We are blessed to have found some amazing and aligned facilitators to work with our group. Here is some information about our them and their approach to education.

Ted Packard

Ted Packard is a mentor, naturalist, ancestral skills craftsman, storyteller, and musician. Since 2011, he has mentored youth in wilderness survival, edible and medicinal plants, animal tracking, bird language, and the innumerable intricacies of growing into the human body, heart, and mind.  He is trained in the eight shields model, having attended the Wilderness Awareness School in Western Washington and has worked in a variety of nature programs for children, both large and small. Ted believes that humans learn best when they are immersed in nature, in play, and in community.

In this video, Ted shares some insights into his approach with the kids:

Heidi Patton

Greetings! I’m Heidi Patton. Born in the suburbs of Portland, OR, I spent far more time in organized sports than playing in nature as a child. After moving to San Francisco for college however, the over-stimulation of the big city led me to take solace in nature - especially the Presidio, a natural area where I ended up becoming a teacher for a nature-based children’s program. When I graduated, I moved down the coast to study naturalism and lead farm and wilderness field trip programs for inner city children. I’ve been inspired to find ways to be in the wilderness with children ever since! In addition to my work at Wild Soul, my son and I spend much of our free time camping, harvesting wild food and herbs, making fires, and singing songs of gratitude to our glorious Mother Earth.