Tim’s Irish heritage, as taught to him by his uncle and his grandfather, has linked him deeply to Earth peoples’ philosophy of life.

He first went to the woods at age six and began communicating with the spirits of animals. He knew then that this was his home. At seventeen Tim spent four months alone in the Canadian Wilderness practicing Earth living skills.

He began a career teaching wildlife conservation, and in 1992 founded Headwaters Outdoor School. He realized his lifelong vision to share what he had learned from the Earth, and to inspire people to discover their own connection with nature.

Tim is a nature photographer. He travels to sacred places and captures images to share with the intention of connecting people with our incredible world in hopes of sparking their passion for our Earth and the desire to protect Her.

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Julie has been a part of the Headwaters family since 2001. She is the year around caretaker of our land and school. During our school season she is our camp cook, and a teacher. Julie manages everything that is related to Headwaters and has dedicated her life to being an Earth Caretaker in every way.

Living at Headwaters full time, the line between work and play is thin, and she brings joy and humor into her daily interactions. When not on the land Julie enjoys traveling with her dogs and getting some much-needed solo time in nature. Julie is an incredible artist, and our Headwaters land is blessed with her sculptures and other forms of artwork scattered throughout our forest sanctuary. Her creative touch is also felt in the way she tends the land and creates welcoming spaces for others to enjoy.

Julie was called to Headwaters many years ago and she stepped right into her purpose of tending this land and caring for all who are here.

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TJ has been coming to Headwaters since he could walk. As a kid he would spend the Summers on the Headwaters land and found himself often being pulled to return, so that’s exactly what he did. He is passionate about the art of friction fire, animal processing, and is an aspiring hide tanner. Constantly learning and believing a teacher should always be a student, he has been full-time teaching at Headwaters since 2021.

TJ is also skilled in the business side of the school and helps Tim and Julie with the behind-the-scenes operations of Headwaters. He has overseen running our Apprentice program and has a devotion for making sure each student gets the most out of whatever it is they are interested in learning during their time at Headwaters.

When not teaching, you can find TJ in Santa Cruz surfing, exploring the woods or fishing. TJ is a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

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Zander first came to Headwaters when he was 14 and has been returning ever since. He fell in love with primitive skills and has been devoting much of his time to the practice of friction fire, foraging wild edible plants, and tracking any chance he gets. While forever a student, he has been teaching these skills since 2021. Zander is a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

Zander also has a passion for farming and helps upkeep the school’s greenhouses. When he’s not on the Headwaters land, he frequents his hometown Santa Cruz where you can find him; surfing, hiking, tracking, and travelling.

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Carmen first started attending Headwaters as an apprentice at the age of 14 and has been returning ever since. Growing up in San Francisco, she has spent every moment out of the city deeply connecting with the woods. Her time spent in the woods with peers sparked a lifelong passion for connection with the wild. Outside of her passion for friction fire, foraging, and deep earth philosophy, she has worked on numerous farms and other outdoor education programs around the bay area.

Carmen holds an AA in Biology from Santa Barbara City College. In the off season, she lives in Santa Barbara and works for Wilderness Youth Project, as well as being a ranch hand.

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Caitlyn has been coming to Headwaters since she was in sixth grade. Spending most of her summers here, she has grown up on our land and it has become her home away from home. She is Julie's right hand woman in the kitchen and a great leader to apprentices and work interns. She is hardworking and dedicated and is always willing to step in wherever she is needed.

On top of helping Julie run our kitchen, Caitlyn helps teach the Girls Rite of Passage and is looked to as a mentor and leader throughout the Summer. Shes an excellent musician and in her moments of free time can be found playing a guitar.

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John was initially attracted to the power of nature by attending camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in rural New Hampshire in the 1940’s, and in 1950 reading Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger.

John is a veteran, Sierra Nevada long distance hiker, an eager mountain climber having summited major peaks in the West, and a resolute telemark skier. 

John has been an apprentice with Tom Little Bear of the Esalen Tribe since 1991. He pours and sings in the Esalen Sweat Lodge. John began studying shamanic healing in 2003 with teachers from diverse shamanic backgrounds, and now provides services as a shamanic healing practitioner.

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Robin has been teaching and mentoring children, teens, and adults in deep nature connection, survival skills, bird language, and tracking since 2004. Through his unique approach to mentoring, he inspires participants to connect with nature, themselves and community. 

His own love for the wilderness led him to visit and learn from the Nharo Bushmen of Botswana, live in the stone age without modern items in Washington and Idaho with Lynx Vilden’s Four Seasons Stone Age Living Project, and complete the Kamana Naturalist Training Program by Jon Young. 

Since 2014, he has been learning from Martin Prechtel in Bolad’s Kitchen. He has also completed many solos in nature with minimal gear and brings inspiring stories and skills from these experiences into his teaching. Robin is a Waldorf graduate and received his BA in Bioregional Studies with highest honors from UC Santa Cruz. 

Robin is also a blacksmith and fiddler, he lives in Southern Oregon on his homestead with his wife and their three sons.

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Jonah joined Headwaters as a student in Junior high school and over the years worked his way up as a staff member. Jonah is one of our all-around go-to staff members who is always willing to do anything that needs to be done. He will find a way to make it happen.

Jonah works in the camp kitchen and is our main cobb oven baker. He has been overseeing our Work Intern Program the last few years and is a great, inspiring mentor for these young adults. He teaches them life skills and works hard right alongside them.  

Jonah has a kind heart, a great work ethic, a fun sense of humor, and he loves to tell a good story.

Jonah is currently attending Humboldt University and is studying to be a nurse. 

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Sylas Navar is a guide, mentor, educator, and craftsman dedicated to preserving traditional skills and deepening our connection to the natural world. At Headwaters Outdoor School, he shares his expertise in leatherworking, woodworking, and handcrafting, guiding students in making drums, rattles, and other traditional tools. His passion for working with natural materials is rooted in the belief that craftsmanship is not just about creating—it’s about developing patience, presence, and a hands-on relationship with the earth.

With over 30 years of experience in many martial and healing arts systems, Sylas also teaches movement, awareness, self-discipline, and self-care as part of the Headwaters experience. Additionally, he plays a supporting role in the school's primitive skills programs, sharing his knowledge of earth-based philosophy and ancestral ways of knowing, helping students develop hands-on skills through experience and deep engagement. Whether crafting, moving, or teaching, his work is an invitation to engage deeply with the world through skill, intention, and respect for the interconnectedness of all life.

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