Our Team
Amy Hettinger Pascucci, program director and Acorns/Piñatas leader, grew up exploring in the woods near Bernheim Forest. She received a degree in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky and worked in formal and informal education before also receiving a M.Ed. in Arts in Education at Harvard University, which she followed with a teaching certificate in Waldorf Education. She taught in the Waldorf community in Anchorage, Alaska, for five years. All this experience prepared her for her favorite work yet, raising her daughters, who with their friends inspired the Forest Pals program. Amy loves making music with friends and being outside with her family, especially in the Kentucky Fall forest or any time at any seashore.
James Moody, Explorers teacher, grew up exploring creeks and woods across the United States and abroad, as the child of an Army veteran. The diversity of community provided by this upbringing instilled in him a lifelong passion for learning and curiosity about the world. James joined the Bernheim Horticulture team in 2000, and spent the next 20 years cultivating an intimate knowledge of its plants, animals, and history. The time spent at Bernheim with his daughter, Emma, has given him the gift of experiencing Bernheim with a new perspective. James is excited about the opportunity to foster the spark of creativity and imagination in the next generation of stewards. He loves learning, listening to music of all genres, conversing with friends, spending time with his family anywhere, and the Bernheim Forest Pals group! James expects to receive his Level 1 Forest School teacher certificate in the Spring of 2024.
Gracie Nafziger, Explorers and Nature Network teacher, grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and has always enjoyed the discovery that comes with immersing yourself in nature. She recieved a degree in Biology at Illinois Wesleyan University and a Masters in Teaching at Bellarmine before becoming a high school Biology and Ecology teacher for 6 years. She has been a volunteer in the Naturalist Program at Bernheim since 2020 and has enjoyed every moment of it. Gracie loves sharing her fascination for learning about nature with the Forest Pals. She loves hiking, swimming in open water competitions, playing board games with friends, and helping to foster deeper connections with nature. Gracie expects to receive her Level 1 Forest School teacher certificate in the Spring of 2024.
"We love the Explorers teachers. They are smart, kind and creative! Couldn't ask for better influences for my child to spend time with."
Forest Pals operates at Bernheim Forest in Clermont, Kentucky.
We serve families from Louisville, Shepherdsville, Bardstown, Cox's Creek, Elizabethtown, Mt. Washington and surrounding areas.