Course Listing - by Instructor
Join us for one of our classes! Early registration is encouraged. Have a question about a class? Call us at 215.843.6333 or email us at info@mtairylearningtree.org.
NOTE: Mt. Airy Learning Tree has a non-refundable $6 registration fee that is applied once per term, per person, regardless of how you register. This fee is automatically added to your registration.
MALT accepts Visa or Mastercard only online.
| Name | Biography |
|---|---|
| B-Luv | , a Choreographer/Instructor is a 31 year pioneer, trailblazer in the line dance community. She has won a plethora of awards including 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards, Choreographer of The Year and Philadelphia Dance Legend! She has worked with several artists in the music industry which include Grammy Award Winner Peabo Bryson! She has been given the gift to do what she truly LOVES to do.....choreography and dance and it is her passion! |
| Joan Adler | is the former Director of APPRISE Medicare Counseling at the Mayor's Commission on Aging in Philadelphia. She has been a Medicare counselor in the community for the last 6 years. |
| Stef Arck-Baynes | is a mission-driven communications professional with over 20 years of experience developing strategy, relationships, and compelling content for nonprofit brands and socially responsible for-profits. As the founder and CEO of Achieving Good Communications Co., clients have included: The Conferences for Women; Bucks County United Way; Atlanta Habitat for Humanity; and The Jewish Relief Agency. Prior to Achieving Good, she directed in-house communications at organizations such as Philabundance and Brooklyn Public Library. A born-and-bred Philadelphian, Stef attended Central High School (251!) and lives happily in Mt. Airy with her husband, their daughter, and dog. Learn more on her website: achievinggood.co |
| Liz Aubry | began her restaurant career as a host and busser in order to put herself through college. Her experiences in the hospitality industry led to her infatuation with it. At 22 she became a bartender and never looked back. She loves the creativity, sounds, smells, and tastes involved in mixing a drink, and the fast paced yet family-like vibe of restaurants. She sees making cocktails akin to cooking: an emotionally rewarding way to bring people together. She is a bartender at Mt. Airy's own Commodore Barry Club and Bar Lizette. |
| Dorothy Bauer | spent most of her adult life in Berkeley, California where she was able to take classes at Living Light Culinary Institute and study with world renowned raw chef and author, Elaina Love. |
| Glenn Bergman | is the former Executive Director of Philabundance, and previously served for 11 years as the General Manager of the Weavers Way Co-Op. He has led food tours of Chinatown for MALT and this term is also eager to share his food explorations to Northeast and Southwest Philly. |
| George Boudreau | is a public historian who specializes in historic house museums. He holds a Ph.D. in American history and has held post-doctoral research fellowships at Monticello, Mount Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg, and Jamestown. His 2012 book Independence tells the story of the historic spaces around Independence Hall. He joined Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in 2023 as executive director. |
| Rochelle Brenner | is a Black Belt and full-time martial arts instructor for children and adults. She is also a former amateur boxer and includes training that can challenge every level. She is the owner of Action Karate in Mt. Airy. |
| Ben Buono | has a B.S. in Astrophysics from Mount Union College and 7 years with NASA in Greenbelt MD working with the unmanned spacecraft attitude and orbit determination sections. As far as music, he has been playing guitar since he was eight. |
| Troy Bynum | , owner of TB Wildlife Photography LLC, is not only an enthusiastic birder but also a passionate wildlife photographer from Philadelphia, PA. Troy’s work focuses on capturing and showcasing the remarkable colors, intricate patterns, and rich textures that are abundant throughout the natural world. In his work, Troy draws attention to the oftentimes overlooked naturally occurring beauty found in the wild. Troy is on a mission to accentuate and celebrate the inherent magnificence of nature. |
| Llana Carroll | holds an BA in Literature from Purchase College/SUNY and an MA and PhD in English: Cultural and Critical Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Llana has taught non-fiction and essay writing at several colleges and universities and is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor of English and Philosophy at Drexel University. Her own writing has been published in several academic journals. |
| Leonard Cherry | is a Financial Advisor. He works with individuals and businesses, specializing in retirement strategies, investments and estate planning. |
| Rodney Chonka | has toured wineries throughout Europe and the US and has led wine tastings at MALT since 2009. |
| Andrew Christman | is a painter, printmaker and teaching artist based in Germantown and Mt. Airy. He received a BFA in painting at Pratt Institute Brooklyn and studied Art Ed at both Pratt Institute and Moore College of Art. He received an MA in East Asian Art History at Sotheby’s Institute of Art / Manchester University, UK. Andrew is currently a teaching artist for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a co-founder of Way of Words, an interactive poetry and visual art project that integrates writing, bookmaking and collage. He has exhibited his work at the Muse Gallery, Awbury Arboretum, the Da Vinci Art Alliance and the Imperfect Gallery. |
