about us

Nicole is our Farm Programs Director and she creates the curriculum for our Junior and Future Farmer classes and camps.

Nicole is an Illinois licensed Elementary and Special Ed Teacher and has taught in many schools in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago. Along with having a knack for working with children, Nicole is passionate about animals and excited to work at our ever-growing farm!

You can find her at the Farmhouse organizing classes and upcoming events, caring for our small animals, and even teaching early childhood, special needs, and senior citizen classes!

For questions about our Farm Program, please contact her at (708) 203-0717 or email nquintavalle.doublejridingclub@gmail.com.

I think my passion for teaching and my love of all things outdoor or animal related came from my parents. As a family, growing up in Michigan, we often did outdoor activities together like swimming, skiing, skating, and hiking. In addition, I honestly cannot remember a day where I wasn’t playing outside. I have always worked in some way as a teacher whether it was as a swim instructor and coach or in classrooms working with all ages from preschoolers to adults.

I have a Masters in Education from the University of Michigan and had a career as a Corporate Trainer/Instructional Designer. I was still working as a Corporate Trainer when my husband Dave and I first moved to the Chicago area. While working in the business world I never gave up on my love of the environment and the desire to teach children about nature and our role in protecting the earth. I decided to continue my studies and earned an Aquatic Biology Certification from Shedd Aquarium. After finishing that degree I worked at Brookfield Zoo where I developed and taught programming for all students including children and adults with disabilities. I became Manager of School, Group and Teacher programming and helped to create the School of Environmental Education (SEE Team) with Riverside Brookfield High School. When our daughter came along I decided to be a stay-at-home mom.
My exposure to Double J Riding club came from years of my daughter participating in camps, riding lessons and birthday parties. I feel like it is a little oasis for our children. Seeing that Double J was offering Jr. Farmers and Nature Science classes I just knew I wanted to be a part of the Double J Riding Club team. In addition to teaching about animals and the environment around us, I have walked a sheep, cooked Goat treats, picked grass for the baby cow and given our pigs a “spa day!”

Double J Riding Club is proud to welcome Emma Wille, one of our newest Double J Farm employees! Emma has been working with horses for the past 15 years in different settings. She spent the past year interning with a Mustang trainer in Missouri learning the ropes of horse training. Emma teaches our home-school classes, Equine, Physical, and Animal Science. She is also an experienced riding instructors and teaches horse riding when she isn't in the classroom.  Emma loves working with kids of all ages and fits right in at Double J Farm!