People

Wonder Facilitator Profiles

Shannon Harriman aka Pronghorn

Habitat: dense, moist temperate deciduous and rainforest floors with an abundance of ferns, mosses and berries, not to mention gurgling streams and a heavily vegetated canopy. Being surrounded by the dance of filtered sunlight and the vibrations of a thriving forest biome enlivens this creature. Although she loves the feel of rich, damp soil on her back, she’s been known to spend an outrageous amount of time rolling around sandy beaches, exploring tidal pools and diving through salty waters. Truly, she hasn’t found an ecosystem that doesn’t spark her curiosity and leave her awestruck by the sheer magnificence of the natural world.

Behavior: Shannon’s love of wild spaces brought her to the study of ecology, where traditional academia trained her eyes and mind in the scientific method. It was her long journey through the folded landscapes of Nepal that offered her a point of intersection between science and spirituality. In the shadows of the Himalayas she was able to observe and participate in an intact and thriving indigenous community, rich with wisdom and ancient ways of living in connection to the earth. Asia also offered her the space and inspiration to bring her own inner world into greater focus through the practices of yoga and mindfulness. At times an educator and facilitator, at others a student and a yogini, it is truly in her role of mother, that Shannon becomes a fierce protector of the land which nurtures us all. She believes that of utmost importance is keeping ourselves and our children connected to our innate wildness and the ever changing, entangled web of life.

Tim Hare aka Puma

Habitat: wild, topographically complex places, usually with certain geological phenomena such as granite walls, sandstone escarpments, jagged alpine rock spires, or other ways that minerals come together to form rocks that allow for rock climbing. Don’t expect to find this creature indoors very often, as extended time inside appears to restrict his spirit and make him noticeably grumpy and unpleasant. While mostly drawn to arid, alpine, and desert environments, he has also been known to frequent temperate forests, tropical jungles, and the occasional marine ecosystem.

Behavior: Tim has worked in outdoor and intercultural education for over 20 years, with Outward Bound, Where There be Dragons, and others. He is blessed to be able to weave these experiences into his family life and greater community as Wonder has evolved. He is a Wilderness First Responder and risk management professional. He and Shannon, along with their two kiddos, Celia and Mason, return to Colorado’s Front Range seasonally, while keeping a highly nomadic lifestyle – coastal journeys to Baja California, and extended international travels to Nepal, Thailand, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, Patagonia, and Guatemala. Wonder is an opportunity for Tim to participate in the to building of a regenerative culture by using nature connection, relationship to agro-ecological systems, changes in risk tolerance, and facilitated spiritual connection to the earth. Working with children and families is one of the most urgent and direct ways to shape a new future and heal our fractured human and more-than-human relationships.

Tim and Shannon have been blessed with the gift of creating a family together and also working together as educators for 15 years.

Erin Witbeck aka Bluejay

Habitat: wild rivers are a part of this creatures bones. The canyons and tributaries as well as the mountains where Aspen groves span remind her how the web of an organism can offer both roots and shelter in a network of ways. She was swept away on The cliffs of the Scottish Hebrides and in the valleys of Nepal. The intersection of multicultural and sustainable habitats (farms, alternative building techniques, and community have woven nests with perspective and owl vision. Old myths of selkies and whale, offer habitats drawn upon in her art. The land at Wonder, especially after the fires has become a landscape dear to what feels like a safe and shapeshifting lens capturing the magic of what resilience can look like. Collecting bones and rocks on the banks of the Salish Sea has been a recent favorite place to discover Orca and seal guides as well as ferns and mosses, banana slugs and barnacles. The landscape of motherhood has ultimately been the most influential and diverse shapeshifting landscape yet.

Behavior:
Erin was humbled as a teen traveling to Colorado when she carried her life in a backpack through the Wemanuche for the first time. That summer culminated in a sweat lodge that brought her even closer to a place/spirit ultimately influencing her path. Eventually pursuing Wilderness Therapy, Multicultural and Sustainable Education, and learning from various landscapes and guides, she graduated from Prescott College and returned to CO. One of the most diverse experiences that gave her awe was a research trip through the Grand Canyon on the CO River. As part of an effort to declare the tributaries as “WILD AND SCENIC” through Congress. It was a worthy honor to be part of such a successful endeavor. She vowed and continues to run rivers with her family as stewards. Erin has pursued writing and photography and is working on a project based upon resilience. As a beekeeper, she collects honey from different parts of the world to taste the Earth and feel reciprocity.