“facilitator” (noun):
someone who helps to bring about an outcome (such as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision”
Facilitators support students in clarifying their intentions, getting connected to resources, reflecting on their decisions, engaging with the community, and sharing their learning. Sometimes they offer direct instruction; sometimes they offer patient encouragement to young people figuring things out on their own. Facilitators work to keep the space safe and respectful for everyone. They collaborate with students to develop a culture of care. They model clear communication, collaboration, and authenticity. They witness, model, and reflect. They embody the agile roots, and they are grounded in trust.
Our environment and friends facilitate explorations. Visitors facilitate by exchanging questions, and volunteers often facilitate by bringing offerings! Day-to-day, program facilitators accompany and collaborate with young people, nurturing self-possession, curiosity, compassion, and joy.
Our facilitator team is changing! Until we’re ready to post new bios for everyone, you can attend an info session or contact us to learn about the backgrounds and specialties of the facilitators currently on-site. Some staff and non-staff facilitators you’ll likely encounter include:
Gabby Williams (She/Her) can typically be found with students, sharing and dancing to music, drawing or making art, skipping and running outside, or chatting with people. She also handles several administrative duties. Gabby is particularly interested in mental health, liberatory frameworks, developing affirming environments for LGBTQIQA+ individuals, and loving on our resident cat.
Crystal Byrd Farmer (She/Her) is an engineer turned educator from Gastonia, North Carolina. At Heartwood, she can often be found crafting, tinkering, writing, or exploring some new video game. She is founder of Gastonia Freedom School, an Agile Learning Center for disabled children. Her book The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in your Community, is widely read in organizations of the self-directed education movement, the intentional community movement, and beyond.
Kathryn Brannon (She/Her) enjoys the dynamic puzzles involved with keeping an organization running from the administrative side. She was a founding parent of Heartwood, and our facilitators really appreciate her budgeting and spreadsheet prowess!
B. English (He/Him) spends his Heartwood days joining kids in active outdoor activities and guiding them in using Makerspace tools — and more — to experiment with and explore the world around them. In his own time and in education settings with kids, he enjoys creating everything from drones to catapults to cake.
Abby Oulton (She/Her) chose to work as an educator because she loves learning, change, play, and people. She also loves her home-base of NYC. At Heartwood, she can often be found coaching or creating things with kids, tending the physical space, and inviting adults to share their deschooling insights and co-designing energy in support of the whole community. She’s personally fascinated by tech design and digital rights (or the lack thereof), and she’s always down to discuss these topics with kids, their adults, and other facilitators.
