Meet The Team: staff and board
Kestrel is a collaborative learning community. Staff at all levels contribute original ideas, knowledge, and suggestions to help guide the organization. We plan together, work together, and connect with the natural world together. We pay fair wages and provide excellent training to qualified instructors.
Jessica Kagle, Founder & Program Director
Jessica holds a master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and has a lifelong passion for playing in the woods. She has over 20 years of experience as a professional naturalist and educator, and a great love for the wildlife and lands of New England. She is also a certified K-8 science teacher with several years of classroom teaching experience in both public and independent schools. Jessica teaches primarily through asking children to design creations based on real experiences, and by encouraging them to be silly, adventurous, and muddy. She loves nothing more than educating people through relationships with wildlife. Jessica can often be found bicycling around New England or standing out in the rain watching frogs and salamanders. Jessica is certified in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and is a certified Lifeguard.
Morgan owens, program instructor
Morgan grew up in Lake Forest Park, Washington and has a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Biology from Tufts University. She worked her summers at outdoor nature camps in the Pacific Northwest and spent a year teaching in the classroom, where she emphasized experiential learning whenever possible.
Morgan grew up hiking, camping, swimming, and exploring the beautiful ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, where she got to watch orcas and sea otters frolicking every summer. Freedom and exploration in nature were a very important part of her childhood and she loves to facilitate opportunities for children to experience the joy of discovery and connection with nature. She believes learning outside allows children to think for themselves, use their minds and bodies fully, connect with each other, and grow to love their home ecosystems.
amber espar, Substitute program instructor
Amber has worked as an environmental educator and community organizer for over 18 years. She has taught programs for ages preschool through high school with Kestrel, Groundwork Somerville, Mass Audubon, the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, and the Cambridge School of Weston. Amber is part of the True Story Theater company, performing improvisation that celebrates human connection and promotes healing of divides. She has worked for Kestrel as an instructor on and off for over ten years, and especially enjoys bringing improvisation and storytelling into our science programs.
Tracy Bowen, Bookkeeper
Tracy is grateful to have grown up in a place and a time where she was free to roam unsupervised in the Great Sippewissett Marsh and play with the animals at neighboring Sacconnesset Farm on Cape Cod. She's a great believer in giving kids time to explore nature, and in Kestrel's mission; she's hopelessly drawn to working in non-profits. Plus, she enjoys an on-going argument with Jessica about whether cats or dogs are better (cats are).
Emma Kagle, canine staff
Emma helps out at our Woodland Seekers Camp and Conservation Club, along with making brief appearances at some of our school and other programs upon request. If you’re having a hard day, she gives out hugs and leans. She loves meeting all people, especially children, and likes pets and shaking hands for treats. She will bring you a toy. When not working at Kestrel, Emma loves swimming and more swimming, cuddling, belly rubs, and retrieving balls and toys,
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors consists of a lively mix of teachers, administrators, parents, field scientists, writers and an accountant!
Our board is highly active and involved in our operations.
Board Members and Affiliations
Anna DiPerna (Landmark School)
Bethany Ericson (Writer/Artist)
Caitlin Featherstone (Essex Elementary School)
Mark Maitland (Maitland Financial Group)
Deirdre Mulligan (Landmark School)
Justin Freedman