| James Crichton | is a tour guide, museum docent, tour escort and historical character re-enactor. Known for his dramatic presentation style, Jim helped to develop Historic Germantown’s popular Ghosts of the Great Road tours and served as the guide for them for many years. He served as a member of the guide corps at Cliveden of the National Trust for eleven years, was a guide for the History Hunters Youth Reporter Program for six years and has been a docent at Johnson House Historic Site since 2007. A charter member of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides, Jim has also conducted walking, step-on and duck boat tours of Center City Philadelphia, step-on tours of Valley Forge, Lancaster County and the Camden waterfront, and served as a tour escort for school groups in Gettysburg. Jim has often developed specialty history tours for clients, conducted new guide training at several local museums, and has authored guide training and enrichment materials for Johnson House. Jim is a longtime resident of Germantown and Mt. Airy. |
| Maegan D'Amato | is a licensed mental health therapist and registered 500-hour yoga therapist. She has been using mindfulness meditation to help herself and others heal for nearly a decade. As a part of this, Maegan has been guiding Forest Baths in urban settings since 2018. |
| June Daley | is the owner of JuneBug Sweet Treats, a small-batch bakery in King of Prussia, PA where LOVE is always the first ingredient. |
| Anna Dayle | is an educator who teaches Pre-Kindergarten and also leads our CPR/First Aid classes. Teaching CPR/First Aid is one of her favorite subjects to teach because emergencies can occur at a moment's notice and it is important to be prepared! |
| Andrea Elovson | has been a freelance writer, a professional writing tutor at Penn State Abington, and now a college essay professional. Her training and experience includes a B.A. in creative writing from UCLA, an MFA from Temple University, a background in adolescent development and completion of the UCLA College Essay Writing Boot Camp. She has coached dozens of students, both privately and as the co-facilitator of the Kick Start Program - a series of week-long essay writing workshops for rising seniors. |
| Frances Emberley | is a dancer, instructor, and researcher with an interest in early twentieth-century American social dances originating in Black communities, such as the Lindy Hop and Charleston. She has been teaching dance for the past nineteen years and holds an MA in Dance from Temple University where her research focused on both historical and ethnographic perspectives to explore the culture, aesthetics, pedagogy, and preservation of Black American social jazz dances. |
| Mike Finnell | is an avid player with 18 years experience in the game. He has found over 1,000 Geocaches and placed nearly 75 more in the Philadelphia Metro area, including at the MALT office. Those hides include the top five (by quality) of Philadelphia's over 900 Geocaches caches and have received recognition by Geocaching.com. |
| Rebecca Fisher | is the cofounder of Philadelphia's top rated Beyond the Bell Tours. Beyond the Bell designs inclusive historical walking tours that put the people back into people's history. Rebecca is passionate about the intersection of social justice and tourism. |
| Mindy Flexer | is a professional artist and certified art teacher. She takes each student seriously as an artist and works to help each one meet their own artistic goals. She loves sharing her passion for art with people of all ages and walks of life, and believes in the power of art to transform people, communities, and the world. She has taught with MALT since 2009! Find Mindy online at www.mindyflexerart.com |
| Janet Gala | |
| Paul Gannon | , ND, is a naturopathic doctor in practice for over twenty years, helping clients reach and maintain their health goals, tailoring the most effective cutting edge natural treatment protocols. He specializes in women’s health, cancer co-management and post-treatment thriving, gastrointestinal health, acute and chronic illness, as well as allergies and rheumatism. |
| David Grauel | comes to MALT by way of NYC where he was a Technical Support and Training Specialist in Microsoft Office products for such companies as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. As part of the Human Resources Administration, he trained supervisors and staff, worked the Help Desk, and performed network troubleshooting. |
| Rebecca Hoenig | has been an artist and art teacher for several decades. She is particularly inspired by nature and begins most of her work with drawing and observation from life. |
| Allison Houghton | is an author, educator, and soil nerd who is passionate about soil health, ecological design, and climate resiliency. She runs The Sparrow Underground: a business that works with gardeners and land managers to strategically build local ecological resilience. She has served in various leadership roles including at the Northeast Organic Farming Association, The Food Project, and the Mt Airy Ecolab. |
