A dedicated team of vision-keepers, facilitators, and support staff help keep Big Tree running.
Liza Brussel-Smith
Liza has over 25 years experience with children of all ages in various settings. She’s been a Special Education teacher, Montessori assistant, in home day care provider, nanny, camp counselor, and more. Working with children is her passion, and she’s grateful to be part of each of their stories.
Liza is a homeschooling/unschooling Mom to two girls. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, getting out into nature, dance parties, listening to music, traveling, and exploring new places.
Self-directed learning, learning through play, and the freedom to explore the world at their own pace are all part of her “why” for homeschooling. The ALC model has inspired her in finding community for herself and her girls with other families who also aspire to step outside the box and forge their own paths towards their dreams.
Renee Barron
Renee has been a homeschooling/unschooling mom to her son for 8 years. After transforming from a Cosmetologist to a stay-at-home-mom, she decided to unschool to stop the struggle of learning and break free of the confines of textbooks and classrooms. In search of a village, she partnered with Liza to create Big Tree and bring the ALC vision to Knoxville. Her happy place is in the makerspace where she gets to see the kids’ thought processes unfold into physical creations. When not at Big Tree, she spends her time reading, hiking, camping, doing DIY projects, and crocheting.
Issa Waters
Issa’s biggest drive is helping people find the freedom to express their authentic selves. She’s studied Nonviolent Communication and loves spreading the NVC ideas of empathy, open communication, and joyful cooperation. For over 20 years she was a childcare professional, first as a daycare teacher, then nanny, then parenting coach. She’s enjoyed unschooling with her two children but has always wished for local programs based on self-directed learning. After enrolling her kids and falling in love with Big Tree as a parent, she made the leap to becoming a facilitator. She especially loves working with older kids, helping their wild ideas come to life while getting to be a big kid herself.
Carson Evans
Carson joined Big Tree as an Agile Learning Center facilitator to help kids foster a life long love of learning through self directed educational opportunities and activities. She has an associates degree with a focus in English. She is a cancer survivor and a homeschool mom to two. She has a penchant for all things crafty and is more often than not wielding a hot glue gun.
Leslie Brussel-Smith
Leslie has two grandkids enrolled in Big Tree, and she’s been with our program from day one as our book-keeper and financial manager.
She’s an important behind-the-scenes supporter who keeps the business end of things running smoothly.