Rebecca has been educating for over 20 years in adult, elementary and special education, in traditional and non-traditional environments. Originally from Texas, she got her start as a horseback and safety instructor for children with juvenile diabetes. After graduating with a BA in elementary education with a Special Education Specialization and a Minor on Spanish, she joined the Peace Corps and served as a Youth Development Volunteer in Honduras from 2007-2009. She received TEACCH training in North Carolina and led a self-contained Autism classroom. When she moved to Chattanooga, she became an ESL instructor and private tutor before she ultimately found her passion at Wauhatchie Forest School in 2017, where she worked with Forest Kindergarten, Forest Homeschool, and then as the school's STEAM teacher. She's watched Wauhatchie grow from just a PreK and K program to a full PreK-5th program, and she's beyond excited to take the Forest School model to older kids.

Jaime grew up in Knoxville, TN on a small farm nestled in the Smokey Mountains. She began in education and youth development full time in 2005, working as a Teen Center Director at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Knoxville. She spent some time in Colorado, working alongside the community to develop afterschool and summer programs. She then moved to Memphis to work as a Rec specialist and then educator in mental health facilities. She arrived in Chattanooga in 2016, and worked in several of our local high schools in graduation success and college and career coaching. She has served as an advocate for young people in multiple nonprofits, and created local creative programming for our area youth.
Jaime is also a local working artist with special emphasis on the "maker" arts. She has been trained in creative facilitation for youth, space-making, and teaching art as a tool to develop young change-makers. She holds a dual bachelors in Pre Law/Political Science and Educational Policy.

Mary Morrow is thrilled to join ReConnect. She has been working with children since graduating from the University of Georgia in 2008 with a degree in Child and Family Development. Specializing as a Reggio-trained preschool teacher, her approach to education stems from a deep seated belief in the value of creativity, play, autonomy, and the power of encouragement over praise.
Early in her career she loved teaching at a Head Start program in Winder, Georgia and a YMCA in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her role as a mother to her three kids however, is what she feels has shaped her most.
Aside from nurturing children, Mary loves painting, being outside, and snuggling her cats and chickens at home.

Tara McDougal is used to teaching students to love learning from where they are. She has degrees in exceptional education and theatre design. Her daughter, Kade attends ReConnect. She works with a local puppet theatre group Playful Evolving Monsters where she was a founding member. Currently she works to help keep exhibits running at a local children's museum. She adds creativity and 15 plus years of experience in multi grade level classrooms. She loves animals, nature and amusement parks with her wife and daughter. She is excited to help our school grow.

Mango is an adult Bearded Dragon. He spends his days with us at REconnect Nature School, and his evenings and weekends at Ms Rebecca’s house. He loves crickets, beetles, and sun bathing. He is not a fan of wearing hats or costumes. He has hopes of one day visiting a tropical climate and soaking up some sweet sunrays.

Frederick is an adult male Guinea Pig. He is often affectionately called “Hockey Pig” or “Little Guy” by the REconnect Kiddos. He eats salad all day, and loves to navigate mazes and obstacles the kids set up for him. He one day hopes to find true love.

Meet Our Board

Mohinder Shawn Rupnarine is a climbing coach and coding teacher with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Florida International University. Combining a passion for problem-solving with over a decade of climbing experience, Mohinder helps students build confidence—whether scaling a wall or tackling new code.

Katie Gonzalez Hutchins holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing and a Master’s degree in Art Education. In addition to her academic foundation, she earned her Early Childhood Certification and a MACTE-accredited Montessori certification, which led her to become a founding member of the Montessori Elementary program at Highland Park. With eight years of teaching experience, she has successfully built and led two educational programs grounded in creativity, child-led exploration, and holistic learning.

A lifelong advocate for mindful living and accessible education, Katie is also a RYT-200 Certified Yoga Teacher, blending movement, art, and Montessori philosophy to support whole-person development. Her work sits at the intersection of creativity, education, and wellness, with a mission to build environments where children and families are empowered to learn, express, and grow with confidence and joy.

Sarah Meyers is a teacher and performer from Texas. She got her masters of teaching degree from Austin College and has taught in public school, home school, co-ops, libraries, dance troupes, and a progressive school since then. She loves sharing her enjoyment of Art and nature and finds most things supremely funny.

With a deep-rooted passion for innovative education, Stephanie brings a wealth of diverse experience to the board. Her philosophy has been shaped not only through professional roles but also through her journey as a mother of three neurodivergent children, each of whom has taken a unique educational path—her eldest daughter graduated from public school and is exploring her career, her middle child transitioned from public school to homeschooling, and her teenage son, once unschooled, now attends REconnect.
Professionally, Stephanie has held a variety of roles in office administration and management and currently Director and Lead Facilitator of Nature Kin Farm & Forest School. Her commitment to child-centered, nature-connected learning deepened during her time at Wauhatchie School, where she served on the administrative team, taught in the preschool program, and worked with the Forest School Teacher Institute. These experiences not only solidified her belief in outdoor education but also inspired her to create inclusive spaces for students who struggle to thrive in traditional settings.
As a board member, Stephanie offers a unique perspective shaped by hands-on teaching, leadership in educational programming, and personal insight into the broad spectrum of learning needs. She is dedicated to supporting educational models that honor each child’s individuality while fostering connection to the natural world.