As a young girl Cyndi (a.k.a Mother Nurture) always knew there was a better way to educate people than the traditional school experience. Together with a fellow homeschool and freedom-in-education enthusiast, Meghan, she created Thrive in 2011. While she is excited to put together all the great academic and enrichment classes to provide choices for students and families, her true heart lies in the open structured/democratic free school model which is the basis for the Self-Directed STEAM program.

The Thrive main campus provides a rich, peaceful environment combined with student interest-led projects where learning happens naturally all the time.

Her experiences include running after-school programs, being the Camp Director of Camp Chico Creek, and putting on community events. She has a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in Child Development. Cyndi’s goals include providing an environment where children feel respected, empowered, and free to make choices and gain the skill base needed to lead them into a happy and fulfilling future. She also strives to empower parents to make the choices that are best for their families.

Anna (aka Hummingbird) graduated from Chico State with a degree in Social Science and a Paralegal Certificate. From there she went to Chapman University and received my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in 2002. She has worked with students in grades K-8th. Her goal is to establish a friendly, fun, and respectful relationship with each student. She has learned that when there is mutual respect, students are more willing to do their best. ​

In the summer of 2022 she became the Director of Camp Wild Heart and found that she also really enjoyed the administration side of the business. She is now both Thrive's Program Coordinator and Camp Wild Heart Director.​

In her spare time she enjoys gardening (she love all flowers), reading, and cooking.

Meghan (aka Moonfairy) started Thrive with Cyndi in 2011. She veered away from Thrive to pursue her Early Years education degree and her Montessori training, and to work at Chico Montessori Children's House.

She is now back at Thrive in an administrative capacity. She works from home for the most part but can be seen from time to time on-site.​

She was heavily involved in the homeschooling community while she was homeschooling her, now adult, daughter. She volunteered for the HomeSchooling Association of California for a large part of her family's homeschooling journey, and also served on the Board of Directors. She was also the Butte County homeschooling contact for many years.

Karina (aka Ms. Mulberry) graduated from Chico State with a degree in Agriculture. She has worked at local organic farms. Since 2015 she has been working to educate young people on the connection between growing their own food and a healthy lifestyle. Karina uses a student-centered approach when teaching, asking the students to investigate, conduct experiments and solve problems, allowing students to take an active role in their educational journey. Her goal is to inspire a love for learning by having fun and fostering a community of inquisitive young people.

Karina enjoys spending time in Bidwell Park, riding bikes, running, swimming and playing with her two children.

Joya (aka Ms Flower) studied art and environmental studies at the University of Delaware and later on at Dixie State College in southern Utah. Joya worked and lived in Yosemite National Park as well as Zion National Park. Her love for nature inspired her to backpack through Alaska, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Joya feels that nature is the best teacher and medicine for all. While living in Zion she worked at the local elementary school as a teacher's aide. When she returned to Chico she decided to go back to school to achieve her early childhood education certificate.

Joya homeschools her own two children. Once her youngest was old enough to attend Thrive, she started to work in the Wee Thrive classroom. Joya connects with her students through arts, crafts, songs, and stories. Joya loves being part of such an amazing, enriching program that helps children realize their potential as creative learners.

Joy has had the pleasure of working with children for almost 30 years. Playing with, learning from, and teaching children is her passion. She has a great love for giving children a format to learn through play. Nature has always been an important part of her life, therefore she uses it as an emphasis in her teaching style.

She also stays busy with her husband and family (including a menagerie of pets!).

John (aka Moose) is currently working towards his degree in Psychology at Chico State with plans to go forward in the credential program to teach. He has played and coached competitive soccer his entire life and is currently coaching three soccer teams; two competitive club teams as well as Varsity Men’s at Oroville High School. He has worked with children ages 3-17 and is happy to continue that experience at Thrive.

His goal is to build quality and respectful relationships with individual students and staff as well as helping create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Wendy (aka Garden Fairy) graduated from Chico State in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and minors in Biology and Sustainable Studies. Her professional journey has included roles such as Community Engagement Program Coordinator for the Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she delivered innovative STEAM programs to girls across Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties.

Wendy devoted eight years to serving on the board of the Sierra Club's Blue Oak Group, including two years as an outings leader. Wendy is also the founder of the Mycological Society of the North State, an organization that fosters opportunities and enthusiasm for mycology throughout Northern California.

For over 15 years, Wendy has worked with children through various enrichment programs. Currently, she works with From the Ground Up Farm, Inc., a local non-profit where she leads Kentfield Kids, a free weekly garden program. Through this initiative she teaches nutrition education, cooking, and gardening skills to children and their families, fostering a love for healthy living and environmental stewardship.

Spencer (aka Mr. Caterpillar) graduated from Chico State with a degree in Biological Sciences and a Single-Subject Credential in Life Science. 

He worked at several outdoor education schools, including the W.O.L.F. Schools in Aptos and in Whiskeytown. He was also a science instructor at the Upward Bound summer programs at Chico State, working with underrepresented high school students.

In the summers he is also an instructor at Camp Wild Heart and for 3rd-5th graders at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve's Outdoor School.

He has spent time on the Boards for both Chico Natural Foods as well as KZFR. You may even remember him as a KZFR DJ on Thursday afternoons!

He has a deep passion for creating a stewardship mindset for the outdoors for children of all ages as well as for music and the arts.

Jenessa (aka Honeybee) received a Bachelor's degree in Child Development from Chico State University. Her family has been keeping bees for over 50 years. She now travels with her husband and three children to Wyoming and Utah to follow the bees. She has been homeschooling for many years and her children have been attending Thrive for all of those years. She is a big part of our Heart of Thrive Foundation that helps raise money for Thrive and she loves being a substitute instructor as part of the Thrive team.