Mary Seppamaki

I was born and raised in California and spent my earliest years on Mare Island in the Bay Area before the first of many moves between Vallejo and San Diego. As an adult I lived in both San Diego and Santa Cruz and adventured in the west from Baja to Oregon and one of my favorites, the Tetons. Eventually I found my way out to middle Tennessee.

Teaching is my second career after 20 years in the service industry. Having my son and the everyday moments we shared of joy and wonder inspired me to pursue a career in Early Childhood Education. While I was in school during COVID we set out everyday on a new adventure. We hiked A LOT and found our happy place looking for fossils and geodes in surrounding creeks and forests. I enjoyed incorporating my coursework in our adventures and finding teaching moments while we bonded and explored. Upon graduation my teachers recommended that I seek out A New Leaf. The timing aligned with the 2022 Budding Branches Festival and that is where my journey with A New Leaf began. 

I currently serve as the director of the Garden Campus. Before that, I spent two wonderful years as a preschool educator at the Arboretum. During that time, I had the invaluable opportunity to work under the guidance of Maria, my director. Her patience, support, and deep experience gave me a strong foundation and a rich understanding of nature pedagogy.

Maria TeSelle and the educators of Nashville State Community College.

At the beginning of this school year, someone said to me “Mary, you are someone who can just do things”. I think that is true. I have grown to enjoy solving problems creatively across many platforms, fixing, building, baking, cooking, you name it. I like to figure things out.

I enjoy thrift shopping, baking, and “stories” on the TV.

I love the languages of organization, spreadsheets, and grant applications.

I love baked goods, especially pie! I like to eat food that serves many purposes: crunchy, cool, hydrating salads in the hot months and comforting warm food in the cooler months.

My favorite colors are earth tones and if I had to pick one it would be green. 

Baking a giant cake!

“Do what you love, and love what you do” perfectly captures how I feel about my place at A New Leaf. I’m grateful for the meaningful experiences I have here—especially getting to live them immersed in the beauty of nature.