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.
Nick oldham, year round program instructor
Nick has a BS in Evrionmental Science & Sustainability from Salem State University, and has a deep passion for the outdoors where he spends most of his time. Nick’s love for the outdoors stems from a sense of connection to nature rooted in his childhood. He spent time in Australia working with local conservation groups and National Parks, where he learned to apply the practices of conservation management and the importance of working with the indigenous stakeholders. He loves to spend as much time as possible sleeping outside, mountain biking, cooking over an open fire, and especially watching his daughter Hunter share his passions for nature and the outdoors. When he is not in the woods, you can be sure to find him in the ocean or on a beach kayaking and swimming!
curtis sarkin, Seasonal program instructor
Curtis has a BA in Writing in Natural History and Cultural Perspectives from UMass Amherst. Before working for Kestrel, he taught hands-on marine science, conducted whale and turtle research, and explored the rainforests and reefs of Central America and Australia. Curtis has been educating the public about local wildlife for over fifteen years and enjoys nothing more than when children ask him challenging and thought-provoking nature questions. He has been flipping over rocks in search of invertebrates since he could first walk, and enjoys fish keeping, fossil collecting, wildlife humor, and science fiction.
Mara Goldberg, Animal care and program volunteer
Mara was raised by parents who let her run around in the woods and do science experiments on her own. She has had many adventures and traveled the world from Hong Kong to Papa New Guinea and Australia to Amsterdam. She grew up to be a social worker, with a private practice here in Beverly. Now she volunteers running around in the woods. Mara takes care of our Head Start turtles, and co-instructs many of our after school classes. She appreciates the full circle her life has made from outdoor immersion in childhood to facilitating children’s outdoor experiences and connections with wildlife.
amber espar, 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).
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:
Emily Denoncour (Landmark School)
Jeff Denoncour (The Trustees of Reservations)
Anna DiPerna (Landmark School)
Bethany Ericson (Writer/Artist)
Caitlin Featherstone (Essex Elementary School)
Joe Giso (Johnson O’Connor )
Mark Maitland (Maitland Financial Group)
Deirdre Mulligan (Landmark School)