The Wild Child Team
Renée
Owner and Facilitator
As the Owner and Director of Wild Child, Renée combines her passions for the outdoors, nature stewardship, community, and play to create an intentional gathering space for children and families to connect and grow.
She holds diplomas in Terrain and Water Resources and Early Childhood Education and has completed the Forest and Nature School Practitioner course. Throughout her career, she has worked and volunteered with multiple Conservation Authorities, supported environmental initiatives, and worked as an Early Childhood Educator, Educational Assistant, and a facilitator for several forest and nature programs before beginning her Wild Child journey.
Renée’s favourite part of Wild Child is the amazing community that makes it all possible. She is grateful for the dedicated staff, who each bring something unique to the program, as well as the many families she looks forward to connecting with at pick up/drop off each day. Renée values curiosity, so holds a deep respect for children, recognizing this as their strength. When she’s not at Wild Child, she enjoys playing recreational sports, spending time with her family, and attending workshops.
Steph has been part of the Wild Child team since 2021 and brings over 20 years of experience in early childhood education. She earned her Early Childhood Education diploma in 2002 and has spent her career supporting children across a wide variety of educational and recreational settings. Her diverse background includes working as a nanny in Newfoundland, a camp counsellor, a Pre-K educator, and an on-site supervisor for school-aged children.
Known as the "funny teacher", Steph brings laughter, creativity, and warmth to every day. When she's not at Wild Child, she enjoys reading, singing, and making crafts. Her favourite part of Wild Child is working in an environment that encourages children to move, explore, and question the world around them while developing a lifelong connection to nature.
Steph
Facilitator
Kenzie
Facilitator
Kenzie, our resident ray of sunshine, has been working with children in various capacities since 2012. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Work, certification as a CNAC Forest and Nature Practitioner, and is currently working towards a Bachelor of Professional Arts (Human Services). Her experience includes roles as a preschool teacher, nanny, respite worker, educational assistant, camp counsellor, youth worker, and educator with several forest and nature schools.
Her favourite part of Wild Child is building strong relationships with children and families while creating opportunities for meaningful connections, hands-on learning, and unforgettable adventures in nature. Kenzie believes that children learn best when they feel safe, supported and free to be themselves. In her free time, she enjoys hiking local trails with her dog Ellie and paddle boarding on the river.
Julia brings a unique blend of outdoor education, community care, and creative learning to the Wild Child team. She holds a Bachelor of Human Relations, an Outdoor Adventure Naturalist diploma, and a DEC in Arts, Literature & Culture. She has worked with at-risk youth at an alternative outdoor high school along the Madawaska River, where she developed and managed a quarter-acre educational garden that provided both hands-on learning opportunities and fresh food for the school community. She also spent time as a youth respite worker before coming to Wild Child.
Julia is a passionate gardener and bookseller, who loves sharing beautiful children’s books and finding creative ways to bring art, crafting, and storytelling into outdoor learning experiences. She enjoys getting to know each child as an individual while helping foster meaningful connections with the land and actively participating in a hopeful and joyful vision of the future.
Julia
Facilitator
Liv
Facilitator
Liv has always had a lifelong passion for animals and exploration. She spent many years travelling, backpacking, and living with host families. She has experience working as an au pair, volunteering at a koala hospital, and taught in private schools after obtaining her Montessori certification.
Growing up, Liv had dreams of being a wildlife biologist, with Steve Irwin and Jane Goodall as her role models. Throughout her travelling and experiences, Liv has continued to foster her vast love and knowledge base of animals and being in nature. Liv strongly believes that being immersed in nature is an essential part of childhood and development. Liv feels that she would have thrived at Wild Child as a child and is grateful to be a part of each child’s experience here. Her favourite part of working at Wild Child is when she gets to connect with the children over a shared love of learning about animals.