Our Teachers

Karen Nattrass, MA

Memories from my childhood – days spent outside exploring, playing in the mud, dressing up, and pretending- are precious to me. I hold my memories close and draw on them constantly as inspiration for activities and play spaces at Room to Grow. I believe that every child deserves a memorable childhood.

I came to early childhood education in a round about way…I accompanied my oldest son to a parent participation preschool. My son eventually went to kindergarten, but I never left preschool! From the very first I knew I had found a field that engaged both my brain and my heart.  My master’s degree in Human Ecology has helped me understand the interconnected nature of early learning.  Now I see myself as a kind of ‘translator’, someone who can help children, parents, teachers, and other adults see, hear, understand, and appreciate the wonderful world of early childhood and the incredible learning that happens for every child.

Claudia McIntyre

Intro coming soon…

Gwen Anaya

I grew up in Pleasanton, and when I was a kid we spent our summers camping and rafting. My grandmother’s house had the Umpqua river in the backyard, and I was rowing by the time I was a young teen. We would launch from her yard in the morning and get picked up downriver at the end of the day. Being outside has always been an important part of my life. I still love to camp, hike, and raft with my family, and I also love to read, learn, and make things. 

I am certified from Las Positas College as an associate preschool teacher, and I have been a childcare provider for over 12 years. I am passionate about early childhood education and the importance of play, encouraging curiosity, fostering a love of learning, and experiencing nature and the outdoors. I discovered Room To Grow while on a field trip for a class, and I knew immediately that it was a magical place that I wanted to be a part of. I started here as a parent participant, and am so excited to join the team of wonderful teachers and am thankful to be a part of the RTG community. 

Kara Blair

I grew up with my family in a lot of places along the East Coast. As a child, my mother told us we had to play outside until dinner. I spent a lot of time exploring the woods and watersheds of New Jersey, wandering through swamps in my red rubber boots and climbing trees barefoot. Many summers found me in Utah with my grandparents, learning how to irrigate their large garden and harvest the fruit trees. The beaches of Florida introduced me to the calming sensation of warm sand and the beauty of a sunset. Early adult years found me full-time in Utah, following more experienced friends on hikes and bike rides through the grand mountains of the Wasatch Front. I moved to California when I married my husband, Eric. We have 4 children and I love to take them camping and to the beach in this gorgeous state. I still hike, run, play. In my quieter moments I love a good book, and nothing beats a chilled movie theater with almost any type of movie, as long as I have Junior Mints. I love watching children respond to the same simple joys of being outside. Of exploring and discovering. I’ve been active in preschools that endorse the natural process of discovery for 12 years. I’m grateful to be part of the Room to Grow community.