Contact the AMS Staff & Board of Directors

Maria works closely with our CEO to support AMS’s key strategic priorities and membership outreach. She offers daily administrative support and is a liaison between AMS staff, the Board of Directors, and AMS members. She loves adventuring outdoors; she once camped throughout Iceland and only slept in tents!

Andrew manages our IT infrastructure and services, including AMS’s databases, web spaces, and computer systems. Maximizing the member experience and staff efficiency is his bread and butter. If he could meet one person from history, it would be Leonardo da Vinci because, “He was a polymath if ever there was one.”

Matthew is a master problem solver when it comes to online member utilities, including AMS’s web spaces, jobs board, and community messaging platforms. He has always dreamt of becoming an astronaut, and hopes to someday travel to outer space.

Kristine develops and maintains relationships with members, donors, board, volunteers, and other AMS partners. She is responsible for advancing AMS’s interests to strengthen ties in the Montessori community and education landscape through procurement of event sponsorships. Did you know: Kristine was voted “cutest baby” in her hometown and was featured in her local newspaper!

Iris helps build AMS’s presence in China through membership, teacher education, school improvement and accreditation, and professional development events. She represents AMS as a Montessori advocate at conferences in Asia. Iris loves hiking in the mountains and meeting her whale friends at the beach.

Henri provides high-level oversight of all systems related to AMS finances, including tax and treasury functions. He also oversees our IT and fundraising departments. Originally from Vichy, France, his favorite place in the world is Biarritz, France.

Specializing in finance and accounting, Xiaoping is responsible for receivables and payables. She is our favorite person on “pay day!” In her spare time, she likes to shop online and daydream about her favorite place: Maldives.

Yan supports the accounts payable and receivables in our finance department. She is detail-oriented and a master with numbers. As a nature lover, her goal is to explore as many national parks as she can with her friends and family. So far, she has visited 6!

As a marketing specialist, Jeff oversees the promotion of all our programs, events, and public awareness campaigns. He is responsible for AMS’s emails, social media, event marketing, and SEO efforts. He works closely with all areas of the company to support AMS initiatives. He sees nearly every show that comes to Broadway, and has seen over 3,000 theatrical performances.

John focuses on making AMS’s user experience for our online platforms as superb as possible. He updates our website and implements best practices on a regular basis, constantly innovating and problem-solving. John loves camping in an RV, especially in Zion National Park. He is the fourth John Thomas Mohr in his family, and as a kid, he thought it was a very regal thing to be. We think so too, John!

Ash creates many of AMS’s email campaigns, event marketing collateral, and social media posts. Adroit in all things Adobe, she also designs many of AMS’s ads and newsletters, such as This Week at AMS and TEP Talk. If she could meet one person from history it would be the Obamas. “Just one of them? Fine… then just Barack.”

Alix lends her voice to most of AMS’s communications. She facilitates the creation of many of AMS’s communications projects, including the AMS Prism, The Montessori Event program guide, and Community News dispatches in Montessori Life magazine. She loves photographing her travel adventures; she once traveled through India solo and attended a traditional 4-day wedding. She did not know the bride or groom, nor the 600 other guests!

As co-editor of Montessori Life, Kathy commissions stories, reviews submissions, and polishes and edits articles for publication. She works with authors, AMS staff, and a team of graphic designers and printers to get the magazine to subscribers on time. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and writing.

As co-editor of Montessori Life, Carey commissions stories, reviews submissions, and polishes and edits articles for publication. She creates and manages the production schedule, working with authors, AMS staff, and a team of graphic designers and printers to get the magazine to subscribers on time. On weekends, she goes to farmers’ markets, cooks, and reads.

Michele is responsible for all vendor advertising on the AMS website, as well as in digital communications and organization publications, including Montessori Life magazine.

Cathy draws from her many years of public relations experience to secure press placements on behalf of AMS. She broadens public awareness about our organization, and she spreads the good word about Montessori in general. If you come across an article with a quote or interview featuring an AMS representative, chances are Cathy coordinated it. She loves watching old black-and-white movies, and her favorite place in the world is the North Fork of Long Island.

Carla draws from her years of experience in Montessori school administration to ensure our membership program is invaluable to every member of AMS. She provides customized expertise to current members, and actively recruits new ones. She also coordinates school tours at The Montessori Event. She enjoys whistling, singing, and spending time in nature.

Brittany knows AMS membership through and through. She processes school membership applications and renewals, responds to membership-related inquiries, and connects with prospective schools to expand our membership community. She is also a pet parent to a tarantula named Harry, 2 chameleons named Newman and Lambo, and 3 geckos named Mocha, Stripe, and Dunkin!

Caitlin processes school membership applications and payments. As our database expert, she unravels issues that may arise when schools are applying for membership or trying to access their benefits. On the weekends, Caitlin enjoys walking through Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, and venturing outside of NYC to go hiking.

Cara oversees our conferences and symposia, with her central focus being The Montessori Event. She manages everything from creating the program and scheduling to collaborating with presenters and coordinating volunteers—and everything in between. If you attend the Event (which you should!), you will probably have an opportunity to experience Cara’s bubbly personality firsthand. On the weekends, Cara loves going antiquing and yard sale hopping. You may also find her knitting, painting, and designing sets and interiors!

