High Country Forest Wild
Former Staff
Our team is made up of many talented staff from year to year. Explore our alumni yearbook of former staff to remember those who walked with your children through the woods teaching them new ways to love it.
Cullen Beasley (he/him)
Assistant Director/Facilitator
Hometown: Gastonia, NC
Cullen has a deep passion for botany and the outdoors. Plants are everything to Cullen and he tries to pass that curiosity and love on to everyone he meets.
He graduated from Appalachian State in 2019 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biology. His favorite hobbies are hiking (to ID plants), biking (to spots with cool plants), and reading (about plants).
Cullen feels a strong sense of eagerness and privilege to be a part of children’s environmental education. He finds joy in those moments of curiosity and fascination that are so common in the forest.
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“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.”
– John Muir –
Luke Lawrence (he/him)
Instructor/Facilitator
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Luke loves to experience the natural world around him, whether that is on a bicycle, in the water, on a climbing rope, or barefoot with mud between his toes.
Luke moved to Boone in 2019, where he attended Appalachian State and has remained ever since.
When Luke is not at Forest Wild you can often find him cycling around the beautiful roads of the high country, whether it be pavement, gravel, or single track. He is also an avid musician who plays the keys and guitar in bands locally.
Anna Claire Funderburk (she/her)
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Indian Trail, NC
Anna Claire completed her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology and minor in Sociology at Appalachian State University in 2023. She is currently taking a break before pursuing her master's in clinical mental health counseling. She has a passion for advocating animal rights.
Anna Claire's affinity for nurturing young minds and immersing herself in nature led her to Forest Wild, where she is eagerly anticipating a summer filled with creativity and outdoor adventures alongside her fellow staff and the children. Anna Claire's adventurous spirit has taken her across Western Europe, the Western and Eastern Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond.
When she's not traveling or at Forest Wild, you can find her enjoying leisurely walks with her cat and whipping up culinary delights in the kitchen.
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’”
– Sylvia Plath –
John Turner (they/them)
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC
John is a rising senior at Appalachian State University studying Sustainable Development and Political Science.
Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, John grew up in the city. However, they prefer the countryside, growing up hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors with their family. In their free time, they enjoy attending concerts, making meals with their girlfriend, playing spades, and reading Dune.
With their second year at High Country Forest Wild approaching, John is ready to facilitate a fun and educational summer with the kiddos!
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings obliteration. I will face my fear and I will permit it to pass over me and through me.”
– Jessica Atreides (Frank Herbert) –
Libbie Warren
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Libbie is a Virginia native who was drawn to the High Country by her love for the mountains and passion for outdoor recreation. She attended Appalachian State and graduated with a degree in Exercise Science in 2023. Following graduation, Libbie moved to Bar Harbor, Maine and worked as a sea kayaking and bike guide in and around Acadia National Park.
Once the kayaking season came to an end, Libbie returned to the high country to continue working and playing in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. On top of working at Forest Wild, Libbie is also a baker at Stick Boy Bread Co. and loves serving the Boone community in both of these capacities. Libbie loves backpacking, snowboarding, live music, cooking, and reading.
Libbie loves observing the developmental, emotional, and social benefits that outdoor play provides for children at HCFW and watching the kids gain confidence and learn new skills. In the fall, Libbie will be attending the University of Utah’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program in Salt Lake City and loves finding the overlaps between outdoor education and occupational therapy practices. After earning her doctorate, she plans to work in adaptive sports and utilize recreation to accomplish clients therapeutic goals.
“The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter, and the spirit heals with joy.”
– Proverb –
Molly Donahue
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Davidson, NC
Molly graduated from Appalachian State with a B.S. in Psychology in May 2024. When she is not at Forest Wild you can find her painting in her studio at the Nth Gallery or spending time in the sun with her friends or her three sisters.
Molly works at Forest Wild because, while she loves the outdoors, she also has an interest in Family and Child Psychology and has always enjoyed working in childcare.
What she enjoys the most about Forest Wild is watching the students express their passions and creativity in a safe environment. She is always inspired by their carefree spirit and ability to feel free to express themselves at a young age.
“We could never have loved the Earth so well if we had had no childhood in it, if it were not the Earth where the same flowers come up again every spring that we used to gather with our tiny fingers as we sat lisping to ourselves on the grass, the same hips and haws on the autumn hedgerows, the same redbreasts that we used to call ‘God’s birds’ because they did no harm to the precious crops. What novelty is worth that sweet monotony where everything is known and loved because it is known?”
-George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss
Oliver Weaver
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Durham, NC
My name is Oliver Weaver and I'm from Durham, NC. I have been a nature lover since I was an infant. I grew to really enjoy backpacking and spending long periods of time in the woods. I am currently a student at App State, studying Sustainable Development with a concentration in Agroecology. Nowadays my biggest hobbies are rock/tree climbing, intuitive motion & dancing, and indulging in any form of creativity. I love seeing the endless wonders of kids in nature, and am so excited to explore every nook and cranny of Forest Wild with them.
"We will skip through the meadows and run through the woods and swim in the river. In the evenings we will sit right here on this front porch and count the stars."
– Frog and Toad –
Teddy Boyle
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Durham, NC
Hi, I’m Teddy. I’m from Durham, NC and this is my second year at HCFW. I am currently a senior at App State studying apparel design. I’m super passionate about sports, art, and outdoor activities.
