Ripple Collective, LLC was founded in 2022 by Rivers Whitson and Alex Toenniges. Both originally from southeast Michigan (Peoria, Anishinabewaki, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Wyandot, & Mississauga territory) in the Great Lakes region, the two of them felt drawn to the landscape and culture of North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains and fell in love with Brevard in 2021 while completing their Wilderness First Responder training here. Ripple Collective is the product of their combined passions being brought out into the world. The name evokes the ripples of water, a special element to both Rivers and Alex, as well as the "ripple effect".

Who We Are

Alex Toenniges (she/they)

photo by Addie Rosales

somatic movement educator, nature connection mentor, musician, and change-maker
Co-Founder, Forest School Director, &
​Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner

Rivers Whitson (he/him)

mountain biker, bike mechanic, backpacker, and leader
Instagram: @riversonabike
Co-Founder, Ripple Bikes, & Forest School Teacher

"To shape [Change], with wisdom and forethought, to benefit your world, your people, your life, consider consequences, minimize harm, ask questions, seek answers, learn, teach."

​- Earthseed: The Books of the Living, Verse 43
Octavia Butler, Parable of the Talents

We’re Not Hiring — We’re Looking for a Co-Creator

We’re not offering a job.
We’re looking for someone to build with.

Our forest school is entering its fourth year. It’s still small and growing. We don’t have steady paychecks, guaranteed enrollments, or a ready-made program. What we do have is:

• A community of families who believe in this work
• A strong foundation of land-based, liberatory education
• Established rhythms, curriculum, and culture
• A commitment to shared power, not top-down leadership

We’re looking for a teacher, guide, or facilitator who’s not just looking for a teaching job—but for a chance to co-create and co-own a program that lives and breathes through shared effort. Someone who understands that the work includes not just teaching but all the invisible labor—outreach, admin, logistics, problem-solving—that sustains a small grassroots program.

This could be a good fit if you:

• Have experience (or curiosity) in outdoor education, child-led learning, or community-rooted programming
• Are more interested in shared ownership than traditional employment
• Want to help grow a program from the inside—not just teach in one
• Have 1–3 days a week of bandwidth to offer (flexible, not full-time)

We especially welcome:

• Neurodivergent, disabled, and chronically ill educators
• Queer and trans folks
• Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• People with a background in mutual aid, folk education, or land-based lifeways

You don’t need a teaching license or capital investment—just a willingness to commit relationally and show up with integrity.

We’re still legally structured as an LLC, and we’d need to navigate the process of transitioning to a shared model if the right person steps in. That’s something we can figure out together.

Let's find a time to talk! (Visit calendly.com/alextoenniges to schedule a phone call, or email Alex at [email protected])