Who’s Involved – The People Behind the Wonder
DeeDee Erhard
Executive Director (541-389-4500 ext. 12)
My nicknames growing up were Deed, Deeds, and Spaz (when I was younger). 
I grew up in North Bend , Oregon and moved to Eugene for school and then to Bend in 1991. My favorite toys as a child were my baton that I used as a “guitar” (my dad played all sorts of instruments growing up). I really liked riding bikes and I even had a really cool banana seat bike. I loved art and colors so the fun toys like Spryo Gyro and Lite Bright were extra cool. I played a lot of neighborhood tag games, climbed trees, and did a lot of camping with my family. Every time I found a quarter I ran to the store to buy candy like bottlecaps, lemonheads, and chicosticks. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Oregon . I have worked as a residential counselor in a group home, a career counselor for high school students, a program manager for home schooling resource centers, and as a development director and administrator for a private school. I also teach group exercise classes and have two young boys who keep life playful and fun.
Tracy Alexander
Programming and Events Manager (541-389-4500 ext. 13)
My childhood nickname was coined by my younger cousin 
who, when learning to talk, turned ‘Tracy’ into Tooshie. Yes, I grew up being called Tush by my family… and hear it occasionally today! I grew up in Hawaii and spent many vacations on Molokai where there was no TV, video games, parks, stores, or other kids. My cousins and brother and I got very creative playing in the guava patches and long grass pasture around our house. We also had a swing that would soar over a hill that seemed to drop out beneath us (it’s really only about 20 feet down), and spent much time playing rescue helicopter, retrieving dropped dolls and toys. I loved grape Hubba Bubba bubble gum, and a Hawaiian favorite: Crack Seed (dried fruits that have been marinated in a strange concoction of salt and sugar and other mysterious spices). A favorite childhood memory is watching my brother do a puzzle of the United States, and wondering how they got all the states to fit together…. I thought all the states were islands like Hawaii! After graduating from Punahou school, I attended the Univ. of CO at Boulder, majoring in Biology. I’ve developed kids’ programs for state parks, an oceanarium, another museum in central Oregon, and I now get to release my inner child professionally at Working Wonders!
Jenny McKenzie
Education & Outreach Manager (541-389-4500 ext. 15)
Jack Nicklaw
Administrative Assistant (541-389-4500 ext. 14)
With the nickname Jackie, I just wanted to be big. I got taller (but no heavier)
so Stick Figure & Skeletor came about. Let’s talk about TOYS. Three words: Legos, Legos, & Legos. When not building, we climbed trees, played “ditch” (team hide-n-seek), baseball, and rode our bikes all over town “until the street lights came on” (and “ten minutes more, pleeeease?”) Indoors was board games and puzzles. Here’s my favorite subject: CANDY. I haven’t met a chocolate I didn’t like, but Reese’s was always #1. Besides candy, my fondest memory is the year we won the local Little League Baseball championship—the final game was undecided ‘til the last inning! I entered adulthood long enough to earn a B.A. at Cal State University, Northridge, School of Communication and Professional Studies (a fancy name for Speech Communication), emphasis in Sales/Marketing. Self-employed ever since, I’m now paid to play at Working Wonders!Discovery Guides
Anne Egan
My Dad was in the Navy so I lived in a variety of places on the West Coast, 
Japan and 3 years in Washington DC. I claim San Diego as home. My favorite childhood toy was a striped tiger my Dad brought me from the War, named “Tigger”. One of my fondest childhood memories was playing with younger Brother at WindNSea Beach during our Summer visits to the Grandparents. I attended California State University at Long Beach and majored in Speech Communication (Public Speaking). My career was in Transportation/International Freight Sales, and later I owned an Internet Letter of Credit Business. I have always volunteered to work with children of all ages. My two children (son and daughter) are grown. They are thrilled to know their MOM is still working with little kids. I reside in the Country with a wonderful man and a dog. I enjoy art and have a studio in a 100 year old barn.
Aubrey Scarborough
Kaitlin Humphreys
Weird enough, I don’t have a nickname. My mom and some close friends call me Kait sometimes, and when I was little my dad called me “pumpkin,” but 
that was the extent of it. I was a complete Barbie fan and could not get enough of them. But I’d also say I had one of the most vivid imaginations of any other kid I knew. I could make a stump into a dining room table, my living room into a college classroom and my bedroom into a tower in a palace. And I still believe that my imagination is the only toy I really need. I have a giant sweet tooth and I like ALL candy. There really is no favorite, it changes with the wind! I was lucky enough to have parents who were travelers so most of my fond memories as a kid come from adventures with my parents. One set of grandparents lived in Washington and the others in Maryland so I was definitely bi-coastal at a young age. And at 9 I got to visit more family, that time in Germany! I am currently working on getting my BA from Southern Oregon University in Theater Arts with an emphasis in Performance.
Matt Charlesworth
Tags: discovery guide, Staff