| Chelsea Jackson | is a writer, editor, and writing coach, as well as the author of the poetry collection All Things Holy and Heathen (April Gloaming). Chelsea’s writing asks hard questions and explores what it means to be human. Their work has been featured in Fatal Flaw, Coffin Bell Journal, and Passengers Journal, among other publications, and they were a finalist in Animal Heart's 2022 Poetry Collection Contest. Chelsea has an MFA in Poetry from Drew University and is the Co-Editor of The Maine Review. After moving around for over a decade, they returned to their home state of Virginia in 2022. They live in Richmond with their partner and cuddly pitbull. To connect with Chelsea or learn more about their work, visit chelsea-jackson.com. |
| Dora Johns | For Listing Your Home For Sale: Dora is a realtor, associate broker with Keller Williams Realty and an avid analyst of the real estate marketplace. Her classes help the consumer make informed decisions about their real estate needs. For Soap Making: Dora has been a registered nurse for more than thirty years and uses her science and math skills in her cold process soap making classes. Dora has been teaching soap making to Mt. Airy Learning Tree students since 2014! For Greeting Cards: Dora is a self described "crazy crafter." She has a passion for all things paper arts. With a wealth of experience in crafting stunning greeting cards using the quilling technique, she has turned her love for creativity into a thriving venture. Beyond quilling, her repertoire includes enameling, stained glass, wood turning and more. |
| Anne Johnson | , a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and Art of Running instructor, joyfully teaches in-person and online classes worldwide, through MALT (since 1995!) and for her private local students in Mt Airy. She taught at the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University for 15 years. She continues her outreach to people of all ages, professions, skill levels and diverse backgrounds.
Anne is a graduate of The Sacred Science of Sound Crystal Alchemy Training with Jeralyn Glass. She brings her wisdom and experience from 25 years teaching the Alexander Technique into her explorations with sound healing with her Crystal Alchemy Bowls and her own voice. |
| Latoya Johnson | is the founder of Natural Body Essentials. As a licensed esthetician with over 15 years of medical experience, she started her journey out of a personal need to find solutions for her family’s eczema. Today, she is proud to present a thriving business that offers natural alternatives for healthy skin and living. Visit http://www.naturalbodyessentialsshop.com. |
| Jacqueline Jonas | is a storyteller, seamstress and cooking coach. Through her work as The Kitchen Doula, she seeks to empower everyone to cook well and often. To find out more, see her website jackiejonas.com. |
| Steve Levick | has many years of paddling experience and is certified by the ACA to teach recreational kayaking. |
| Jessica Liddell | is the owner of Bella Mosaic Art. It is the only studio in Philadelphia dedicated to the ancient art of mosaics. Artist-run and operated, we offer classes, facilitate community art projects, and create commissions. |
| Sammy Lifson-Neubardt | is MALT’s Program Administrator. She is a former amateur gymnast and a current gymnastics fan! |
| Nathan Long | grew up in rural Appalachia, earned an Ma and MFA in literature and creative writing, and now lives in Philadelphia while teaching at Stockton University in NJ. Their work appears on NPR, and in over 100 publications, including Best Short Fictions 2023, Best Microfictions 2020, Tin House, Master's Review, Electric Lit, and Witness. The Origin of Doubt, their collection of fifty short fictions, was a 2019 Lambda Award finalist. Nathan has been writing and teaching about flash fiction for over 20 years and still loves reading a new flash story. Nathan Alling Long has been baking bread for 30 years. He has worked at a commercial bakery as well as cooked at an organic restaurant, a commune, and for a meditation retreat. During the pandemic, he took on making sourdough when he was gifted a 15 year old starter, which he will share with the participants. |
| Vanessa Lowe | can be heard on G-Town Radio and the Spotify podcast, Vanessa's Money Hour. She spent 21 years in federal service supporting access to capital for underserved communities. Retired at age 56, she continues that work by leading Invest for Better circles – Impact Investing Learning Circles for Women, and financial coaching via VLL Consulting and Financial Education. She’s committed to moving personal and institutional money in pursuit of justice. |
| Natalie Mancini | grew up in Japan and is a native speaker of Japanese. She holds a master’s degree in Japanese linguistics. Since 2009, Natalie has been teaching Japanese at various institutions across the U.S. and has developed curricula ranging from introductory to advanced levels. Additionally, she practiced calligraphy throughout her school years in Japan. |
| Paul Martin | has been teaching regularly since 2000. He has trained under internationally recognized Masters in QiGong, Tai Chi, and Healing Arts. He has taught several times at the prestigious National QiGong Association Conference. |
| Bradley Maule | is the Friends of Cresheim Trails (FOCT)'s President of the Board, serving in that role since 2022. A photographer by trade, he’s also worked with Friends of the Wissahickon, Mt. Airy CDC, and Chestnut Hill Conservancy. You've definitely seen him at McMenamin's. |