Through the use of online learning platforms, social media, and in-person experiences, Joshua fosters environments that equip adult learners with the tools they need to pursue their curiosities. He applies Montessori philosophies to adult learning environments that we typically apply with children. Joshua loves spending time with his wife and daughters, going on outdoor adventures, and vacationing on Sanibel Island.

Joseph oversees onsite logistics for our conferences and symposia, with his central focus being The Montessori Event. He manages details related to tours and transportation, as well as catering and entertainment. When he was younger, he wanted to be a crime scene investigator.

George handles all aspects of the AMS Exhibit Hall at The Montessori Event, including applications, shipping, booth preparation, vendor support, and everything in between. His bottom line: ensuring the Exhibit Hall is a smashing success for attendees and exhibitors alike. One of George’s hobbies is working on his car collection.

John supports AMS’s professional development team on video production to develop interactive online learning products. He assists with everything ranging from directing to lighting to editing. He also provides virtual training to members on a variety of educational technologies. After work you can find John skateboarding, playing with his mini Labrador, Izzy, and making a mean batch of cold brew coffee.

Xiaojing oversees registrations for The Montessori Event, as well as Event-related requests such as CEU orders, certificates of continuing professional development, and visa letters for international attendees. Say “nǐ hǎo” to Xiaojing; she welcomes inquiries and conversation in both Mandarin, which is her native language, and in English. And, she loves watching movies.

Angela oversees AMS white papers and the Research Library on our website. She is editor of the Journal of Montessori Research and teaches research and statistics at the University of Kansas. She also teaches tap dance to children!

Melanie oversees school accreditation, the Pathway of Continuous School Improvement, and research initiatives. She partners with external organizations to increase and maintain quality Montessori schools worldwide, and she is the AMS liaison to the School Accreditation Commission. You may find her out and about in the community, as she often represents AMS at far-flung education conferences. This is quite fitting as she describes herself as the definition of “wanderlust”—she’s been to 26 countries and 38 of the United States (so far).

Jen brings her many years of Montessori experience to her role as the AMS Pathway of Continuous School Improvement Manager. She is eager to guide you through the process of self-reflection and articulation of quality to help you reach your goal of high-fidelity implementation of Montessori. When she’s away from her desk, Jen savors time with her family, enjoys reading books, and loves to swim in Lake Michigan.

Shannon guides schools through the AMS accreditation process and coordinates school accreditation team visits. In her spare time, she enjoys kickboxing classes and writes young adult novels. She also writes reviews of young adult literature for Montessori Life magazine.

Peter is our consultant working on the AMS Pathway of Continuous School Improvement—a program that can help member schools reach and maintain high levels of quality Montessori. He lives in Minneapolis and enjoys walking, running, biking around, and skating on Lake Nokomis. And, in the morning, he sometimes turns his shower to full-blast cold to see how long he can stand it. “Really, it’s good for you!” We’ll take your word for it, Peter.

Melina oversees all teacher education services, including affiliation applications and self-studies, adult learner registration, credentials, and scholarships. She also collaborates with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education on the affiliation of teacher education programs. Originally from Greece, her favorite place in the world is the Aegean Sea.

Angelique is an AMS credentials expert. She not only processes credentials, she also provides replacement credentials, credential upgrades, and credential verification letters for employers or state licensing agencies. In addition, she processes teacher education program transcripts. After work, she enjoys playing Pokémon Go, and watching “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” with her boyfriend, sometimes followed by “Star Trek” reruns.

Emilie’s flexible and adaptable nature enables her to successfully wear many hats. On any given day, she provides administrative support to the chief education & learning officer, while also managing details related to AMS events, community relations, professional development, school quality & accreditation, and teacher education! When she isn’t at work, you can find her writing, baking, and practicing music.

Sophia works with directors of teacher education programs on affiliation reviews, coordinates AMS teacher education scholarships, and helps to plan our annual Montessori Teacher Educators Day. When inspiration strikes, she enjoys writing poetry and song lyrics.

Director of School Success, Higher Ground Education, Lake Forest, CA

Chief Academic Officer, City Garden Montessori School, St. Louis, MO

Head of School, Woodland Hill Montessori School, Rensselaer, NY

Assistant to the Principal for Montessori, Montessori Academy at Christina, Wilmington, DE

Assistant Editor, Photography Department, the New York Times, New York, NY

Chief Executive Officer, American Montessori Society

Senior Lecturer, Department of Educational Psychology, Baylor University, Waco, TX

Executive Director/Founder, Nature’s Classroom Institute and Montessori School, Mukwonago, WI

Former Executive Director/Superintendent of California Montessori Project, Carmichael, CA (2004 – 2019)

Montessori Consultant and Adjunct Faculty, DePaul University, Chicago, IL

Director, Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, Silver Spring, MD

Head of School, Starwood Montessori School, Frisco, TX

Assistant Professor/Director of the Montessori Teacher Education Program, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, CA

Director/Assistant Professor, Institute for Montessori Innovation, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT

Montessori Learning Specialist, Montessori School of Northern Virginia, Annandale, VA

Lower Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, The Montessori Academy of Arlington, Arlington, TX

Head of School, Jarrow Montessori School, Boulder, CO