Meet the WitW Fellows
Teaching Fellows & Graduates
Ella Holton-Mccoy
Teaching Fellowship Graduate
Ella joined Words in the Wild as a teaching fellow in our inaugural Summer Institute (2019). After completing a 2-year teaching fellowship with Words in the Wild, she helped lay the foundation for our cycle of educator and student support as a Words in the Wild Learning Specialist. She currently supports East Bay students and families as an Executive Function Coach, incorporating her knowledge of special education, neuroscience, strengths-based teaching practices, and mindfulness to create individualized learning pathways. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Literacy and a focus in Special Education as well as a minor in Child and Family Development from San Diego State University. She earned her M.A. in Educational Therapy from Holy Names University.
Paige Harrington Clark
Teaching Fellowship Graduate
Paige first joined Words in the Wild as a volunteer supporting remote WordLab in 2020, which influenced her decision to pursue a reading specialization through her graduate studies. She earned her M.A. in Teaching Reading at the University of San Francisco and holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in Literature. As an educator, Paige is committed to creating a nurturing and community-oriented environment in which every student can learn. A lover of books and baseball, Paige has been to nearly every bookstore in San Francisco and many, many Giants games.
After completing a 1-year teaching fellowship with Words in the Wild, Paige accepted a full-time position teaching Kindergarten with SFUSD and continues to support both teachers and students by creating joyful, inclusive learning communities.
Zainab Alrashid
Teaching Fellowship Graduate
Zainab is a “teaching ecologist” who holds a Bachelors of Art in Biology from Mills College. Born and raised in Oakland, Zainab has worked with local communities exploring animal behavior and outdoor education. She has a background in non-profits, helping things run smoothly on the programmatic and administrative side. Zainab is passionate about providing space for “the outdoors” to be accessible and centering interdisciplinary approaches to the sciences. In her free time, Zainab enjoys hiking, writing short stories, and reading sci-fi and horror books.
Zainab is a Year One Teaching Fellowship alumni who is currently doing exciting biology research in Africa.
Kikuye Kimura
Teaching Fellowship Graduate
Kiku is an avid reader, writer, and advocate for Environmental Justice. They graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and an emphasis in sustainability and social justice. This informs their passion for building community and ensuring that resources and support are distributed equitably within the education system. Kiku has a background in organizing for social causes, such as alleviating student debt and educating youth in the Bay Area about Environmental Racism and Injustice. They find joy in working with kids and building meaningful connections with people from all walks of life. Kiku believes that everyone has the capacity to express their brilliance, each just as valuable and admirable as the next. Kiku brings compassion and empathy to the classroom as a second-year teaching fellow. They enjoy going on walks, binge-reading a good book, spending time with friends, and cuddling with their cat.
Leah Mills
Learning Specialist
Leah holds a masters in Educational Therapy from Notre Dame de Namur University and a B.A. in Deaf Studies with a concentration in Education from CSU Northridge. Leah grew up in the Bay Area and has worked with students from preschool through high school, with experience as teacher and paraprofessional, providing support for students with various disabilities. She volunteered as a tutor and assistant teacher at the California School for the Deaf and is fluent in American Sign Language, which she frequently incorporates in her work with students. After completing our 2-year teaching fellowship she joined Words in the Wild as a full-time learning specialist, supporting students through small-group and individual reading & writing intervention. She is passionate about making education accessible and engaging to all students and incorporating their strengths and interests into their learning. She enjoys musical theater and spending time with her adorable nephew.
Nathalie Hites
Teaching Fellowship Graduate & former Teacher in Residence
Nathalie’s passion for learning can be traced back to her childhood, when reading the dictionary or gathering intriguing rocks sounded like fantastic ways to pass the time! Her keen interest in the world around her led her to complete a B.S. in Biology and an MS in Zoology at the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. Finding research to be too confining, she returned to her roots 17 years ago and never looked back; she has been working to inspire generations of children and adolescents as a Montessori guide ever since. Nathalie believes that, when given the opportunity, all children are eager to learn and have immense strengths to share with the world. After completing a WitW Teaching Fellowship Nathalie became a teacher in residence, following both student and teacher inquiries to the many surprising, joyful places they lead. When she isn’t teaching, Nathalie can most often be found with her four bright and quirky children, ideally out in the backcountry.