The Boards
This page includes descriptions of our honorable Board as well as The Board of Advisers.
To get back to the About page with info about the school and Director Crystal Scheer, click here.
The Board
Liz Stuart:Born and raised with three sisters in northern California, Liz came to Washington and began teaching Spanish at a local private high school, at an elementary school, and at Whatcom Community College in January of 2006. Her life as an explorer and lover of learning and language, however, began many years before. An interest in community health and service landed her a volunteer position digging holes for latrines and planting seeds in community gardens in the El Oro province of Ecuador, at the age of sixteen. Since that trip, Liz has travelled throughout Europe, to Kenya, and Fiji, and refined her Spanish skills as she travelled to Spain, Honduras, Mexico, and Costa Rica. 
She is working towards a masters’ degree, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Society, with a minor in Spanish, from Purdue University in 2000.
Liz is interested in living her life in accordance to her values of peace, justice, and equality for all people and cultures. Her favorite things include playing in the garden, yoga, camping, reuniting with her family on her grandfather’s walnut farm, music, watermelon, ice cream, and learning new things every day.
Liz is currently a director at a local social service organization and is excited to support the mission of Free Range School as a board member and by helping to facilitate Spanish classes with the students.
Amy R. Martin: Being outdoors, being with friends, cooking and meditating are some of Amy’s most beloved activities. Some of her memorable life experiences thus far include hiking through jungles and beaches in Kauai with her brother, touring Europe singing opera in German, joining a local 10-day silent meditation course, and organic farming in the French countryside whilst inhabiting 18th century chateaus.
Amy is an active magician for today’s new leaders, helping entrepreneurs and bright folks with inner-adventuring and business strategy. The latest on her business projects can be found on her website, www.amyRmartin.com.
The Board of Advisers
The Board of Advisers is a group of local experts who have agreed to volunteer their time to help inform and advise the curriculum and programming for the Free Range Cooperative School.
Kym Fedale:
Environmental Education Coordinator, City of Bellingham Public Works kfedale@cob.org
B.S. in Environmental Education at Western Washington University.
Kym has been an environmental educator in Whatcom County for over 13 years. She began her career at the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center where she was able to share an amazing wetland environment with children and adults. After several years at the center Kym began working at the City of Bellingham in the Public Works department where her focus shifted from beavers, dragon flies and other wetland creatures to water resources and city infrastructure. Kym has the opportunity to educate the community about Bellingham’s water system, stormwater protection and Lake Whatcom stewardship. In addition, she coordinates a city wide green team comprised of 26 city employees from all city departments. This group helps encourage co-workers to reduce office waste, purchase environmentally friendly products and use resources more efficiently.
Erin Isebrands Willison:
Founder of The Sense of Wonder Educational Consulting (www.thesenseofwonder.vpweb.com)
Erin has often described herself as “having a Master’s in Life.” Before moving to Bellingham to raise her spirited son, she spent 4 years traveling around the world solo. She cooked on a cattle station in Australia’s Outback, taught Kindergarten to novice monks in Ranong, Thailand, was a roustabout on a sheep sheering station on D-Urville Island, New Zealand, and rode camels through the Thar desert in Rajastan, India. She also worked as a flight attendant for a decade, has a BA in Journalism, is a certified 2.5-6y/o Montessori teacher, an intergenerational facilitator, and a stay-at-home-mom. Erin believes that hands-on learning opportunities are all around us, and she is eager to offer her knowledge of early learning and her passion for building community, to the Free Range Cooperative.
Dominic Battistella
Local Outdoor Enthusiast and Local History Buff
Dominic has lived most of his adult life in Bellingham after graduating from WWU in 1997. His passions include outdoor adventures as close to home as possible, be it by foot, bike or xc skis. He has parallel careers in facilities maintenance and in recreation and leisure services. He is an explorer at heart and has yet to exhaust the many opportunities Whatcom County presents for exploration and adventure. He is glad to share his knowledge of local history and the hidden secrets he has discovered while adventuring throughout Whatcom County.
David Marshak is the author of The Common Vision: Parenting and Educating for Wholeness, an exploration of the nurture that children and teens need to grow up into the fullness of their potential. He is also the author of six other books and numerous articles. David is an emeritus professor in the College of Education at Seattle University and an adjunct lecturer in the WoodringCollege of Education at Western Washington University. He is a board member of Project Labyrinth, Explorations Academy, the SelfDesign Learning Foundation in Vancouver BC, and the Transition Whatcom initiating group.