Char has had a long career in education spanning from 1972 to the present. Actually she has had three careers! She taught special needs students for over 20 years. In 1984 (overlapping with her teaching career) she and her sister Gigi developed the Zoo-phonics Multisensory Language Arts Program. In 1993 she retired from teaching to devote full time development and promotion of Zoo-phonics. Zoo-phonics has gone across the country and the world to become an international program. Char always dreamed of opening a preschool/toddler learning center where Zoo-phonics would be the highlighted curriculum. In 2007 this dream became a reality with the opening of the Safari Preschool and Day Care Center in Sonora, California. Char holds five teaching credentials and four degrees including a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Instructional Leadership, a Master’s degree, an Administrative Credential, and a Child Development Program Director’s Certificate. She was a California Mentor Teacher for two years for the Tuolumne County Special Education Department, was awarded Woman of the Year for work with disabled, elderly and homeless, and Teacher of the Year for Tuolumne County Special Education Department. Recently she was voted Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce’s “Entrepreneur of the Year.” Char has been married to Bill for 41 years. She has three grown children and five grandchildren. Her hobbies are family, fitness, travel, reading and eating fun foods!
Katie was born and raised in Groveland, CA. After gradating from Tioga High School she began to study Child Development at Columbia College in Columbia, CA. Currently she is in the process of finishing her Associates degree in Business. She is completing a double major – one in Early Childhood Education as well as business. Katie has literally grown up in Zoo-phonics – traveling all over the U.S. and many parts of Asia to share Zoo-phonics with the world. Katie had the opportunity to teach Zoo-phonics in English to Chinese children in Hong Kong several years ago, and more recently, has taught several parent workshops as well as workshops for Head Start teachers. Katie has been married to Kurt for almost two years. In December 2008 they had a son whose name is Marcus. Katie, Kurt and Marcus love spending time together and with family on Catalina Island – a place Katie considers to be a second home (when she’s not at Safari Learning!). When not working with children or attending class Katie’s hobbies are playing with her husband and son, shopping, relaxing, getting massages, cooking, traveling and working out. |
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