Wild Oak Faculty

Lindsay Jalonen, Head of School

Lindsay holds a BA in psychology from Elon University and has extensive experience working with children and mental health across various settings. Her professional journey consistently revealed a central truth: strong relationships are the foundation for learning and growth. She believes that when individuals feel deeply connected to themselves, to others, and to their community, they can develop into confident people who live their best lives.

Recognizing that children are naturally their most authentic selves, Lindsay believes the one of the most effective ways to foster healthy people is by creating school communities that honor a child’s authentic nature and seeing the natural stages of child development as a gift and a strength. As an original founder of Wild Oak, she considers it a great honor to collaborate with the people and experts who bring this community to life daily.

In her personal time, Lindsay is focused on living presently with her three children, dog, cat, and chickens in Hendersonville, NC. She finds joy and restoration through laughing with loved ones, spending time in nature, making messy art projects, cooking, and enjoying a good hike, waterfall shower, or lake swim.

Allison Horsch, M.Ed, Director of Elementary

Allison Horsch recently relocated to North Carolina after spending nearly her entire life in Colorado. She is grateful for a ‘wild’ childhood playing outdoors and is eager to explore North Carolina’s trails, rivers, and lakes while building community in her new home.

With a background in early childhood education, inquiry-based learning, and social-emotional development, Allison brings over 10 years of experience working with students ranging from early childhood to college level. She values belonging and authenticity, and she is dedicated to fostering learning spaces where every child feels seen, heard, and capable. She is thrilled to be part of a school that honors the whole child, hands-on learning, and community connection, and she looks forward to continuing to cultivate a skilled team of teacher-researchers who value best practices inside and outside of the classroom.

Charity Martin, Seedling Lead Teacher

Charity holds a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from UNC Greensboro and has 14+ years of experience with children from birth to age five. She is passionate about the youngest learners, recognizing early childhood as a critical period for rapid brain development, where supportive care and experiences have a lasting impact.

She spent most of her career in traditional schools until discovering Wild Oak. Its emphasis on outdoor education and nature-based learning transformed her teaching, supporting creativity, problem-solving, and whole-body learning beyond traditional settings. Wild Oak’s focus on individuality and community allows her to support each unique learner.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing competitive games with her husband and five-year-old daughter, as well as playing pickup basketball and weight training.

Natalie Solis, Seedling Lead Teacher

Natalie has a lifelong passion for working with children, beginning at age 10. She officially started her teaching career in 2017, following the completion of her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a focus on early childhood education.

Joining Wild Oak in 2025, Natalie is dedicated to her vision of helping children explore and discover their passions through nature and play-based learning.

In her time outside of Wild Oak, she enjoys reading, baking, cooking, running, lifting weights, attending concerts, and exploring and traveling to new places with her partner, Miles, and her two boys, Luciano and Marcel.

Adventure Coordinator and Afternoon Friends Lead

Now Hiring!

Josephine Brown, Upper Elementary Teacher

Josie graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Sewanee, The University of the South, and has spent several summers at Saint Andrews Sewanee School as a head counselor and outing instructor in addition to working as an after school mentor at a forest school in Tennessee. When she is not busy teaching, you will most likely find her crashing down the trails on her mountain bike in Dupont or Pisgah, swimming in a waterfall, teaching a yoga class, or climbing up a rock wall. She is at her happiest frolicking in the woods and finding kinship with the natural world, and that is in part why she chose to work at Wild Oak- to teach children to respect the natural world and find joy in learning.

She believes children are naturally inquisitive explorers who deserve the opportunity to explore the world around them in a safe, nurturing, joyful environment, which she believes Wild Oak offers. At its core, learning is exploring, and as such learning occurs when a child is given the tools they need to think critically and ask questions about the world around them. She loves helping kids discover who they are in relation to the world around them and being a teacher gives her the opportunity to provide a child with the tools they need to grow.

Emily Ruff, Lower Elementary Teacher

Emily holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation Management from Lee’s McRae College. Over the past five years, she has gained experience working with children aged 3-12 in various environments, including summer camps and after-school programs. Her greatest joy in teaching is witnessing each child’s educational and emotional development. She is truly passionate about creating a space where students feel empowered to be themselves and embrace a growth mindset, viewing challenges with an “I can” or “I did it!” attitude.

A South Carolina native, Emily spent most of her life there before attending college in Banner Elk, NC. She developed a profound love for the outdoors and is an avid hiker, naturalist, and paddleboarder. Emily is excited for this new chapter in the Hendersonville area, eager to explore the region and share her passions with a wonderful group of children. 

Lori Grant, Lower Elementary Assistant Teacher

Lori has joined the Wild Oak community, bringing over 25 years of teaching experience with her. Having graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Elementary Education, she was immediately drawn to Wild Oak Independent School’s unique mission: “to create a school community that preserves the sanctity of childhood through the joy of learning.”

She recently moved to the Asheville area from Florida, realizing a long-held dream. The WNC region always felt like “home away from home” to her, as she spent many summers vacationing in the beautiful Smokey Mountains and always planned to live here someday.

Lori is passionate about letting “kids be kids” and strives to keep the spark of learning alive by making it fun. Her teaching philosophy centers on cooperation, compassion, and acceptance, consistently aiming to inject fun into the educational experience. She is thrilled to be a part of the Wild Oak team!