Rachel is an educator who finds joy in creating spaces where young children can explore, take risks, and connect deeply with the world around them. Her 7.5 years working at an outdoor education school in Houston, Texas, shaped her belief in the power of nature and play to inspire curiosity, confidence, and connection in young learners. With a graduate degree in education from Vanderbilt University and a background in both early childhood and auxiliary programming, she has led teams across classrooms, after-school programs, and summer camps. She is passionate about building strong, collaborative teams that center children’s needs, support joyful learning, and foster a deep sense of belonging for students, families, and educators. Whether designing hands-on programming, guiding explorations in nature, or creating opportunities for play and discovery, she leads with intention, creativity, and care. Now in her 10th year in independent schools, and after a wonderful year teaching preschool at Mountain Academy, she is excited to step into the role of Atelierista, introducing every child in the program to the “hundred languages.” Outside of school, she’s most often found on the trails with her dog Rosie, riverside camping, or bird watching.

Emily graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, with a bachelor’s in Outdoor Experiential Education. Her love of the mountains brought her from the Blue Ridge to the Tetons. She is passionate about being outdoors and using education to help others understand the importance of keeping our lands pristine. She started at TSS in 2024 and has thoroughly enjoyed sharing her love of the natural world with young children through place-based education and immersing herself in the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Outside of work, you can find her on the local hiking trails with her dog or anywhere on the river!

Alex grew up in Mexico and moved to Jackson in 2020. She holds a degree in International Business from the University of Wyoming. Through her work at a local childcare center, Alex discovered a deep passion for early childhood education and gained valuable hands-on experience supporting young children’s growth and development. Alex believes children have much to teach and is inspired by their curiosity and creativity. She is excited to bring her experience, warmth, and thoughtful approach to the Toddler program at Mountain Academy, while continuing to grow as an educator and expand her teaching practice in this new role. She is passionate about creating joyful, engaging experiences that support each child’s learning journey and strives to make a meaningful impact. Outside the classroom, Alex enjoys cooking, building with Legos, hiking, exploring new places, and spotting wildlife. She is currently learning how to swim and is loving the challenge. Alex looks forward to learning and adventuring alongside the children in her care.

Jess graduated from Boise State University with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. After graduating, she realized her true passion was working with young children and supporting their growth during the early years of development. She was drawn to Teton Science Schools because of its place-based approach to learning, and she looks forward to learning about and implementing the Reggio Emilia philosophy in her teaching. Jess loves working with children, especially in early childhood, and one of her favorite parts of teaching is watching their curiosity grow as they explore the world around them. She hopes to foster a lifelong sense of wonder while continuing to grow as a learner and educator through this opportunity at Teton Science Schools. In her free time, she enjoys baking, painting, and hiking with her dog, Connie.

Amanda grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated with honors from Bates College with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Education. During college, she taught in Lewiston Public Schools and an outdoor preschool in Camden, Maine, where she developed a passion for place-based, nature-centered education. Her academic research explored the intersection of outdoor education, creativity, and climate resilience, and she is excited to bring those ideas into the classroom at Teton Science Schools. Amanda strives to foster curiosity, wonder, and a meaningful connection to nature, using the outdoors as a classroom and teacher. She believes in building a community rooted in joy, curiosity, and mutual learning, and supporting each child in becoming the best version of themselves. Outside of the classroom, Amanda is a nationally certified EMT and ski patroller with a deep appreciation for outdoor recreation and emergency medicine. She also enjoys filmmaking, photography, and watercolor painting as creative ways to tell stories about people and places. In her free time, she skis, hikes, teaches Pilates, sails, and paints.

Kathleen’s passion for nature-based learning grew from her childhood in the Maine woods. She has worked in diverse early childhood settings, including nature-based centers, farm/homestead-inspired schools, and Reggio Schools in Italy. Kathleen believes nature offers endless opportunities for children to discover, connect, develop empathy, test ideas, overcome challenges, and create new understandings through play and exploration. Using inquiry-based frameworks, she looks to children to inspire the curriculum and enjoys documenting children's work and words. Building community and celebrating the sacredness of childhood drive her work. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in nature-based education from Antioch University. Kathleen completed a global internship at Nido Giulia Maramotti and Scuola dell’infanzia Faber in Reggio Emilia, Italy, where she learned firsthand about the Reggio Emilia Approach, which views the child as beautiful, powerful, competent, creative, and naturally curious. While there, she found inspiration for her own practice and philosophy of education. Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, fly-fishing, cooking, practicing yoga, and camping.

Kaitlin is a recent University of Florida graduate, where she studied Psychology. Kaitlin has always adored working with children of all ages, and she is incredibly grateful to continue spreading joy to the children at Mountain Academy. Although she is new to the Jackson Hole area, Kaitlin is excited to explore its beauty right alongside her students. As a Registered Behavior Technician, Kaitlin learned how to properly support and care for children with diverse needs. She looks forward to supporting her students' growth through Reggio Emilia and nature-based philosophies. In her free time, Kaitlin enjoys crafting, baking, and caring for her cat Penelope.

Ashley is passionate about cultivating creativity, kindness, fun, and nourishing environments in her work with children. She has been a part of the Mountain Academy preschool team for the past two years, and she is very excited for her new role as Music Teacher. Music is a language that lives in the hearts and minds of young learners, and this year, Ashley is excited to bring all the singing, dancing, and rhythm to the classroom. Ashley believes that observing nature is a beautiful way to experience presence and interconnectedness with the earth and all of its creatures. With nature as the inspiration, Ashley is excited to foster a fun and magical learning environment where children can play and perform their original ideas. Outside of the classroom, Ashley is a proud mother of two beautiful children, now in high school and middle school. She loves to garden, walk her dog, and live closely to the earth.

