🌵 Children’s Book Author 🦋 Educator 🐝 Podcaster 🐞

Diona Reese Williams has not only witnessed the game changing reality of nature-based learning but she is also a game changer herself in the field of nature-based early childhood education. 

Currently, Diona is an Early Childhood Education professor at Tohono O'odham Community College and an adjunct faculty at Antioch University New England. She serves on the Regional Council Board for First Things First Regional Council (Cochise County), the ASPHN Farm to ECE Advisory Committee for ASPHN Farm to ECE Grantees Programs, and the Leadership Advisory Committee for Natural Start Alliance. Formerly, Diona served on the Board of Directors for Arizona Association of Environmental Education.

Diona's work with infants, children, adolescents, families, and adults is rooted in her wealth of experience as a special needs preschool teacher, clinician supporting clients birth to age 17, family support specialist, case manager for an early intervention program and for a Child In Need of Services (CHINS) program, program aide and case manager supervisor for a women's domestic violence shelter, job coach for clients with disabilities, organizer for a state teachers association, site director for the local YMCA, and -- can't forget what started it all! -- babysitter for countless families and a "chickadee" at Nana's home-based daycare.

Diona earned her M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from Grand Canyon University, her MA in Organizational Management specializing in Human Resources from Ashford University, her BSOE specializing in Early Childhood Studies from Wayland Baptist University, and is working towards her Infant Mental Health Endorsement.

Diona has presented and mentored fellow educators at Prescott College's Nature and Place-based Early Learning Summer Institute and presented at Natural Start Alliance's annual conference,  at North American Association for Environmental Education's  annual conference, for the Environmental Education Association of Illinois, for ASPHN, and for the Arizona Association for Environmental Education.

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In 2018, Diona first witnessed that game changing reality of nature-based learning when she implemented the ideas and knowledge shared with her after attending Prescott College's Nature and Place-based Early Learning Summer Institute. Diona was inspired. Diona knew what was next.

Diona founded Out Back Learning, LLC in 2019 and opened the doors of southern Arizona's first outdoor home-based part-time nature preschool. Out Back Learning was finding its feet when the pandemic presented its own game changing reality. Diona chose to pause Out Back Learning as a preschool and re-direct her deep commitment to inclusive nature-based learning. During this redirection, she started a podcast centering her perspective of being Black In Nature and the unique perspectives of fellow nature-based educators.

Knowing that she wouldn't get where she wanted to alone, Diona started seeking out partners who could not only support her game changing visions but also who she could support. She started growing her team in May 2020.

In April 2022, Diona -- with her team! -- self-published Sweet Potato and Mud Pies. Almost exactly a year later, in April 2023, Diona self-published Picture Day. There will be a third book, a fourth book, and more -- the Adventures of Destiny and Worm has always been plural!

Diona regularly reminds herself of how blessed her journey has been so far. The support of her family and pets (including the City Chicks!) has brought meaning to her journey as an education entrepreneur. She invites those who are inspired to reach out to her with their game changing realities and education entrepreneurial journeys.