| Beth Mead | has been teaching music for over 20 years to children and adults. She is a national performer and workshop leader. |
| Lexie Ruth Mitchell | is an end-of-life doula, hospice volunteer, and teacher passionate about living intentionally and dying consciously. |
| Paul Mladjenovic | is an educator, national speaker and author of Stock Investing for Dummies and the owner of RavingCapitalist.com. He has taught with MALT for over 25 years |
| Susie Moore | is a licensed professional counselor, with 8 years of experience working with teenagers and adults. She utilizes active listening skills with her clients on a daily basis, believes strongly in the power of these skills, and is eager to share her knowledge about this topic with others. |
| Daniel Nemer | , L.O.M. is the owner of G-town Acupuncture with over 20 years experience as a licensed practitioner of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal and Oriental Medicine. He has practiced various styles of Taiji (Tai Chi), Qigong, meditation and Yoga for over 30 years. Since September 2022 he has been studying Taiji Qigong Shibashi, the 18 movements, in the lineage of its creator Professor Lin Housheng and is certified to teach Sets 1 and 2. |
| An Nichols | is an established performer in the Philadelphia community. Within the world of Improv, she trained at Philly Improv Theater and the Magnet and has performed in the PA & NJ Ren Faires, Bright Invention Ensemble, Philly Improv Theatre Conservatory, Lancaster Improv, and more! She has served as the diversity advisor for ImprovUtopia and directed Improvised Star Trek for ImprovFest Ireland. In the world of dance, she is a certified BellyQueen bellydance instructor who started in 2001 and went onto study with June Seaney, Tessa Myers, Habiba, Kaeshi Chai (BellyQueen), Oreet (bellydancer of the year) and Zoe Akili. She specializes in body positivity, teaching veil, floor routine, and assisting beginners in enjoying the basics of the dance. |
| Julia Podgorsek | was born and raised in France and has been teaching French in the US for 10 years. |
| Clayton Prince | is the owner and operator of The Philadelphia Musical History Tours. For more information, see www.themusicalhistorytours.com. |
| Bea Quindlen | learned from her high school art teacher that success can come from the learning process rather than the “perfect finished product.” Those high school “discovery projects” led to a lifetime of crafting – and isn’t life a “discovery project?” Bea is happily retired after a 47-year career at a data company. She attended a MALT class way back in 1994 but not again until 2008! Since then, she has taken over 20 classes. In 2017, she made the switch from student to instructor, teaching a variety of introductory craft classes. |
| Nancy Rasmussen | has taught non-fiction writing courses at three universities in addition to her long-running memoir class for MALT. She has also written short pieces for several magazines along with personal essays for her writers' group and online contests. Currently, Nancy edits for and coaches various clients, helping them share their stories with others. |
| Genie Ravital | is an Integrative Mental Health Provider, working for over 25 years at Mt. Airy Psychotherapy & Wellness. She was trained as a yoga teacher in the Sivananda lineage in 2023 and trained to lead Yoga Nidra in 2025. Genie loves sharing this relaxing and rejuvenating practice with the community. |
| Sara Robbins | , a Mt. Airy native, is an award winning fiber artist who has been weaving baskets for over 30 years. |
| Marisia Robinson | is MALT's Office Coordinator, an avid urban gardener with 5 years of experience, as well as the secretary for Aspen Farms Community Garden. Marisia brings a wealth of knowledge about vegetable and herb growing and has taught for PHS, PASA, and the Philadelphia Free Library. Her teaching approach is interactive and pragmatic. She is passionate about the transformative power of urban gardening and advocates for its role in fostering community connections and cultivating an abundance mindset through sustainable food and seed production. |
| Liese Sadler | has been an oil painter since 2012, learning to paint outdoors thru workshops, classes and 9 years of weekly "paint outs" as a member of the Plein Air Painters of Salisbury, NC. She is also a studio painter of still life and portraits. Her goal is to spark interest in outdoor painting and to help make the artform approachable for everyone. |
| David Schaaf | is a retired local architect and former director of the Urban Design Division of the City Planning Commission. Mr. Schaaf was a member of the City's Historical Commission for more than a dozen years. He has lived in Mt. Airy for nearly 40 years and has led this very popular MALT tour since 1992. |
| Roger Schrading | is a long time member of the Philadelphia Canoe Club. He is a Certified Instructor in Stand Up Paddleboarding by the American Canoe Association. Certification includes Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Roger has taught many students this introductory course. Students will be required to sign a waiver issued by the American Canoe Association to participate in this course. |
