Meet
Our Staff
Our staff is united in an effort to create learning environments that honor and support the healthy development of children. We believe in creating engaging environments and using practices that humanize and elevate all people.
Natalia Parker
Director
Natalia Parker, a founder of and the current Director at Discovery Lab of Ellensburg, has worked with children and families in varying capacities for the past 20 years. After graduating with degrees in Child Development and Psychology from Gonzaga University and Infant Mental Health from the University of Washington, Natalia worked in various roles educating and supporting caregivers, children and students from Infancy through Post-Secondary. Currently, in her role at Discovery Lab she works to support meaningful and engaging teaching and learning practices that best support healthy child development. She is passionate about building healthy communities that thoughtfully tend to people and the natural world. When she isn’t at work she loves to be outside anywhere and has a special fondness for orange cats and strawberry cake.
Brooklynn edgar
Teacher
With Discovery Lab since 2021, Brooklynn is the lead teacher for our the older grades. She studied Elementary Education at Central Washington University and loves being in the classroom. She is passionate about building relationships with students and creating engaging routines for learning. When she is not at work, she loves to spend time with her husband and her dog Daytona.
Kathy guss
Teacher
Kathy began teaching at Discovery Lab in the spring of 2021. She has a BSE in both Elementary and Art Education from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater and received a Washington Education Certificate in 2022. Kathy has taught preschool, elementary school, university courses and art workshops to everyone from children to adults for the past thirty years. She especially enjoys teaching young children because they are so eager and excited to learn. Kathy is also a ceramic artist and mom of two incredible humans who are 18 and 21. She loves going on intense hikes, taking a long swim on a hot summer day and sharing her love of clay, life and learning with everyone.
Nathasha Nethero
Teacher
Natasha Nethero is originally from Ellensburg and holds a teaching degree from Central Washington University and a Master’s in Elementary Education from Arizona State University. She brings 18 years of teaching experience, including teaching grades 4–6 and supporting fellow educators. Natasha is passionate about inquiry-based learning and guiding students to make meaning by connecting new learning to their own experiences and background knowledge. She takes pride in providing thoughtful scaffolds and supports so all learners can access rigorous, engaging content. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, eating good food, reading, moving her body, and cheering loudly for her son at sporting events.
Stacey Chambers
Teacher
Stacey’s dream of becoming an educator began at a young age and has grown into more than 30+ years of working with children in a variety of roles, including tutor, camp counselor, class volunteer, substitute, paraprofessional, coach, PTO board member and Girl Scout leader. She began teaching in 2000 and has experience in both elementary and middle school classrooms. After taking time away from her career to focus on raising her two children, Stacey is grateful to return to one of her happiest places—the classroom. Stacey holds a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University and Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. Holding on strong to her love of learning she is currently completing coursework in Special Education at Central Washington University. Stacey’s learning space is built on kindness, connection, humor, flexibility, and a strong student voice. She enjoys creating learning experiences that are engaging, encourage curiousity—and are sometimes a little messy, —as students explore, create, solve problems and discover just how capable they are. She is especially passionate about supporting readers at all stages of development as they build confidence and strengthen literacy skills. Stacey is always looking for new ways to support students as individuals and as members of a caring classroom community. Outside of school, you can usually find her soaking up fresh air and sunshine, building memories with her two amazing kids, sipping an iced coffee and laughing big with friends and family.
Victoria McFarland
Teacher
Victoria is excited to be part of the Ellensburg community and loves teaching kindergarten at Discovery Lab, where she began in 2025. Originally from Virginia, she has lived in several states across the West and enjoys bringing those experiences into the classroom.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Human and Child Development, a Master’s degree in Education and a Behavior Analysis credential. She began her career in early childhood classrooms. Victoria’s teaching is influenced by Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches, which encourage curiosity, independence, creativity, and hands-on discovery.
Victoria is passionate about creating a joyful classroom where young learners feel safe to explore, ask questions, and grow. She enjoys partnering with families to support each child’s learning and development throughout the year.
Outside of school, Victoria enjoys spending time with her husband and pets, harvesting fruit and nuts from their backyard, growing gourds, and getting lost in a good book.
Leo Robison
Assistant Teacher
Leo started his teaching assistant position at Discovery Lab in the fall of 2025. He is a 2023 graduate of Ellensburg High School. He has worked several jobs including cooking, construction and teaching skiing lessons. When he was a ski instructor, Leo discovered that he enjoyed team teaching children in a small community. He believes that modeling kindness and grace to the youth can help them make meaningful social connections that will create long-lasting friendships. Leo is also a working musician and artist. He loves to spend his free time writing songs with his band, playing bass, drawing or going outdoors to hike and ski.
Julian Parker
Assistant Teacher