Introducing The Inaugural Cohort of the AMS Innovation Fellowship Think Tank
FEBRUARY 27, 2023—The AMS Innovation Fellowship Think Tank bridges research-based concepts and creative, innovative ideas. The inaugural cohort of this year-long program begins this month, February 2023, and will offer a deeply immersive and transformative experience for Montessori leaders who are committed to driving meaningful change for the Montessori community while protecting the integrity of Montessori pedagogy and practice.
This global cohort of leaders from Montessori schools and teacher education programs value collaboration, diverse perspectives, and the exchange of knowledge. They will craft innovative approaches while experiencing an immersive Montessori program to propel our community and organization to the next level of excellence.
Learn more about our first cohort of innovators.
Meet the Fellows
Amy Ricketts
Director of Education, The Montessori School for Shreveport
Director of Curriculum & Instruction, CMStep
Shreveport, LA
Angie Wenger
Head of School
Montessori Community School
Durham, NC
Anja Markusic
Director of Programs and Staff Support
Southern NH Education Center
Londonderry, NH
Bhairavi Chandramouli
Elementary I – II School Lead Guide and Elementary Curriculum Coordinator
Montessori Academy at Sharon Springs
Atlanta, GA
Charis Sharp
Executive Director
Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School
Washington, D.C.
Claudia Mann
Mentoring for Montessori Schools, Teachers, Leaders, and Families (Elementary I & II, Secondary I)
Valley Center, CA
Dana Anderson
Children's Digital Content Specialist
Montessori Educator and Teacher Trainer (Early Childhood, Lower Elementary)
St. Petersburg, FL
David Shin
Middle School Science Department Chair and Teacher, BUILD Lead, Robotics Coach
St. Christopher's School
Richmond, VA
Debbie Adams
Teacher Education Program Director
Centre for Advanced Montessori Studies of Vancouver
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Deborah Cyrier
Head of School
The Montessori School of Camden
Kershaw County, SC
John Broome
Clinical Associate Professor of Education
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
Jordan Banko
Early Childhood Educator
Pittsburgh Montessori
Pittsburgh, PA
Jovan Wells
Founder/Chief Executive Officer
STEAMspark Montessori Experience
Farmers Branch, TX
Junnifa Uzodike
Founder and Head of School
Fruitful Orchard Montessori School
Abuja, Nigeria
Justin Tosco (he/him)
Director of Middle School
Sterling Montessori School
Durham, NC
Kate Broughton
Administrators Educator
Montessori Education Center of the Rockies
Richmond, VA
Laura Roark
Executive Director
Anchorage Montessori School
Anchorage, AK
Lisanne Pinciotti
Program Director
West Side Montessori School – Teacher Education Program
New York, NY
Maria Eva Chaffin
Owner and Founder
Seeds of Life Montessori Academy
Sarasota, FL
Maureen Harris
CEO Montessori Mozarts Inc.
Former Head of School Lakeview Montessori and LMS Teacher Education Program
Southern Ontario, Canada
Nichole Gant
Head of School
School in the Hills Montessori
Austin, TX
Pat Barton
Instructional Coach, Meyer Montessori
Early Childhood Director, AZ Montessori Teacher Education Program
Mesa, AZ
Paul Epstein
Founder and Education Director
Designs for Lifelong Learning
Beijing, China
Samantha Gleisten
Innovation and Technology Coordinator
Rogers Park Montessori School
Chicago, IL
Sarah Hassebroek
Program Director & Assistant Professor
St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN
Tala Wagner
Lead Guide, Parent Mentor
Washington, D.C.
Vyju Kadambi
Advocacy Associate
Fort Wayne, IN