Nicholas McDowell

Technology-seasoned Entrepreneur with deep experience specializing in media production, design and social gaming.

Nicholasʼ 15 years of experience includes 4 years at The Financial Times, 4 years at The Orphanage – a San Francisco VFX production company and multiple startups, some his, like Gonowdo and Epidemic Marketing, mostly others’ like Lincoln Group and Speedshape. He is also a professional parent whose two children continue to show him a world of discovery and possibilities and all the reasons to invest in it.

Nicholas is deeply passionate about changing the world for the better and inspiring those around him to do the same.

Sharman Learie

Sharman is YuuMii’s outdoor Adventure and education consultant.

Sharman is the program coordinator and the lead instructor for all
water based programs at Thompson Rivers University’s Adventure
Studies Department. Sharman volunteers for the Rivershed Society of BC (RSBC) designing river based environmental education programs. Sharman Co-designed the Sustainable Living and Leadership Program for RSBC. Previous to working at TRU Sharman worked for the Fraser
Headwaters Alliance, and The Land Conservancy of British Columbia in
projects such as Salmon Habitat Mapping and Signage Project, the establishing of the Natasha Boyd Wildland Preserve, and in initiating the Robson Valley Economic Development Strategy. Sharman also Owened and operated Stellar Descents Rafting Adventures in Dunster BC. Father of Twins, Indigo & Fisher.

Sharman’s research interests focus on watershed and environmental
conservation through experiential transformative learning.

Sharman holds a diploma and degree in adventure tourism and a masters of in environmental education and communication.

Julija McDowell

Julija is the Founder, and Creative force behind YuuMii.

Creative Artist, Innovative Designer, award-wining Filmmaker, professional Parent.

One of the original animation alumni at Industrial Light + Magic, Julija has 18 years experience in the graphic arts, computer animation, and film industry, working with well known directors, actors, producers, and editors. Julija is a passionate mother of 3, whose conscious and sustainable lifestyle came from having children and wanting to make changes in her life and to the world around her. This foundational life-philosophy guided her approach to her new venture – YuuMii!

Julija and her family currently live in San Francisco, California, USA.

Phaedra Livingstone

Dr. Livingstone is one of YuuMii’s curriculum consultants.

Phaedra has worked in and conducted research on all types of museums, since 1990. Prior to joining the University of Oregon, she was Research Coordinator at the Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Ryerson University in Toronto. Her training includes a PhD in Curriculum Studies (Museum Learning), a Master of Museum Studies, and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Toronto, as well as a postdoctoral research fellowship with the University of British Columbia. Among her publications are articles in The Journal of Museum Education (USA), Museological Review (UK), Museum Management and Curatorship (Canada), and Museum Management Today International (Japan). She is active in various museum associations and has been a board member for the Museum Education Roundtable of Toronto (1998-2000), the Visitor Studies Association (2001-2003), and Heritage Toronto (2004-2008).

UO courses Dr. Livingstone teaches include: Cultural Administration; Museum Education; Museum Theory; Arts & Visual Literacy; The Cultural Museum; and Research Methods.

Sarah Watkin

Dr. Watkin is one of YuuMii’s curriculum consultants.

As an Early Childhood Therapist Sarah developed a first time program servicing 0-7 year olds and their families. She worked tirelessly in collaborations with elementary schools and childcare centers to incorporate resiliency based support services to all children, including those experiencing emotional and or behavioral concerns. It was during this time, that Sarah incorporated the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment-Clinical (DECA-C), and the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, Revised (DC:0-3) into her child and family assessments. Additionally, Sarah added the Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) model into her work with young children. Using these highly specialized assessment and intervention techniques, Sarah offers a unique and in-depth approach to clinical work with young children and families at the University of DePaul’s Family and Community Services.

Sarah believes that children exist within complex and sometimes highly complicated social, familial and educational systems. In an effort to support parents in navigating these systems, Sarah offers a variety of consultation and therapeutic services through her private practice in Chicago, Illinois.

Marcia Morales

Marcia is Co-Founder at YuuMii and Author of the can-i-c book series.

Marcia Morales started her adventure in Northern California and followed her dreams to Sydney where she lives with her 4 years old daughter Chloe Marie. Together they write stories that stimulate children’s minds by triggering the 5 senses – sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. For 10 years Marcia has worked in a business development setting, where she provides consultancy in people and technology skills.

One of her favourite sayings, “Someday little people will become big people with the opportunity to make a difference in the world.”

Breanne Zill

*Breanne the Lead YuuMIi Guide & Adventure tester! *

Patient and understanding, with two and a half years experience as a preschool teacher working with children ages 0 to 5. Currently working with the 3 McDowell children, following the Daily Adventures, and YuuMii Curriculum for the last year. Creative, innovative and artistic she just loves to inspire the same in the children.

If you have any questions about specific Adventures – she is the go-to-girl!

Charity Kahn

Charity is a Partner and participating contributer to YuuMii.

Charity graduated with a degree in mathematics, and then spent time as a math teacher, Head-Royce School in Oakland, CA. A piano teacher and math tutor. A writer (Math and Music: Harmonious Connections), a software engineer, and slacker rock-climber before “settling down” to have kids.

Charity recorded JAM: Music for Movement with Children in 2002 while pregnant with now 7-year-old son, Silas. Then put the JAMband together to record Peanut Butter and JAM in 2004, and started gigging. Then made Rock Your Socks Off in 2006, all the while performing and teaching. She recently released a double-album, Party Like a Twinkle Star, which spans the entire skillset of the JAMband, from seriously funky, rockin’ stuff, to sweet, quiet, lush, acoustic stuff.

In the fall of 2009, Charity opened a studio, JAMspace, in her neighborhood (the Sunset district of San Francisco) where she can teach Jamboodas classes and run JAMcamps, and also offer other creative experiences for kids. It’s so exciting to have a space in which to manifest the vision of bringing song, dance, play and love to families.