Lorene (she/her/ella) joined the Thorne team in 2021 as our Preschool Manager. She is passionate about guiding children and their families into deeper relationship with nature, greater knowledge of self, and the cultivation of multi-generational community through long-term, nature connection mentoring. She has worked in the field of outdoor experiential education for nearly 30 years, including founding Feet on the Earth Programs, a local nonprofit which for 10 years provided Boulder County families with exceptional nature-based programs for children. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Education from Prescott College, with an emphasis in Wilderness Leadership and Natural History Education, and a Masters of Education from Lesley University, with a concentration in children’s development, nature-based education, and rites of passage. In addition to her extensive training and experience as a nature-based educator and naturalist, Lorene studied and practiced the 8 Shields Cultural Mentoring model, wilderness survival skills, outdoor emergency medicine, is Certified Clinical Herbalist, and is Large Childcare Center Director qualified.