Our Team Members

Ms. Jillian Martin was born in Calgary, AB then lived in the Lower Mainland until the summer of 2015. She worked in the Natural Health Food Industry for 13 years, where she spent considerable time working in and managing the Vitamin Departments of several stores in both Calgary and Vancouver.

Jillian lives with her husband and two daughters. She began her teaching career by homeschooling her eldest daughter for Kindergarten and Grade One. Her family decided to make the move to the Okanagan to enroll their children at Cedar Bridge School (now Okanagan Waldorf School). Jillian then decided to continue her educational journey to become a Waldorf Teacher because of her dedication and commitment to Waldorf Education.
Jillian first joined The Bridge Educational Society faculty in the spring of 2016 as a class assistant and then continued on as kindergarten assistant for several years. The 2019/2020 school year was the first year that she took on the role of lead teacher, where she taught the Grade Three and Four class. She is currently the Grade One lead teacher at Okanagan Waldorf School.

Jillian has completed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary and her Waldorf Grades Certificate through West Coast Institute. She is currently working to be a Waldorf Learning Support Teacher, through Waldorf Learning Support.

In her free time, Jillian loves hiking, snowboarding, paddle boarding, gardening and caring for her family’s chickens.

Ms. Kim Seymour grew up in Vernon BC and has lived in Lumby with her husband for the last nine years. They have two children, as well as two dogs and one loveable cat named Mittens. They enjoy caring for their 20+ chickens and will soon be adding a few ducks to their hobby farm.

In highschool, Kim developed a passion for Visual Arts, Woodworking, and Earth and Environmental Science. As a teen and young adult, she would often volunteer in highschool and elementary classrooms. She has worked in child care, the restaurant industry, retail, and grocery stores. When she was a University student she worked for the City of Vernon planting and caring for the gardens in Polsen Park for a time, as well as other outdoor jobs.

Kim has completed her Bachelor of Arts Majoring in Geography (Earth and Environmental Sciences) and has a Minor in English Literature from UBCO. She completed her Bachelor of Elementary Education in 2011. Kim was a Kindergarten classroom assistant, then the grades 4&5 teacher at the Okanagan Indian Band Cultural Immersion School from 2011-2015 collectively. She has worked as a substitute teacher for School District #22.

She found her way to our organization when her son began preschool at Okanagan Waldorf School in 2014 where she immediately loved the forest and farm environment, as well as the homelike warmth of the campus. She began her journey learning about Waldorf education and the work of Rudolf Steiner. Soon, she was offered an opportunity to teach here. She began her Waldorf Teacher Training in 2015 and felt a connection to the pedagogy and approach that Waldorf education offers. As a teacher at Okanagan Waldorf School, she loves being able to share both her scientific and artistic passions for the arts, the forest, the land, native vegetation and gardening with the children, inspiring creativity, curiosity and wonder.

Kim is an active member of the Grounds and Garden Committee on our campus. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, hobby farming, hiking, adventuring, camping, fishing, gardening, reading, supporting local markets/events and sometimes she and her mom enter markets with their arts and crafts.

Ms. Kate Olthof was born in Terrace BC and raised in Abbotsford. She lived in Victoria and Vancouver, then settled in Vernon in 2005. Her husband’s family is from the area. He grew up minutes from the Okanagan Waldorf School on the property where they now live. Her husband was keen to move back after finishing university.

Kate has a B.A. and a B.Ed. from UBC. After completing her teaching degree in 2003, Kate worked for eight years as a teacher in Mission and Vernon. She taught French, English, and Social Studies. Kate had also worked as a substitute teacher.

Currently, Kate is taking the Explorations in Anthroposophy course through Antioch University. It is a certificate program that runs September to June.

After her second son was born, she stayed home to care for their children. She first engaged with our organization when she joined the Okanagan Waldorf School Community Garden in Spring of 2018. Through this endeavor, she met members of the OkanaganWaldorf School community. She had been home for eight years caring for her children, and was looking for new challenges as her children had started school. She originally became employed as an Education Assistant at our school in the fall of 2019.

She loved the beautiful location of the school and the focus on learning in a natural environment. After the craziness of having young children had subsided, she realized how much she missed helping students.

Kate is a self-proclaimed tinkerer who enjoys many hobbies. She loves vegetable gardening, reading, painting and drawing, knitting, hiking, air hockey, jigsaw puzzles, swimming in lakes, geocaching, card games, snowshoeing, exploring, paddle boarding, biking and camping. She lives with her husband and their two sons; their dog, three cats and eight chickens.

Please visit again soon…

Ms. Hana Lebo was born in Pasadena, CA and when she was 10 years old her family moved to Vancouver. They enjoyed city life which was rich in culture, diversity and coastal living. 

