Meet Our Team

Elizabeth Bullard, Executive Director
Elizabeth is also the visionary behind and founder of the PlayGarden. She has an MA in Speech-Language Pathology from Indiana University at Bloomington, and a BA in Speech and Hearing Sciences/Spanish from Indiana University. She has worked with children and families in the Seattle area since 1985, and enjoys working and playing alongside PlayGardeners of all ages.

Sophie Barnett-Dyer, Lead Preschool Teacher
Sophie received a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with Special Education certification in 2005 from Mills College, in Oakland Ca. Her childhood spent playing in her family’s garden in Seattle,and later as an adult visiting school gardens in the Bay Area, has inspired a life-long love of teaching and learning with young children in the garden. She is also an avid gardener herself, as well as cook, camper, crafts person, and the mother of two fantastic children.

Asher Brown, Program Assistant
Asher started working as a Preschool Helper in the fall of 2017. He supports the teaching staff by setting up for the morning program, greeting preschoolers and families, and engaging with kids during morning play. When he’s not working, Asher stays busy as a volunteer at Swedish Hospital and participates in Special Olympics, including swimming, soccer, and his long time favorite, downhill skiing. He has been a member of the Skihawks Racing Team for the past 8 seasons. Asher graduated from Garfield HS and Nathan Hale’s transition program.

Emma Simonson, Office Manager
Emma graduated from Pacific Lutheran University where she earned a BA with majors in Global Studies and Hispanic Studies. She has a lot of experience working with kids, having previously worked at Seattle PlayGarden as a Summer camp counselor and as a nanny for 5 kids. Emma is passionate about helping others and enjoys running, reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends in her free time.

Nicole Ijeoma, Preschool Program Assistant
Nicole is joining our preschool team on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will be in the classroom assisting with snack, storytime, and playtimes, as well as helping us prep projects for preschool. Nicole loves reading and writing poetry, and she’s looking forward to playing with the preschoolers. 

Dave Langton, Garden and Animal Caretaker
Dave is the caretaker for the PlayGarden, providing facility and grounds maintenance. He has home remodel construction and maintenance experience and is currently enrolled in the Landscape Horticulture program at South Seattle College. His previous work experience includes working with children and adults with disabilities and their use of assistive technology in education, work, and play. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems. He discovered his love of the outdoors after walking on the Appalachian Trail for a few months. Dave enjoys the beautiful mountains and scenic waterways of the Pacific Northwest.

Hannah Gallagher, Inclusive Programs Director, Camp Director and Lead Preschool Teacher
Hannah  is an inclusive, community-focused  environmental educator, speaker, disability-rights advocate from Seattle, WA. Hannah holds a graduate certificate in Education for Environment & Community from IslandWood, a Master’s in Education and a graduate certificate and non-profit management from the University of Washington.

Hannah works as the Inclusive Programs Director at the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden. Hannah has over 15 years of experience working with children and youth with and without disabilities.  This experience aids he in her role as Summer Camp Director and as one of the organizations Lead Preschool Teachers.  She is the co-author of two books on inclusion and has been sharing her gained knowledge in the form of community-based inclusion workshops and presenting at local, national and international conferences on the topics of nature-play, inclusion, child-directed and multi-age learning for the last five years. Hannah is a 2015 Natural Leaders Legacy Camp Leader, and currently serves on the Board of Directors as an alumni representative for a youth-outdoor leadership program here in Seattle called POST 84.

When Hannah is not working, you can find her at local food banks and farms sorting and growing produce, visiting farmer’s markets, hiking the wonders of the PNW forests, on her bike and sharing a home-cooked meal time with friends and family.

Michaela McCarthy, Program Assistant
“I am excited to be working at the PlayGarden because I like being around kids. I had a lot of fun going to the PlayGarden when I was little and I want other kids to have fun at the PlayGarden, too. During my free time, I like listening to music, writing on my iPad, and taking care of my companion dog, Mellie.”

Sofia Muro-Wells, Preschool Teachers Assistant
Originally from the Portland area, Sofia made the trek up North to Seattle for University and has loved her years here since! She spends her time baking and eating her way through Seattle, enjoys the easy access to water all around the city, and caring for her first pet of her own, a 12 year old cat named Arjuna!

Sofia is excited to join the PlayGarden for its nature based curriculum, as she feels everyone could stand to learn a bit more of the natural world around them. As we all move into a new school year, Sofia excited to help to support students as they grow and discover themselves and she hopes to make them feel empowered and safe to advocate for themselves and others.

Carter Sturms, Assistant Caretaker
Carter is excited to be the new gardener at Seattle Children’s PlayGarden! He has been attending camps and programs at the PlayGarden from a young age, and is devoted to maintaining its magic for future generations. He has a dog named Nuggets and he loves movies! His favorite movie? The Spiderman series!

Say hello when you see Carter raking leaves or spreading mulch – you will probably hear his joyous laughter and want to join right in!

Ali Smith, Preschool Teachers Assistant

Ali was an early elementary teacher in culturally, linguistically and socio-economically diverse elementary schools for nine years before taking a break as she and her husband had a family. Ali loved being a teacher because of her deep respect for children, childhood, and learning. Everyone is born to learn and she loves to encourage children’s natural curiosities through play and active engagement in their surroundings.

 

Ali’s children attended co-op preschool, and as a co-op parent she and her husband volunteered as classroom assistants weekly. It was such a joy to be back in the classroom, surrounded by play and paint and play-dough. Now that her own children are in elementary school she is delighted to spend her days playing and learning alongside the children of the PlayGarden. When Ali is not in the classroom you will usually find her gardening, knitting, sewing, baking with my two children, and playing with her family and two cats.