Jennifer Mercer, M.Ed, has been working with youth since she was 16 years old. She has spent the past 30 years developing and growing her skills in many different ways; as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, lead teacher, college instructor, tutor, Girl Scout leader, mentor, and group facilitator. Jennifer homeschooled her two daughters, experimenting with philosophies from “classical school-at-home” to radical Unschooling, to learner-centered co-designing.  In addition to the classes, workshops and mentoring that she does through LJF, Jennifer directs and facilitates the middle school classes in The Home Learning Community at Innovations Academy. Jennifer strives to help learners capture and keep the "joy in learning" by supporting families in co‐design ‐‐ knowing that deep learning truly occurs when the student has an invested voice in the conversation.

During her 30 years in the field of education, Jill Pearson-Keltner, M.Ed. has gained a wide range of experience.  She has taught students at each level from preschool through university and in impoverished to wealthy neighborhoods.  She taught in traditional programs and homeschooled her two children from kinder to 12th grades.  In addition to teaching classes and workshops for Learning Journeys Forum, she currently facilitates learning for students and families at the Home Learning Community, a K-8th grade program for homeschoolers who meet twice a week for co-designed group learning experiences.  From all these varying experiences, Jill knows that all students, at any age, must have a voice and choice in their educational journey.  She endeavors to dialogue with students and engage them in the creation of their own Learning Journey.  When students have this Agency, they become motivated to create joyful learning for themselves throughout their lives.

Teresa Draguicevich, M.Ed has worked with learners pre-k through 8th grade for 30 years in neighborhoods, homes and in public, private and charter schools. She is dedicated to creating spaces for children and families to bridge cultural, racial, linguistic and socio-economic differences in order to become positive agents for change in their own lives and communities. Since 2010, she has homeschooled her own children and facilitated learning for families in the Home Learning Community (HLC) at Innovations Academy in San Diego, California. Her passions include empowering families to design their own learning journeys, and collaborating with children to co-design group learning in the classroom. She enjoys providing a framework for students to realize the power of diversity; both by leveraging their own unique learning style and by appreciating the same in others.