Our Team

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Maureen Burford, M.Ed.
Executive Director and Framework Facilitator

Maureen Burford, M.Ed., is Founder and Executive Director of Creative Lives and a veteran educator with nearly four decades of experience working with children and young adults from the early years through college. Her work helps educators understand and intentionally cultivate the developmental capacities that support every young person’s learning, contribution, and fulfillment.

Since 2012, Maureen has partnered with author and educator Ellen Tadd to bring A Framework for Wise Education® into classrooms, schools, and community settings. She has shared this approach with thousands of children, educators, and families through professional development, school partnerships, conference presentations, and community initiatives throughout New England and beyond.

Maureen has presented nationally and internationally on whole-child education, creativity, and contemplative practice, including at the NAEYC National Conference, Columbia University's Spirituality in Education Conference, and the Creative Problem Solving Institute. In 2019, she received Vermont's Lynn von Trapp Award for excellence in preventive programming for youth through Creative Lives' Afterschool Programs (CLASP). She holds a B.A. from Cornell University and an M.Ed. in Creative Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is co-author, with Ellen and Laura Tadd, of Helping Children Thrive.

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DR. LAURA TADD
Consultant to Creative Lives

Laura Tadd works as a spiritually oriented psychological astrologer- writing, teaching, and lecturing in person and remotely with people worldwide. She has served on numerous international astrology boards and assisted in running astrological and graduate-level academic conferences. In addition to her counseling work, Laura has served as an academic administrator and college professor.

 Since 2021, Laura has aided Creative Lives Inc. as a consultant and course developer, helping to restructure our training program and support our team as we expand our reach to learners throughout the country. She holds a PhD in Human Science.

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Anne Kroeger
Programs Administrator

Anne Kroeger graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Science and continued in Fine Arts at San Francisco State University. In addition to working as the Programs Administrator for Creative Lives, she writes fiction for middle-grade kids.

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Caitlin Gagner
Facilitator Intern

Caitlin has worked in the early childhood field for over 16 years.  She has experience with a wide variety of educational settings, including public school in Vermont and running a nature school in Montana. Caitlin has a passion for outdoor and nature-based learning, meeting children where they are, and helping them build their social-emotional capacity.  Caitlin currently helps operate The Plymouth Schoolhouse—a licensed childcare center serving children birth to age 6.  Caitlin lives in Bridgewater with her husband, 1.5 year old son, and their family rescue dog Henny.  She enjoys yoga, hiking in the mountains, writing poetry, and making memories with her family and friends.  Caitlin believes in the transformative power of Creative Lives to help all students be successful regardless of their background.  Caitlin has co-taught certification trainings with Director Maureen Burford as part of her internship work.

Alex Jaccaci
Strategic Advisor

Alex was a long-time student of Ellen Tadd and has trained in the Framework approach. He brings his decades of experience in the business sector to bear in supporting the growth of Creative Lives.

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Our Collaborators

Creative Lives collaborates with learning communities and organizations to advance the Framework approach. Since 2012, we have worked to engage youth and adults in Framework programming or training through relationships with: Stoneledge Stables Preschool; Bridgewater Early Care Center, The VT Afterschool Alliance, The Marion Institute, Dartmouth College (work-study interns), The Hartford Rec. Department, Marion Cross School, Lesley University, Tuck Business School, White River Budokan, Artistree, The Family Place, Thetford Afterschool Program, BALE (Building a local economy), The Springfield Early Educators Alliance, Southern New Hampshire University, Castleton University, and more.