Teachers
As teachers, we always try to find a balance between seeking the deeper meaning in what we are doing while at the same time keeping a fresh “beginner’s mind” that allows us to be in the moment with the children. We meet weekly to support each other’s growth, to encourage self-reflection, to integrate what we know with what we experience, and to get feedback in order to expand our awareness of our personal edges and how our teaching can improve. At the same time we are not striving to be perfect and in fact, appreciate our imperfections, as they are often our best teachers. We think it is wonderful for children to see the adults in their life working with their rough edges, continuously growing and changing.
Kristin Lhatso, MA Educational Psychology and Human Development
Founder, Executive Director and Lead Teacher
Growing up in California, dance and theatre arts played a major role in my early life. My first introduction to teaching came in my late teens when I taught dance to children ages 3-16. After attending college in California and CU Boulder, I finally found myself at home at the Naropa Institute, where I graduated in 1994. I started Snow Lion in 1995 and this school has been an incredible blessing to me. I have been delighted, stretched, enriched, opened, and humbled by my work at Snow Lion. For the life experiences and lessons that I have learned from this school, I am grateful… every single day in the classroom I feel waves of appreciation that I get to do the work I do. Every child I have taught has been a teacher for me. I really mean that.
In my spare time I love to be with my teenage children (who have taken it upon themselves to grow me into a continuously more refined and deep version of myself), garden, and dance. I have been working with more improvisational/contact dance forms over the last years, which is helping me bring many of the things I have known conceptually out of my head and down into my body. My current practice in all areas of my life is allowing whatever is naturally unfolding to emerge and deepen and to take advantage of what is, instead of trying to always force things this way and that. I am trying to go with the energetic grain more and use natural timing to allow my work to be as deep as possible… this is all in contrast to my younger years when I would use sheer force and gusto to accomplish things. I am too old for that now! But in a good way! I love how much more genuine I feel when I can relinquish (tiny bit by very tiny bit) the facade of control I used to think I actually had in my back pocket. I am inspired by growth… smitten, really.
Nicole Ann Vollmerhausen
Assistant Director/Lead Teacher
I am originally from Trenton, Michigan. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I received my Bachelors Degree in May of 2001 in the College of English Language and Literature. I have been involved in the Snow Lion community since 2001, both as a teacher and as a parent. In August 2007, I finished the Teacher Education Program at Boulder Journey School which was a joint partnership with the University of Colorado Denver where I earned my Masters Degree in Educational Psychology. Through the same program I also received my Early Childhood Education endorsement and licensure from the Colorado Department of Education. My interests include reading, meditation and most of all I enjoy spending time with my family by playing board games, hiking, reading comic books and drawing together.
Allison Berger
Snow Lion Teacher
I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the Snowlion teaching team this year. Originally I am from the cornfields of Iowa but have spent the last 20 years in Boulder planting my roots firmly in the rocky soil of the foothills. I live in Boulder with my husband Mark and my two lovely littles, Penny and Tilda. Penny just graduated from Snowlion and Tilda is a former Cub in her first year as a Lion.
I love to be creative, head outdoors, run, hike, bike, garden, adventure and most importantly spend time with my family. I graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Fine Arts and have professionally experienced everything from landscaping and stone masonry to slinging coffee/bagels/eggs/sushi/pasta to selling eye wear and working in the Asian travel business. I am a Jackie-of-all-trades that never felt truly grounded in a career path, ironically, until I became a mother. Having children made me realize how much I want and needed to be a part of something bigger than what I had been doing.
After spending time caring for my girls, as well as caring for others’ children while I was a stay-at-home mother, I realized I wanted to be in a classroom on some level. I was fortunate to find a place at Snowlion, first in the Cubs room and now with the Lions. In that time I became lead teacher certified and began to delve deeper into Early Childhood Education and it’s importance in our children’s lives. I am looking forward to continuing to connect with the children and helping to facilitate outlets of self-discovery. I’m excited to share my creativity, energy, love and compassion with each of your children.
Emma Fox
Lead Teacher
Hello! I am extremely excited and honored to join the Snow Lion team. A little bit about me: I am an enthusiastic childcare provider with a background in Neuroscience, Mindfulness-Based Education, and Yoga. I am also a Buddhist practitioner, artist, gardener, and (sometimes) excellent cook! I recently moved to Boulder and have been really enjoying walks along the creek and hikes in the Flat Irons. While I am originally from the East Coast (West Philadelphia, born and raised!), my connection to Colorado is through Shambhala Mountain Center, where I’ve spent the past two summers volunteering and deepening my personal practice. One of my favorite summer programs at SMC is Family Camp, where I got to lead Nature Walks and paint faces for families interested in contemplative practice! Thank you all for the warm welcome and I very much look forward to forming deeper connections with you and your children!
Maddie Schlick
Snow Lion Assistant Teacher
In 2016 I joined Snow Lion as a practicum student while completing my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Transpersonal Art Therapy. After graduating in 2017 and working with children and families at a mental health agency in Denver, I now happily return to Boulder to re-join Snow Lion.
I am passionate about the way children are supported while learning, and I have worked with a range of children, advocating for those that other adults labeled as “problematic.” I seek to lead with heart and compassion in order to connect with each child’s true essence. I love to find creative ways to meet children’s needs and find paths for them to flourish on and express themselves unabashedly. I find children to be deeply wise and I hope to do everything in my power to allow their unique wisdom to grow and change the world for the better.