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During the school year I practice with the App State women’s basketball team, and I coach a team of 5th grade boys for Peak Basketball. I have so much fun working with kids because I’m genuinely always learning from them. I’m excited just to be outside this summer since the weather is getting so awesome. I’m also thrilled to get to teach about the outdoors.
My favorite quote is the entire song “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers; it can get me out of bed any morning.
Hannah Wolfe
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC
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Hannah loves playing in, hiking in, teaching in and learning from the great outdoors. Thus, working at Forest Wild was a dream come true!
Hannah grew up in Winston-Salem with every single summer spent in Montreat, NC. She fell in absolute love with the mountains as a kid and hasn't left them since.
Hannah studied recreation management and outdoor education at App State, graduating in 2020. Since then, Hannah has been working at Forest Wild, doing yoga, listening to endless podcasts about the gut microbiome, and smiling daily at the beauty that is the Appalachian Mountains.
"You need only walk in mindfulness, making peaceful, happy steps on our planet. Breathe deeply and enjoy your breathing. Be aware that the sky is blue and the birds’ songs are beautiful.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh –
Kevin McDermott
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Davis, WV
Kevin completed his Bachelors in Sustainable Technology from Appalachian State in May 2021.
What he enjoys most about Forest Wild is seeing kids' eyes light up when they learn something new. He is continuously inspired by their ability to stay outside in any and all weather.
When Kevin is not at Forest Wild, he enjoys getting outside and interacting with wild landscapes via climbing, on the saddle of a bike or with a pack on his back.
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"Be depressed, discouraged and disappointed at failure and the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption and bad politics -- but never give up."
– Marjory Stoneman Douglas –
Hazel Pardington
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Carrboro, NC
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Hazel graduated from AppState in 2020 with her B.S. in Sustainable Development with a Concentration in Community, Regional, Global Development and a Gender & Women's Studies Minor.
In her free time, Hazel enjoys hiking, cooking, gardening, reading, cross-stitching, & drawing. She loves seeing kids become more confident in themselves in the outdoor skills we practice.
Hazel feels very lucky to be a part of their self-discovery journey. She hopes to facilitate a life-long curiosity about the natural world and a sense of stewardship in the outdoors.
"Healing begins with self-determination in relation to the body that is the earth and the body that is our flesh"
– Bell Hooks –
Kate Bridgers
Facilitator/Instructor
Hometown: Cullowhee, NC
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Kate studied at Appalachian State University in the Sustainable Development and Studio art departments.
She is originally from Cullowhee, North Carolina but grew up in Northeast California and Toronto, Canada. She loves being outdoors, working on organic farms, teaching yoga, painting and backpacking.
High Country Forest Wild has taught her the importance of self-guided exploration outside and in a community setting. Watching kids become more comfortable outside and confident in their abilities has been one of the her most rewarding experiences while working at HCFW.
Sydney Blume
Sydney finds great joy in gardening and being in forests. She graduated from Appalachian State in 2018 with degrees in Sustainable Development and Spanish with a focus on Indigenous Studies, and a whole lot of love and experience in outdoor recreation! She worked as a camp counselor teaching rock climbing, and then leading trips and working at the climbing wall at ASU. Her work since has involved organic gardening, education around agroecology and climate, and organizing for climate justice both here in Boone and in Southern Mexico. She is passionate about plants and their uses, foraging edible mushrooms (as pictured!), fermentation, climbing rocks and mountains, and building community with this abundant Earth. She is a long-time-lover of climbing trees, building forts, and wandering woods and is excited to do this in Forest Wild! Her ideal vision for the community would include a lot more Forest Wilds, food forests all over, and really great bike paths and trail systems for easy access to all our wild spaces.
LuAnna Nesbitt
As a recent graduate from Appalachian’s Sustainable Development Program, LuAnna has developed a deep passion for community development, social and environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture and living. She grew up in Asheville, NC, on her family’s small vegetable and dairy farm, with her eight siblings. This exposure to nature and farming from a young age instilled a passion in her to work towards a life that works in accordance to the environment, and sustainable development has given her the tools to do it. LuAnna has a strong passion for herbal medicine and healing that can be found through the plants in our Appalchian mountains. She worked as a Sustainability Ambassador for the Office of Sustainability at AppState, and has acted as a member and organizer of the Climate Action Collaborative, an environmental justice group in Boone, NC, for the past two years. She also has a passion for cooking, potlucks, running trails, foraging and exploring the woods.
Shlo Harris
Shlo is originally from the panhandle of Florida and has been living in the mountains for about 4 years now. They graduated from App State in 2018 with a degree in Outdoor Experiential Education. Since then, Shlo has worked for North Carolina Outward Bound School. In their spare time, Shlo loves to paint, craft and rock climb and work on my cooking skills. They are also a huge Dolly Parton fan!
Butler Mappus
Butler believes that the world is to be celebrated, and I am grateful to be able to share in that joy. Butler was raised down in Charleston, South Carolina, and moved up to Boone six years ago. Butler deeply respects the journey of birth and feeds this passion through apprenticing under a midwife. Butler works part-time at Be Natural Market where I pursue other passions including natural methods of healing such as herbal medicine and organic food. A few of Butler's favorite hobbies include being in the woods, collecting crystals, cooking creatively, learning about plants, and making herbal medicine. In Butler's spare time, they enjoy long hikes, card games, and laughing with their partner, Ben and dog, Hank.