ABOUT

Ronit Matabuena-Lev, MA

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Ronit Matabuena-Lev, MA, has been educating children, teens, families, and professionals in public, nonprofit, and private educational settings for more than 30 years.  Her own education includes a B.S. with honors from U.C. Berkeley, multiple- and single-subject teaching credentials, a Master's degree in Education with a "Special Interest" in Sexuality Education from San Francisco State University, and completion of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education Teacher Training Program in 2006 and 2016.  As a classroom teacher in the public schools, Ronit taught life science, biology, anatomy and physiology, and "Sex Ed."  She has also been a Sexual Health Educator for Health Connected (formerly the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition/Teen Talk Sexuality Education), an intern at Health Initiatives For Youth (HIFY), a SOGIE Trainer for educators, mental health providers, and social workers, and the founder of Bird and Bee Education since 2007.  Ronit regularly attends conferences and trainings to ensure that she has the most up-to-date sexual health information and is utilizing best practices in the field of sexuality education.  She has participated in extensive workshops on fostering equity in educational settings and is fiercely committed to creating safe, inclusive, relevant, and empowering environments for learners of every age.  Ronit is also the proud Mommy of a 10 year-old who knows way more about her own body than her mom ever did!

Mission Statement

The mission of Bird and Bee Education is:
  • to cultivate open and supportive communication between young people and their families and other trusted adults.
  • to empower young people to make healthy choices and practice self-care for their physical, emotional, social, and sexual well being.
  • to contribute to the prevention of unintended pregnancies, STI transmission, and childhood sexual abuse, rape, and relationship violence.
  • to promote positive body image, gender identity, sexual self-expression, and the capacity to share in healthy and respectful relationships.
  • to advocate for the inclusion and celebration of all young people, families, and communities.

Educational Philosophy

Bird and Bee Education's philosophy has grown out of the following deeply-held beliefs:
  1. Young people who communicate openly about sexuality with trusted adults develop more positive identities and make healthier choices.
  2. Children and teens have the right to understand all the parts of their bodies, their functions, and their requirements and options for care.
  3. Age-appropriate, comprehensive, inclusive, nonjudgmental, and health-promoting sexuality education positively impacts young people's lives.
  4. Sexuality is a natural part of the human experience that develops and changes over the entire span of our lives.
  5. Every young person, family, and community is unique, inherently valuable, and deserving of safety and respect.