Laura is excited to be joining The Nest and the Wheeler community in September. Laura is an early childhood teacher and environmental educator.  Growing up in a large family, Laura has always been around young children.  She is a proud auntie of 15 nieces and nephews who are the light of her life.  As an educator with the Audubon Society of RI she began to truly appreciate the natural history of the state.  Laura brings to The Nest her experience teaching in a nature preschool at Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. Though she has worked with children in many different capacities: as a one- one support, a children’s advocate in a transitional shelter, after school programs and summer camps, it was not until this experience that she realized her deep love of sharing, exploring, and building connections with young children and nature. She is passionate about making nature-based education more equitable and accessible to all.  Laura continues her own education in the field, earning her Nature Based Teacher Certification through the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools, as well as learning more about integrating Reggio Emilia philosophy and emergent curriculum in her work. When not with children, she is spending time with her husband and their adventurous cat, Rolo, or visiting friends and family.  She enjoys being outside in all kinds of weather but especially snow. She also loves to travel and meet new people and is currently learning to play the ukulele.