.
Jazmyn Florance
Educator at Lilac City Harvest Farm School
I spent my childhood in two small towns north called Chewelah and Colville, WA. These small, rustic towns preserved a humble nature-based upbringing. My grandfather owned 40 acres surrounded by state land near Chewelah. He built his log cabin with his hands and had a small cow farm on his land. My three younger siblings and I grew up very close to the land. My days as a child were spent outside in my imagination. I was given opportunities to walk to the local park, explore pine forests, tend to baby cows, climb trees, build wooden forts, and gather huckleberries. I cherish my childhood.
My family later moved to Spokane for more opportunities, finding refuge on our camping trips. After high school, I worked in childcare and remained there for 8 years. Spending my free time hiking and backpacking with my husband and border collie mix. I worked in three daycare centers. Working in many positions, with various age groups and with different teaching methods. For four years, I was a preschool teacher. My favorite times were spent singing, telling puppet stories, and letting kids learn through play and freely engage in nature.
As much as I enjoyed it, being a mother was my true calling. Thankfully, I was able to stop working to be a stay-at-home mom. Letting my family grow in a lovely mixed life in the Spokane Valley and the surrounding landscapes. We have two kids, two dogs, and a cat. We enjoy our time singing, reading, hiking, and camping. Our love for nature brought us, as parents, to Greenplay Northwest. It was there I found a great opportunity to be a teacher of Greenplay Northwest at Lilac City Harvest Farm. I am excited to grow alongside my class and root ourselves deep into nature.
Kristin Greene
Educator at Vinegar Flats Farm School
I lived in rural northern Illinois as a child. Days were spent outdoors exploring in hay fields and under giant willow trees. Nature was our magical playground and every long summer day ended with the flickering of lightning bugs over our yards and heads. I also spent days exploring miles of creek behind our house when we lived in Virginia. Salamanders and crayfish were our playmates along with the odd He-Man or Star Wars figure. We knew all the best places to cross the creek and spent hours skipping over rocks and balancing across fallen trees. We got wet, dirty, scratched up and bruised and we loved it all. We were completely engaged with our environment. These precious memories still seem like just yesterday.
Since childhood I have explored cities and rural settings and spent many years living and working on organic produce farms. I worked on farms as I traveled in Central and South America in my 20’s, returned to the states and got my teaching license as a k-12 special education instructor. I taught special education at the elementary level for 8 years in rural Wyoming, where I also had a small ranch with my husband at the time. I gardened, raised chicken and sheep, and rode lots of horses. After we had our daughter, Beatrix, we decided to move to Spokane. I got my AMI Montessori diploma and taught at the 3-6 level for four years in a small, non-profit Montessori school in the Valley.
I live in Spokane with my daughter and our two little dogs. I am an artist and enjoy making art out of all sorts of mediums including drawing and fiber art. I love animals and being outside working in my yard and garden, paddleboarding or xc skiing. I love to cook and am passionate about supporting our local farming community.
Joann O’Meara
Nature Play & Learn Facilitator, Educator at Osceola Art & Garden School
I was lucky to grow up spending time in two beautiful countries. In Ireland, some of my favorite childhood memories included climbing – either to the top of a very tall hill or a small mountain – I loved seeing how things looked from above! In France, I would spend my days on the beach drawing pictures in the sand, constructing shelters, and swimming until my hands were as wrinkly as prunes.
Since graduating from the National College of Art and Design with a BA in Fine Art, I have had the pleasure of teaching children from all over the world. Locally, I’ve worked at both the Bellevue Arts Museum as a summer art instructor and the Tahoma Children’s Museum as an art docent and teacher. What amazes me about the young students I have worked with is there ability to bring me, as their teacher, back to the moments where I saw the world for the first time. They find and notice infinite beauty in the smallest parts of nature. I want to protect that ability and inspire creativity for all children from their earliest beginnings.