Her work history includes several years of study and employment in the hospitality/culinary industry as a private chef on a yacht and barge, movie caterer and remote camp chef. She shares that she loves cooking in unique ever-changing environments. After her culinary years, she dove into a diploma in Business Administration and Human Resources. Hana expresses a passion for lifelong learning, strategic management and organizational efficiency while prioritizing true interpersonal connections.

Hana loves to travel and embrace rich culture and community, she has traveled with her backpack to 27 countries. Upon her return to Canada, she met her partner Patrick and they soon settled in Lake Country. In time they discovered the beautiful Lavington area and knew this was where they wanted to be, and eventually made the move to the area. 

After becoming a parent, she worked with the Family Resource Center as a co-facilitator in parent and child programs. She fell in love with early childhood and connecting with families. In 2017 she became an Early Childhood Educator Assistant (ECEA) and followed with her Montessori 3-6 Diploma. In this role, she ran the Daffodil Cafe, a culinary program at a Montessori preschool, providing fun hands-on culinary activities for her students while embracing her passion for food, farm-to-table and global pallet.

As a young mother Hana discovered The Bridge Land for Learning in 2015 (then named Cedar Bridge School) and she made a conscious effort to remain connected as a community member,  by taking part with her daughter and friends in open festivals until they could move closer and enrol. She would leave these events with a sense of community and awe.

Hana has followed the development of the Early Years Centre and the ambitious beautiful space since construction began. She decided to pursue employment with our organization and was hired in the early summer of 2020. In 2021 Hana completed her full Early Childhood Educator Certification with Honors and she is continuing her Waldorf birth to seven certification with joy and dedication.

She expresses that she looks forward to further opportunities and connections with families in our community, as she engages and explores her love for the rhythm and festivals through the seasons of each year.

In her spare time Hana enjoys time with her family, board games, swimming, hiking, paddleboarding with her daughter, backyard potlucks with friends and snuggling with her pets.

Please visit again soon…

Ms. Vanessa Riddick originally hails from England. She moved here over 30 years ago and has lived in various locations throughout the North Okanagan, and arrived in the Lumby area about 8 years ago. She initially trained as an occupational therapist in the United Kingdom and specialized in the mental health field. Prior to working at The Bridge Educational Society, she worked at the Vernon Jubilee and CMHA, while raising three children on a hobby farm in the Lumby/Cherryville area.

Vanessa completed her ECE certificate training at Okanagan College in August 2020.  She has since completed her Infant/Toddler diploma and is currently enrolled in the Waldorf Early Years training through the West Coast Institute. Vanessa first connected with The Bridge Educational Society when she participated as a practicum student on our campus and observed a seasoned Waldorf ECE educator in the preschool setting and felt immediately intrigued by the unique learning environment provided for the children. She has been employed with The Bridge Educational Society since September 2020. 

Outside of her employment at the Early Years Centre, Vanessa is on the Lumby Christian Church Leadership committee and runs the nursery at the church. 

When asked about leisure activities, Vanessa notes that her day is not complete without some fresh air. She does a lot of local walks/hikes, yoga, aquafit, lane swimming, ladies’ bible study, cross stitch, enjoys reading, watercolor, making cards, and pencil drawing. Canoeing is her new aspiring interest since participating in a staff canoe retreat. Her favorite times will always be the precious moments she gets to spend with her children when they visit; this usually involves food, another love of hers.

A future aspiration is to become an advocate for children’s mental health in some capacity. She would also love to travel as a Waldorf Teacher and work in various locations around the world.

Ms. Jillian Martin was born in Calgary, AB then lived in the Lower Mainland until the summer of 2015. She worked in the Natural Health Food Industry for 13 years, where she spent considerable time working in and managing the Vitamin Departments of several stores in both Calgary and Vancouver.

Jillian lives with her husband and two daughters. She began her teaching career by homeschooling her eldest daughter for Kindergarten and Grade One. Her family decided to make the move to the Okanagan to enroll their children at Cedar Bridge School (now Okanagan Waldorf School). Jillian then decided to continue her educational journey to become a Waldorf Teacher because of her dedication and commitment to Waldorf Education.
Jillian first joined The Bridge Educational Society faculty in the spring of 2016 as a class assistant and then continued on as kindergarten assistant for several years. The 2019/2020 school year was the first year that she took on the role of lead teacher, where she taught the Grade Three and Four class. She is currently the Grade One lead teacher at Okanagan Waldorf School.

Jillian has completed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary and her Waldorf Grades Certificate through West Coast Institute. She is currently working to be a Waldorf Learning Support Teacher, through Waldorf Learning Support.

