Site Director: Mrs. Kaylee Nathe 

Kaylee "Hollywood" Nathe has been a dedicated member of the STARBASE Fort Harrison team since 2015. A native of Havre, MT, she attended Montana State University-Northern, earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Kaylee began her career at STARBASE as a program instructor, later advancing to deputy director, and in June 2024, she proudly assumed the role of director. 

Before joining STARBASE, Kaylee taught a combined 2nd and 3rd grade class in Saco, MT. Her passion for STEAM education shines through every day as she engages and inspires students with hands-on learning experiences. In addition to her extensive teaching experience, Kaylee holds a Master of Education in Learning and Technology from Western Governors University, further solidifying her commitment to innovative and impactful education.

When Kaylee is not at STARBASE, she can be found enjoying time with her husband (Logan), daughter (Alivia), and son (Riley). Together they enjoy traveling and camping. She is also a big fan of spending time with friends and any board game!

Office Manager: Ms. Karen Grindstaff

Karen "Phoenix" Grindstaff has been a dedicated STARBASE Fort Harrison member since 2023. Originally from North Carolina, Karen followed her dream and moved to Montana in 2018.

Karen brings a diverse background in law, criminal justice, and corporate administrative experience. Before joining the STARBASE Fort Harrison team, Karen worked at Montana Veteran Affairs at Fort Harrison helping veterans and their families. While this was very rewarding, working with Helena area 5th grade students was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

When Karen is not helping with the everyday operations at STARBASE, she enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, and rescuing animals. Karen is a proud grandmother, great-grandmother, and pet parent of three rescue cats.

Deputy Director/Lead Instructor: Mr. Devon Lawson

Devon Lawson has been passionate about teaching science to students of all ages since 2004. He began his teaching career at the Montana Science Center in Bozeman, where he worked for four years while attending college. After relocating to Helena, Devon spent three years conducting field research as a fisheries technician with Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. He then spent five years as the Director of Education at ExplorationWorks before joining the STARBASE Fort Harrison team in 2016, where he continues to inspire students today. In 2022, Devon earned a Master of Education degree from Western Governor's University.

Outside of teaching, Devon enjoys spending time with his wife Becky, and their two daughters, Miranda and Alice. The family's favorite pastime is fishing, but they also enjoy Sunday drives, building with Legos, and having Nerf gun battles.

Program Instructor: Mr. Coburn Currier

STARBASE Advanced Coordinator: Ms. Kinsey Vavruska 

Kinsey "Newton" Vavruska has been teaching students of all ages formally since 2013, with a focus on math, science, engineering, and robotics. A native of East Helena, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a Mathematics Teaching Emphasis, a minor in Physics, and 

When not teaching at STARBASE Fort Harrison, Kinsey spends time encouraging students to go into STEM with everything from mentoring with STARBASE 2.0 and after school robotics classes at ExplorationWorks to coaching four FIRST Lego League Fusion robotics teams and an ExNoctis ROADS on Mars team. She additionally enjoys spending time with her family and cat, reading, building with Legos, and the occasional laser tag battle.