Find out more about the people who work to make the MSC vision a reality. Leah Herman Leah's passion is to collaborate with 7- to 11-year olds on living and learning activities that meet their needs and honour their natural interests. A B.C.-certified teacher and long-time youth advocate, Leah has supported young people's growth in many places and ways, from wilderness expeditions to free school classrooms, self-discovery workshops, and one-on-one listening, guidance and support. Leah is currently employed as a Learning Consultant for SelfDesign, a youth-directed learning program offered through the Wondertree Foundation for Natural Learning. She practices re-evaluation counseling, leads workshops in Nonviolent Communication, has trained with Headlines Theatre, and is a certified wilderness-expedition leader. She loves to sit in circles, play with her food, get hugged by trees, dance, laugh and sing. Christache Ross Christache is an enthusiastic and playful youth ally. He loves facilitating group activities, circle games, sing a-long songs, and storytelling. He's a painter and photographer and enjoys making arts and crafts of all kinds. He's a play director, writer and actor who loves seeing the imaginations of youth realized through the magic of theatre. At the ongoing school of life, Christache learns from the teachers all around him, especially the younger ones. Christache has lots of experience caring for kids of varying ages and abilities, working recently at an elementary school's after school center, a daycare for pre-school-aged kids, and a summer camp for youth with special needs. He firmly believes in the principles of child honouring, empowering youth with respect, support, attention, compassion and real choices. Christache is excited to be helping to develop the Moss and Sauce Collective and Summer Jam into something spectacular and deliciously fun. Melanie Griffith The birth of Melanie's daughter planted the seed of interest that is growing into a full-fledged passion for youth development and recognizing the role that young people play in our society. She believes that we need to honour young people's intelligence and respect their innate goodness, as well as our own! Above all, Melanie cherishes the ability to let it all out and PLAY in an honest, fun way! Josef Schmidt As a career artist, designer, photographer, and gardener, Josef 's creativity has always been inspired and sustained by the beauty of nature. This appreciation was created by a childhood spent playing, learning, climbing, and growing up amongst the trees, creeks, valleys and beaches of coastal British Columbia. He cherishes having had the opportunity and space to grow up outside while being empowered to express himself through the kind of creativity and play he was most drawn to. These are the very life defining qualities that have drawn him to collaborate with the Moss And Sauce Collective. Josef is currently receiving his Permaculture Design Certificate, so that he may better assist people of all shapes and sizes to empower themselves through the act of growing their own food, using conscious, nature-inspired, design methods. He is a board member of a local East Van community gardening organization called "My Own Back Yard", co-owner of a silk screen clothing collective called "Inkspoon", and a stern advocate of combining work, fun, and play into one rich experience called everyday! Ilana Labow Ilana has spent the past eight years working with youth. Her experience facilitating character development programs for youth ages 7-17 has primarily involved work as an overnight camp counsellor at Camp Chi, Counsellor-In-Training Director at Camp JCA Shalom, and an apprenticeship with Growing Power. All have taken part in fuelling her passion for sharing in magical moments with people of all ages. Ilana has participated in cooperative dialogue sessions between Israelis and Palestinians through the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. She has completed a 40-hour anti-oppression, anti-violence worker-training program and recently earned a BSc in Global Resource Systems at UBC. Ilana loves taking part in interactive street theatre and local merrymaking. Excited, patient, and full of life, above all else Ilana loves to laugh. David Gagnon Windsor House alumnus David Gagnon is currently working as a stage carpenter. His longtime love of theatre has led him to this great job. In his time away from the theatre, David creates LEGO events/displays and works on various community projects. An active member of the Society for the Advancement of Noncoercive Education (SANE), David is currently the coordinator for the 16th International Democratic Education Conference which will come to Canada for the first time in August 2008.