In her free time, Jillian loves hiking, snowboarding, paddle boarding, gardening and caring for her family’s chickens.

Please visit again soon…

Ms. Trish Folland is originally from Prince George, BC. After moving to Vernon, she learned about Waldorf Education. Her daughter was three in 2006 when she heard of a family on an organic farm near Lumby that was starting a Waldorf School. Trish attended the first public meeting and joined the board at that time.

Trish was a parent, board member, and volunteer during the years that her daughter attended Cedar Bridge School (now Okanagan Waldorf School) from preschool through grade 6. Her daughter recently graduated from Charles Bloom Secondary. Both her and her husband volunteered extensively during the school’s pioneer stage. After resigning as a board member, she continued to volunteer with The Bridge Educational Society as a member of the Tuition Adjustment Committee.

Trish completed a diploma in Graphic Design and was on the Kamloops Art Council for 3 years. She owned and operated an Art Gallery and Picture Framing Store in Kamloops. When she moved to Vernon she was a store manager, then corporate director for The Good Feet Stores. Following that, Trish worked in sales, shipping, and receiving for Vale Farms Grassroots Ltd.

In her current position at The Bridge Educational Society, she is the person you see taking attendance at drop off in the morning and usually the voice at the end of the phone when you call the school. She’s that persistent person that is asking you to fill in necessary documents and sign forms in order to keep the student files in good standing and in compliance with the BC Ministry Education – Independent Schools Branch.

Trish’s history with the school and experience with Waldorf education helps to inform her position at the front desk of our Administration office for our parent body, and in representation of The Bridge Educational Society.

Mr. Paul McArdle was born and raised in Liverpool, United Kingdom. He began his working career as a Gamekeeper’s Assistant on Lord Derby’s estate in Liverpool. He always had a working dog, ferrets, and polecats in his life from the age of 10. He shares that animals are what kept him outside, in the woods.  

When he was 16 he moved from England to Wales to join the family business of butchering.  After three months, he was running the butcher shop in a little Welsh village called Llanymynech.

He left the butcher shop at 18 and started life in the building trade. He got his Finishing Carpentry Certification from Uk College. His first reno job was working on Powis Castle in Welshpool. He has worked with wood and other building materials ever since. In June 2012 Paul, his wife, and their two children relocated to Canada from Shropshire. They believed they would all have more opportunities here. Paul has been a self-employed carpenter for the last 13 years. 

Paul shares that he became employed at our campus by accident when a friend gave his name to Ms. Thiessen as a good candidate for our Facilities Manager position. If you know Paul, you will be able to hear his wit and humor shining through there. He became employed here in September 2019. Paul shares that what attracted him to our campus is the location, the Waldorf school, and that he wishes he had gone to a school like this when he was a boy.

Paul’s role on our Campus covers a broad range of responsibilities. He is a member of the Campus Development Committee and is a point person for the different infrastructure and physical systems on campus including water, septic, HVAC, electrical, alarm system, buildings, roadways, physical development, and much more. He oversees their maintenance, safety, and operational standards. He also repairs all manner of items from chairs, signs, latches, fences, and beyond. 

Paul is a keen Footballer (Soccer) player and supporter of his birthplace team, the Everton Football Club, which was founded in 1878. He and his wife live in Coldstream where he is finishing up an extensive renovation of their home. They have a whippet and a few chickens. In his spare time, Paul loves to enjoy the outdoors, wildlife, fishing, and spending time with his family and friends.

‘Mr. Joe’ (as he is known on campus) Piercy is originally from Victoria, BC. He and his wife made their way to Lumby about 5 years ago and purchased an old church that they have been renovating and fixing it up as their home ever since.

 Joe completed his apprenticeship training at the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre and is a red seal chef. Before coming to The Bridge Educational Society, he was self-employed as a handyman which included lots of painting, landscaping, and catering. It was in this capacity that Joe began working at our campus when the EYC was being completed. He notes that the more he walked around and noticed the children playing outside in all the different campus environments he thought “Wow, what a cool place to learn and go to school!”. Joe came on staff full-time during the summer of 2021 as part of the Facility & Grounds Maintenance Team.

 Joe and his wife have a daughter and son-in-law who live in Kamloops. Their daughter is a kindergarten teacher. When asked about what he likes to do in his spare time Joe laughed as if to say, “spare time?”. By all accounts, he seems to keep as busy in his spare time as he does at work. He spends his free hours collecting and chopping firewood, exploring the area, mowing his massive lawn, and watching the swallows in the springtime. He enjoys creating a toboggan run in the winter and listening to the joyful screams of friends and family as they rush down on their sleds.