Laura Dawn Bridges-Newhouse, M.S. provides exemplary expertise in the field of early childhood education. Her education includes a Master of Science degree from University of Oregon in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Child Development. Her experience in the early childhood field spans 4 decades including teaching at community colleges and universities. Her experience also includes child care resource & referral, parent education, and inclusive care for children with disabilities. She is a parent of one son who was born with a physical disability condition. 

A certified instructor for the Program for Infant and Toddler Care (PITC), she has worked for WestEd on a variety of early childhood and inclusion projects. She is highly valued as a trainer, teacher, coach, and group facilitator. 

Over a decade of service at the California Department of Education in the Early Learning and Care Division gave her the opportunity to oversee the creation of publications, media, and statewide training & coaching systems that support early childhood professionals. 

Craig Newhouse, Ph.D. A Graduate from Harvard Collage and a Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley, Craig brings knowledge, insight, humor, and creativity to everything he does. His educational background includes degrees in history and theater. His teaching career includes being a professor of theater arts and history of theater. Craig's background also encompasses writing, producing, and directing stage productions at UC Berkeley and Cal State Northridge. Craig's love for teaching is seen in the wide range of teaching experiences such as being an instructor at University of Southern California, teaching severely emotional disturbed adolescents in the inner city of Los Angeles, as well as teaching creative writing and meditation to inmates as a volunteer in the US Bureau of Prisons.

Laura and Craig are long-time practitioners of meditation and are certified in mindfulness practices. They deeply enjoy co-teaching together on topics of meditation, mindfulness, reflective practices and self-care. Their book A Golden Love: Relationships of Divine Enchantment was published in 2012. Together they run Bridges Transformation Network, providing classes and workshops on meditation, mindfulness, reflective practices, and self-care. They live on three wooded acres in El Dorado County, California.

See their interview with Julie Kurtz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km90bWxr-rs&t=133s