Stephanie Bachmeier
Educator at Osceola Art & Garden School, Educator at Mason Jar Farm School
After graduating with a bachelors in Communication with a Certificate in Conflict Mediation and completing a study abroad program in England, I left the Midwest and moved out to Washington. As I have found my passion for teaching, I am going back to school for Early Childhood Education. I have also taken a weekend long mentoring program for educators at Wilderness Awareness school. I started with Greenplay back in 2022 as a play and learn facilitator. I fell in love with the sense of community Greenplay offers. I met so many amazing families and children along the way. In 2023 I stepped into a teaching role for the preschool. With my love of all things nature, I enjoy sharing that with children. I get excited to see the world through their eyes, sparking their creativity and interest. I love getting to know each and every child. I am passionate about fostering their independence through learning. I also find that play is the most important activity a young child can do to understand the world around them. That is why having a child centered curriculum is important. It is such a joy when you know you have provided a safe space for children to grow. In my free time I take tap lessons, jog, hike, bike, camp, and am always exploring! I love spending time with my family; which includes my husband, sons, dog, cats, chickens, goats, and garden.
Becky Kampfer
Educator at Mason Jar Farm School
Having lived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest for the past decade, I’ve developed a profound love for everything the great outdoors has to offer. From camping and hiking to foraging in the lush forests, nature has become my playground and sanctuary.
My passion for foraging began as I explored the diverse landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Discovering wild edibles and medicinal plants has become a joyful and educational hobby that I love to share with others. This passion extends to my love for arts and crafts, where I find joy in creating unique pieces using natural elements I gather during my outdoor adventures.
My experiences in nature and my creative endeavors greatly enhance my approach to teaching early childhood education. With my classroom set outdoors, I strive to immerse children in the wonders of nature, fostering a sense of curiosity and exploration. Through hands-on arts and crafts activities, I encourage kids to express themselves and develop their fine motor skills, all while instilling an appreciation for the natural world.
Living in the Pacific Northwest has given me countless opportunities to connect with nature and to bring that connection into my teaching. I believe that the natural environment is the most ideal setting for children to learn, discover, and grow. By combining outdoor education with creative projects, I aim to create a holistic learning experience that nurtures both the mind and the spirit.
Outside of teaching, I love spending time with my family and exploring the great outdoors together. We enjoy camping, hiking, and discovering new trails. Each adventure brings new inspiration and reinforces my commitment to sharing the beauty and benefits of nature with children.
Jenni Keniston
Nature Play & Learn Facilitator
My children have been attending Greenplay Northwest programs since 2018 and it has been such a great experience for our whole family. We were thrilled to find this wonderful community and I was eager to get more involved with the organization right away. I first offered up my event planning experience and coordinated the 2018 Greenplay Northwest Community Harvest Festival at Lake Wilderness Arboretum. Since then, I have taken on a variety of roles with the organization including Board of Directors President, Administrative Assistant and, most recently, Nature Play and Learn Facilitator.
Growing up in Montana, I developed a love for the great outdoors and farming early in life. While studying architectural design at WSU, I discovered that I had a passion for protecting our planet and a desire to focus on environmentally-friendly design and lifestyles. During graduate school, I took a deep dive into the research on the impact our environments have on all aspects of our health. I especially focused on the benefits of spaces that include art and nature. Later, as a parent, the importance of time spent playing, learning and recharging in outdoor spaces became even more evident to me. I now enjoy helping children and their families connect with opportunities for positive nature experiences.
Before becoming a mother, I was a commercial interior designer based in downtown Seattle. Over the past decade, I have had the opportunity to work on a variety of part-time passion projects including residential design, wedding planning, graphic and website design, a zero-waste retail store and, of course, with Greenplay Northwest. These days much of my time is dedicated to homeschooling my three children. Whenever possible we try to spend our time outside. Our family especially loves gardening, disc golfing, lake swimming and hiking with friends.