| Orr Shtuhl | is a James Beard-nominated food writer and educator. He has taught beer classes at Murray's Cheese, the Bedford Cheese Shop, and with his own beer tours project, The Bestest. He was the Washington City Paper's first beer columnist, and his writing has also appeared in The New York Times, Gastronomica, Serious Eats, and NPR. |
| Cheri Skipworth | is the owner of the HandmadeU Studio. HandmadeU inspires creativity in others through offering a monthly craft subscription box as well as craft workshops. Cheri has been an avid crafter for more than 30 years and has been teaching arts and crafts for more than 20 years. |
| Dr. Jeffrey Sklar | has been a chiropractor and educator in Philadelphia and across the country for over two decades. He has spent half of his career treating cancer patients for quality-of-life challenges through their treatment. He has lectured overseas and coast to coast. His Chestnut Hill practice continues to focus on quality of life for all his patients. |
| Rick Spector | founded Moviehouse Productions in 1983, educating and delighting community groups throughout the Delaware Valley with his multi-media nostalgia programs. His core works includes a multi-part series on the popular history of Philadelphia. His website is www.moviehouseproductions.com. |
| RowZone Staff | The Rowzone Fitness workout is a perfect combination of cardio, strength, and technical rowing training with the use of Concept2 rowing machines. We add in body toning exercises. Our upbeat classes are taught by rowers, rowing enthusiasts and trainers, suit all levels and ages, and will challenge your mind and body while giving you a work out that you will never forget. |
| Kim Staub | is the Executive Director of Wyck with over 12 years of experience in historic site management. She holds an MA in History from Virginia Tech. |
| Janice Strawder | , MFA, has been teaching the art of ceramics for over thirty years. She enjoyed a five year artist residency at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, where she continues to teach. Janice is a co-founder of Rebel Potters in Germantown where she manages the studio and teaches clay classes. Janice’s ceramic works include wood and salt fired functional pottery, tile and mosaic, all with an emphasis on decorative surfaces. |
| Susan Swartz | Rebel Potters Studio, newly arrived on Germantown Ave., offers a variety of professionally led classes, workshops and private events, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. |
| Noah Teachey | is an audio educator with an MA in Music & Music Education from Columbia University Teachers College. He has released 165 hours of audio podcasts and worked with hundreds of students on their own audio creations. Before moving to Philadelphia, Noah worked as a public school music teacher in the Bronx. |
| Denise Thomas | has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, and has dedicated her career to empowering individuals and fostering growth. As a certified grief coach, she brings compassion and expertise to help individuals navigate loss and healing. Additionally, her commitment to supporting women against domestic violence underscores her passion for creating safe, supportive spaces for personal transformation. |
| Jihan Thomas | is a Black visual artist, artivist, Mother, and community/museum arts educator based in Philadelphia,. To Jihan, art can be a conduit for empowerment and self-actualization. She shares her art and creativity wherever art is neededthrough art making and cultural experiences. As an art educator, Jihan believes in the power and spectrum of Black imagination and how it can support classroom student engagement in learning and community empowerment. She been teaching and facilitating arts, cultural and educational programming and courses for over 18 years. |
| Kaniesha Thomas | , MSW has been an entrepreneur for the last four years. The mission of her business is to create art that embodies spirituality, healing and self care. www.revolutionaryratchet.com |
| Muyiwa Togun | is the Founder and CEO of Roy Urban Kollection (RUK), an African textile, art and fashion manufacturer and brand. He is an artist, textile and fashion designer, pulling inspiration from his Yoruba roots and his lived experience as a Nigerian youth assimilating into a new culture as a recently immigrated resident to the United States. |
| Hildy Tow | is the Curator of Education at Woodmere Art Museum. |
| Looie Voorhees | This course will be taught by ACA (American Canoe Association) Instructor Looie Voorhees. She has a lifetime of paddling experience and is certified by the ACA to teach both flatwater and whitewater canoeing and kayaking and beginner Stand Up Paddleboard. |
| Rae Whatley | is a Jikiden Reiki therapist and wellness coach with a practice in Chestnut Hill. She loves sleeping outside and has been a hammock camper for 8 years. Before that she was a ground-dweller, sleeping in tents on family and Scout camping trips and even in her own backyard. |
| Lynne Williams | , EdD candidate is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Area Great Careers Group, which provides online career education and networking. She writes resumes, LinkedIn profiles and company pages, and focuses on keywords. She is writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn. Connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewilliams |
| Pilar Yeakel | The tour is lead by an guide from Chanticleer |
215-843-6333