Facilitators
Brian Crosby, Director
Brian Crosby here! I am an adventure seeker that is always on the lookout for ways to connect to Nature in a deeper way. I have a beautiful wife that is a dual immersion elementary school teacher. We have two beautiful boys aged 3 and 6 months! I have a degree in Recreation Management from the University of Nebraska. I have also had training in Nature-Connected Life Coaching from the Earth-Based Institute in Boulder, Colorado. I have first aid training as a Wilderness First Responder from the Wilderness Medicine Institute. I have 15 years of professional experience working with people of all ages and abilities in the great outdoors. These experiences have gifted me the opportunity to travel all over the Western United States working in Wilderness Therapy, wilderness trip guiding, summer camps, before and after school programs, and therapeutic recreation programs. I believe in fostering and creating space for children’s curiosity and imagination to run free. This is key to living a connected life, and is at the core of my personal mission, as well as that of Fern & Feathers’. The gratitude I have for the opportunity to help cultivate your children’s wondrous spirit is immeasurable. I look forward to meeting you all out on the Land!
Emily McDaniel
Howdy! My name is Emily. I was born and raised in Oregon to a nature and dog loving family where most weekends were spent outdoors. I grew up adventuring on local hiking trails, planting fruits and flowers in the garden and spending nights under the stars toasting marshmallows around the campfire. My passion for nature started young and continues to grow. I spend my free time hiking, backpacking, rock hounding, snowboarding, kayaking, reading, crafting and cooking. I studied Child Development at OSU where I met my husband Michael. He also grew up in Oregon to a family who loves the outdoors, spending his weekends hiking, camping and dirt biking. We have a dog named Henry who (not surprisingly) loves all the outdoor activities we do. Since college I have been a teacher to children ranging from 6 months to 6 years and I have worked as a sales guide in the outdoor industry. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be at Fern and Feather where I get to combine these two passions. I believe that sharing, learning and spending this time in nature, especially at a young age, helps to cultivate not only skills relating to physical growth but more importantly skills related to emotional growth. Learning in nature helps us create a greater connection with nature, with ourselves and with our community.
Pamela Kolbas
Hey! My name is Pamela Kolbas. I live on farmland just outside of Philomath with my husband Michael, who is a nurse at Good Sam, and our two boys, Jonah and Oscar. I grew up in Philomath and have a deep love for this community and this land. Professionally speaking, I have an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and worked as a Child and Family Therapist prior to stepping back to be at home full time with my kids for their first few years. I came to Fern and Feather first as a parent, when my son Jonah attended, and immediately fell in love with the vision and commitments of this program, as it reflects so much of what we already value in our family and in parenting. I am very excited to support these kids in deepening their relationships with themselves, the earth, and each other
Erika Cook
Hello, I’m Erika! I love the outdoors and spent my early childhood adventuring in Alaska before moving to Oregon where I’ve lived ever since. My husband and I enjoy hiking and camping anywhere from the coast to the mountains. I spend my free time studying the night sky with my two telescopes, or being with my family. I love to learn, to teach, and to explore!