As a human you might run into me on the trails, playing ultimate frisbee, or at the grocery store singing to myself under my breath about what I’m shopping for!
Chelsey Banning
Assistant Teacher
Hello! I am excited to be a part of the Snow Lion community. I moved to Colorado back in December 2015 to pursue my MA in Counseling and Depth Psychotherapy at Regis University. My personal journey has opened me up to a sense of purpose in being a consistent source of compassion and encouragement in fostering each child’s authentic voice to grow and be shared with the world. I very much look forward to learning from your children and supporting them on their journeys.
Originally I am from a farming village named Cowden, Illinois. I completed my bachelor’s degree in social work at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. I worked with women and children escaping domestic violence in the St. Louis area. As well, I was part of the access team with Mental Health Partners from 2016-17 and I have over a decade of experience working in hospitality/customer service. I have interests in art therapy, grief work, and sandplay therapy. In my free time I enjoy oil painting, playing board games, taking nature walks, and getting swept up in a compelling story or film.
Jonathan Maloney
Assistant Teacher
I am very excited to be joining the team at Snow Lion this year as an assistant teacher. I am honored to be a part of such a dedicated and passionate team of teachers and role models. I am originally from Mississippi and completed my undergraduate degree in philosophy from TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. I recently discovered my passion for teaching after pursuing my long time dream of teaching English in Thailand. I have recently returned and am thrilled to be able to continue my work in education here in the States. I have spent the last few years developing my contemplative practice through yoga and meditation and am excited to be able bring my personal work to the classroom in a way that honors and supports Snow Lion’s wonderful students.
In my free time I enjoy trail running, snowboarding, and photography. I try to get out and take advantage of every aspect of this beautiful place I now call home. Thank you for welcoming me to your community and I look forward to forming a wonderful bond with you and your children.
Connie Aizeki, MA Educational Psychology
Snow Lion Cubs Lead Teacher
Hello! I am so looking forward to teaching the new toddler class at Snow Lion. I have spent over the last 20 years in the beautiful Boulder area, working and raising my two children who are 12 and 16. The last two years have been spent working on my teaching license and masters in Educational Psychology through a joint partnership with CU Denver and the Boulder Journey School. I came to teaching because I love to learn and I find it absolutely fascinating to watch children learning. I just love the authentic human honesty of young children and I honestly cannot imagine a better job.
When I am not teaching I try to get out and trail run or hike along all of Boulder’s magnificent open space. When I mountain bike I mostly walk my bike up trails, but I get out there, and that’s what’s important. Being outside in a natural environment brings me joy and replenishes my spirit.
I have found my children to be my best teachers in life. They have provided me times of insane joy and times of heartbreaking frustration. Interestingly both types of experience have served to teach me the same lesson. Let go and be present. When I hold on tight to needing things to go a certain way my children have been excellent teachers. When I breathe, center myself and focus on the beautiful way the moment is unfolding just as it is, my children have been excellent teachers. When I enforce someone else’s agenda and methods, my children have been excellent teachers. When I open myself to approaching challenges from a creative angle, my children have been excellent teachers. I continue to learn every single day, and my children continue to teach me. I so look forward to implementing the lessons I have learned both formally and informally in the classroom with your children. We are going to have a wonderful, laughter filled year full of songs, and stories, and laughter and discovery.
Rachel Flax Kaplan
Cubs Assistant Teacher
Rachel moved from NYC to Boulder with her husband, Dan, and twin boys Leo and Max (currently Cubs!), in August 2017. In NYC, Rachel earned her MS.Ed in Museum Education with K-6 and early childhood certifications from Bank Street College of Education. Previously, Rachel was a Head Teacher at the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development, a lab school in the Psych Department at Barnard College, which focuses primarily on social-emotional development and separation. Additionally, Rachel has coached springboard diving for ages six to seventy-six for nearly two decades. Although she misses the sushi place across from her old apartment, since moving to CO, she is enjoying fresh air, mountain views, a lack of grime, and not having to plan family life around subway stroller access, traffic and/or parking.
Patrick Hurley
Substitute Teacher
Before devoting to a full time teaching position at Snow Lion School, Patrick has been a daycare and nursery staff for a number of years. Having developed a vested interest in individualized childcare, he spent his energy soughting out the outliers of the conventional eye — catering to the needs and interests of not just the less fortunate, but those written off as “problem children,” or “at risk” in an academic setting. Hyper conscious of the degradation associated with personal struggles and family dysfunction, particularly in the scholastic setting, he has cultivated a self driven incentive to let the outliers be heard.
In Boy Scouts, he has been in various leadership positions throughout his scouting career. Now as an Assistant Scoutmaster, he has led numerous trips which require technical backcountry skills, experience and knowledge. In result of his knowledge and experience with mental health services, scouts with various afflictions such as anger management issues, post traumatic stress disorder, behavioral issues and severe learning disorders have been included on extensive and difficult backcountry trips who would otherwise not have.
Being adopted, bilingual with Spanish and English, an advocate (during his high school years) for LGBTQ students, and aware of the afflictions of personal hardship, there is a range of understanding, compassion and acceptance brought to the classroom setting.
During his free time, he is an avid mountain biker, climber, runner, and kayaker. In the upcoming future, he hopes to exercise the studies of behavioral sciences, cognitive sciences and play/art therapy on the collegiate level.