Meet the Team
Jessica Friedman
Jess Friedman brings over a decade of dedicated experience in community building, summer camp leadership and youth-led programming with youth groups, focusing on fostering confidence and independent leadership in young people. Passionate about hands-on, student-led learning, she has successfully coached middle school robotics teams.
In addition to her work in youth mentorship, Jess earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Brigham Young University. She spent several years in the tech industry at Amazon, Microsoft, and Infinite Campus where she specialized in data engineering. Her work with student data and predictive machine learning supported schools to identify and support students needing intervention.
Outside of teaching, Jess loves the outdoors and enjoys camping and kayaking with her husband and five children.
Lead Guide
Sheri McGinnis
With a master's degree in Instruction and nearly three decades of experience as an educator, Sheri brings knowledge, compassion, and insight to Oak Forest Academy. Throughout an experiential career focus, Sheri has designed learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom, including outdoor educational immersion trips for adolescents, co-curricular programs centered on ecosystems, and outdoor fitness opportunities that encourage confidence, resilience, and personal growth. A lifelong believer in experiential education, Sheri cares about connecting academic learning with authentic, real-world experiences.
Forest-based education is especially meaningful to Sheri because it offers adolescents the opportunity to develop curiosity, independence, and a deep sense of stewardship while learning within the rhythms of the natural world. Each day presents opportunities to cultivate critical thinking, character, and a lifelong love of learning. What resonates most about Oak Forest Academy is its intention to nurturing the whole student through meaningful relationships, purposeful experiences, and an educational philosophy that honors both individual growth and community. Outside of school, Sheri enjoys practicing yoga, running, exploring the outdoors, and spending quality time with family.
Humanities
Maggie Saldivar
Literature and Humanities
Maggie loves helping students discover their strengths and grow into confident, curious learners. As an experienced English teacher, she has worked with middle and high school students from a wide range of backgrounds, creating engaging, student-centered lessons that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and a love of reading and writing. She holds a hold a Master of Education in Secondary Education, and has continued to take relevant education courses which has deepened her understanding of how students learn and strengthened her passion for meeting each learner where they are.
Maggie is especially excited about forest-based education because she believes some of the most meaningful learning happens when students can explore, ask questions, and connect with the natural world. She enjoys working with adolescents because they are at such an exciting stage of life—developing their independence, discovering who they are, and learning how they can make a difference in the world. What resonates most with her about Oak Forest Academy is its commitment to educating the whole child through meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, and a strong sense of community. Outside of school, Maggie enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and exploring the outdoors.
Dr. Alexander Kahler
Math and Science
Dr. Alexander (Alex) Kahler is from Brookings, SD where he grew up on a hobby farm and graduated from Brookings High School in 1994. He is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and is still active in Scouting. Alex attended SDSU where he earned a B.S. in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry and a B.A. in Trumpet Performance with a minor in German.
Dr. Kahler moved to St. Paul, MN in the Fall of 2000 to attend graduate school, and holds M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics from the UM. His dissertation project involved the development of DNA markers for American wild rice, which were used to make more productive cultivated wild rice populations. Dr. Kahler has worked as a molecular genetics consultant through his company, Informative Genetics & Genomics, LLC. Dr. Kahler enjoys discussing and teaching molecular biology. He is excited to be teaching biology and algebra at Oak Forest Academy, which brings together his love of the outdoors and the excitement of teaching.
Alex actively performs across the Twin Cities Metro area as a freelance trumpet player. In addition to his full time membership in the Shoreview Northern Lights Variety Band (SNLVB), and with the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, he has performed with: Bloomington Civic Theater (now Artistry), Brio Brass, Classic Brass, Inc., Coon Rapids Community Players, Encore Wind Ensemble, John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Lakeshore Players, Mounds View Community Theater, South Side Big Band, Minnesota Saints Orchestra, and the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble. Alex is also a co-founder of the Accent Brass Quintet and maintains a trumpet private lesson studio.
Alex is married to his wonderful wife Michelle who is a horn player. They have a son who is also a budding trumpet player! Alex and Michelle enjoy performing together in the SNLVB, Accent Brass Quintet, Minnesota Saints Orchestra, and pit orchestras as their busy schedule allows.
Joe Lundy
Math and Music
Joe Lundy has been a teacher for 15 years. They graduated from Saint Cloud State University in 2016 with 2 bachelor’s degrees in Math & Music Education. They are excited about the real life applications and environmental impact that forest-based education. Joey has always enjoyed the creativity and joy that adolescents bring to the learning environment. The independent teaching program Oak Forest Academy offers that can be catered to each students’ needs really resonates with them. Joey can be found creating and performing music locally in their spare time.
Kate McWilliams
Executive Director and Groundskeeper
As lifelong resident of the Forest and a kid who benefited from Montessori education, Kate founded Oak Forest Academy because she was the potential for teenagers to engage with the Forest in deep, meaningful ways. A musician by origin. Kate has always loved making things, playing violin, and hanging out in the woods. She has several music degrees, has taught many years of music lessons, conducts the orchestra of the Minnesota Saints Chorale and Orchestra, and is committed to being an educator.
Board of Directors
OFA is a registered non-profit. Our Board of Directors consists of Alex Kahler, President, Michelle Kahler, Secretary, Mark Seemann, Treasurer, and Kate McWilliams, member.