PALMYRA STAFF

Interested in working with children outdoors every week on the Palmyra VFS team? Email Bekah for opportunities at bekah@valleyforestschool.com

REGAN ADAMS

Program Coordinator- Palmyra
Administrative Assistant

Forest Name- Mrs. Huckleberry
Regan came to VFS first as a parent of a VFS student and has been hooked ever since! She got her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Longwood University and spent five years in public education classrooms before making the transition to stay at home with her daughter. Her love of the outdoors has always been present, but it was really ignited when she moved to Alaska for her husband's first Air Force assignment. Regan is passionate not only about her own childrens' love of learning and love of the outdoors, but also sharing that with her students. When she isn't spending time outside with her family, she loves to learn new things, like spoon-carving, paper-making, or quilting! Regan is certified in Wilderness First And and adult/child CPR.

CAITLIN BIAS

Lead Instructor- Palmyra

Forest Name- Mrs. Rock

A born and raised West Virginian. Caitlin’s childhood exposed her to fishing, foraging, hunting, and other forms of seasonal outdoor recreation. Privileged to travel the continental United States in her adolescence, Caitlin was in awe of the landscape’s variety and vastness. These journeys and their cherished memories led her to receive a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources from West Virginia University. Caitlin finds the wonders of nature to be self humbling and appreciates its’ “fly by the seat of your pants” detours.

Her background with youth includes prolonged internships with BOPARC in Morgantown, West Virginia where she designed and implemented nature education and recreational activities for camps, as well as partnering locally with FYSA to coach seasonally. Caitlin’s most rewarding job has been homeschooling her daughter.

Caitlin enjoys exploring with her husband, kiddo, and Australian Shepherds. These adventures usually include fauna and flora identification (“Mom, can I eat this?”), frequent fishing line repairs, and the occasional lost ore. True to her Mountaineer roots, Caitlin often has pepperoni rolls and a surplus of baked goods on hand. She adamantly believes dirty feet and tangly hair are a sign of a good day.

Caitlin is trained in Wilderness First Aid and CPR.

Tara Neuweiler

Lead Instructor- Palmyra

Forest name- Mrs. Willow

Tara is an avid hiker and spend much of her time outdoors with her children. This has given her a natural ease in guiding kids through exploration, adventure, and curiosity in outdoor spaces. She has a passion for gardening and loves weaving plant life and seasonal changes into learning experiences. Indoors, she is a plant enthusiast, which reflects her deep appreciation for nurturing and tending to living things. Above all, she bring a strength in practical outdoor engagement—helping children feel comfortable, capable, and inspired as they learn through play, movement, and discovery in nature. Tara is currently finishing her masters degree in Curriculum Design.

Isabelle Heydt

Lead Instructor- Palmyra

Forest name- Mrs. Dande (short for dandelion)

Isabelle and her husband are regenerative farmers that just moved to Louisa this past January. Isabelle hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2016, then later worked at the Mountain Institute in Spruce Knob, WV teaching children outdoor education/backpacking for several years. She has her masters in clinical mental health counseling but started after college working with children on the autism spectrum at the Virginia Institute of Autism in Charlottesville. She has a deep appreciation for experiential learning and incorporates this into her homeschooling as well. She is committed to connecting the next generation to nature.

Bekah QUIRIN

Director

Forest Name- Mrs. Luna

Bekah started Valley Forest School in 2019 after developing a passion for immersing children of all ages in nature. Bekah has a bachelors degree in Outdoor Leadership from North Greenville University where she spent much of her time studying the psychology of children in the outdoors. Her desire to start a Forest School in America grew stronger after she and her husband spent 6 months thru hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2017 with their 1 year old daughter, Ellie. In 2018 they rode their bikes from Canada to Mexico. Bekah has been a Wilderness First Responder for 6 years. She has 13 years of outdoor guiding experience across the country serving youth to senior adults from the Carolinas, to the coast of Virginia, to the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Bekah has over 1,000 logged days and nights of backcountry travel, and more than 600 of those are with children.

Contact Bekah: bekah@valleyforestschool.com