Sanderson Doughty

Sanderson is the lead teacher in the Senior Class. This is Sanderson’s tenth year as a preschool teacher in Portland, his sixth year at Youngset, and his seventeenth year working with children.    

Sanderson earned a Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of San Francisco.  His teaching practice is deeply rooted in outdoor education, experiential education, and relationship-based teaching and learning. Sanderson spent four years as a summer camp counselor for Tom Sawyer Camps, and went on to serve as an Assistant Director of the camp for three years.  Sanderson has worked in outdoor, play-based, experiential social skills/therapy programs for children with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD/ADD, ODD, and has served as a behavior intervention assistant in high school special education classrooms. Sanderson has also worked abroad, teaching English in Thailand and researching Scandinavian Forest Kindergartens in Denmark.  

Born in London, raised in Los Angeles, Sanderson loves spending his days learning, playing, discovering, singing, and dancing with young children and believes passionately in the impact and value of quality preschool. His teaching is influenced by the work of John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Magda Gerber, Jean Piaget, Eleanor Duckworth, Alfie Kohn, and others. When he’s not in the classroom, Sanderson loves playing/watching/talking about soccer, hiking, playing music, and caring for plants.

Emily Uecker

Emily is the lead teacher in the Junior Class. This is her tenth year as an early educator and fifth year at Youngset. Coming from a family of teachers, she is passionate about providing quality early education as the foundation for how we learn and experience the world. She believes in meeting each child as a unique individual and holding space for them to explore through play and discover their capabilities.

Emily has a B.A. in English and Politics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. Born and raised in California, Emily has lived in New York City, where she worked for Martha Stewart, and in the United Kingdom, where she was an Editor for Oxford University Press. Now she loves Portland for its trees and train bridges and even its rain! Outside of the classroom, Emily is an aspiring writer and spends hours writing in coffee shops around the city. She also loves yoga, hiking, traveling, cooking for friends, and curling up with a good book. 

Check out Emily’s amazing and beautiful Instagram feed for keepsake-worthy kid craft projects. @home_with_teacher_emily

Carson Olson

Carson is our Interim Assistant Teacher in both the Junior and Senior class. Carson brings a wealth of experience in child education, with a comprehensive background that includes working with children on the Autism spectrum and those with ADHD. Her journey encompasses roles as both a Nanny and Teacher, providing exceptional care for children of all ages, with a particular focus on preschool-aged children. Known for her compassionate, creative, and thoughtful approach, Carson's dynamic profile is a valuable addition to our team.