Coming soon!

McKenzie grew up in Southern California but has strong roots in Jackson. After spending many summers in the valley visiting family and working seasonal jobs, she made Jackson her permanent home in 2015. Her education career in Jackson began as a special education paraprofessional in the Dual Immersion Program at Jackson Elementary School, where she discovered a passion for helping young learners grow. She later spent seven years at Teton Literacy Center, teaching preschool, Practice Kindergarten, afterschool programs, and summer camps, while also leading staff training and professional development. McKenzie loves working with young learners because of their curiosity and enjoys bringing learning to life through great books, hands-on projects, and meaningful connections to the world around them. McKenzie is thrilled to be part of the Mountain Academy community and values the school's commitment to place-based learning. 

Outside of school, she enjoys exploring Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park through hiking and paddleboarding. She also loves reading, painting, traveling, and photography, and especially enjoys taking photos alongside her grandfather, a retired Los Angeles Times photojournalist.

Nikki is inspired by young learners' curiosity and wonder. She has taught in a variety of early childhood and elementary settings and is passionate about nature- and place-based education. Nikki earned degrees in Studio Art and Educational Studies from St. Mary's College of Maryland and a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Elementary Education from Northeastern University. She also holds an elementary teaching license and an endorsement in Sheltered English Instruction.

Nikki is thrilled to be returning to TSS, where she taught from 2014 to 2017. She and her family have spent the past several years in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, where she helped run a nature-based school, taught elementary art, published a children's book, and homeschooled her two children.

When she is not teaching, Nikki rides her horse, mucks stalls, and enjoys the outdoors with her family and rescue dogs.

Tony’s passion for education grew from early experiences working in outdoor education, summer camps, and team-building programs, where he saw firsthand how challenges and relationships help learners grow.

After earning a degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University, Tony began his teaching career near Asheville, North Carolina, at a school founded on experiential learning principles. Since then, he has taught in China, Colombia, and Qatar while earning a Master of Education in International Education with a focus on Educational Technology. Across these diverse settings, he has developed a passion for inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, and helping students connect their classroom experiences to the world around them.

While teaching students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, Tony found the opportunity to explore the elements of the Place Triangle in a variety of ways.

My name is Taylor Rankin, and I am thrilled to be joining Mountain Academy as a teacher this year. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky and have spent the past two years teaching upper elementary students in Fayette County Public Schools. Throughout my teaching career, I have been passionate about creating engaging, student-centered learning experiences that foster curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning.

One of the things that drew me to Mountain Academy is its commitment to experiential education and connecting learning to the natural world. I believe students learn best when they are actively engaged, exploring meaningful questions, and developing strong relationships with their peers, teachers, and community.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy hiking, camping, traveling, cycling, rock climbing, and spending time outdoors with my family and friends. I am excited to become part of the Mountain Academy community and look forward to partnering with students and families for a wonderful year of learning and growth.'

Originally from outside Detroit, Michigan, Anna Szalay has been grateful to call Jackson home for the past five years. Her path toward education began during a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Austria, which inspired her to pursue a career working with young people in close-knit mountain communities. Since moving to Jackson, she has worked at Teton Literacy Center as an educator and program leader, supporting middle and high school students through literacy intervention, academic mentoring, and college and career readiness programming. Anna is currently pursuing a Master's in Education with a literacy emphasis and Secondary Social Studies licensure through the University of Wyoming. She is committed to the Jackson community and to helping young people develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to become thoughtful, compassionate, and civically engaged members of their communities.

Sam comes to Teton Science Schools sincerely believing in the power of place, people, and stories. His story began in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where he still vividly remembers his “special place” atop an eroded riverbank overlooking the Ompompanoosuc River. His curiosity for the outdoors led him to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Plant Biology. As much as Sam admired the intricacies of sugar maples and white pines while working as a forestry consultant, he yearned for the inspiration of people. For the past dozen years, in a diverse array of managerial and teaching experiences, Sam has explored the intersectionality of education and science. This journey has molded his educational philosophy, in which we all arrive at any moment with a story to tell. It is our responsibility to ensure we provide an inclusive space where that story can be heard and valued. He looks forward to hearing your story when he has the privilege of meeting you. Sam holds an M.S. in Natural Science Education from the University of Wyoming, a graduate program at Teton Science Schools, and a B.S. in Forestry and Plant Biology from the University of Vermont.

Coming soon!

David has been shaped by life in Washington, Idaho, Texas, Tennessee, and Wyoming—he's a bit of everywhere rolled into one. With over a decade of experience as a professional artist specializing in oil painting, photography, and art instruction, he infuses creativity and depth into all his endeavors. David is drawn to the mountains, fueled by a love for horses, and always ready for the next adventure.

Jeffrey Post-Holmberg holds a BS in Forestry from Oregon State University. He earned his Master's in Counseling Psychology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. From 1981 to 2006, he was a Course Leader with the National Leadership School (NOLS), where he spent 500 field weeks teaching outdoor skills and leadership worldwide. After earning his Master's degree in 2009, he embarked on a 13-year journey in his private practice as a couples, child, and family therapist in Portland, Oregon. He lives in the Teton Valley with his wife, Sarah, and two sons, Koven and Tenzin.