Meet our amazing speakers.
This diverse set of panelist graciously gave up their time for these conversations.
Conversations that are not happening enough.
Conversations that will challenge us to reimagine the 21st century using Montessori principles.
Junnifa Uzodike
(Nigeria)
Fruitful Orchard Montessori School, Abuja, Nigeria // Nduoma Educational Services // director on the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Board
Instagram
Junnifa is AMI trained at the 0-3 (Portland, OR), 3-6 (Perugia, IT) and 6-12 (Stellenbosch, SA) levels. She lives in Nigeria with her husband and 3 Montessori children. Junnifa loves traveling, reading and paper crafting.
In my former life, I sold truck axles! Before discovering Montessori, I worked as a strategy manager for a tier one automotive company.
Marvin Jose Reyes Moreno
(Germany/Nicaragua)
Vincerola International Montessori day nursery and preschool
Marvin José Reyes Moreno is an andragogical trainer and lecturer for the Vincerola academy in Cologne Germany. BA in early childhood education. International Montessori Educator, Sustainable Development Educator, and currently the Director at Vincerola International Day Nursery and Preschool in Cologne, Germany. Develops and creates didactic material at the innovative materials department of Vincerola.
I play chess regularly
Barbara Isaacs
(UK/Czech Republic)
Montessori Europe/Montessori Musings
Montessori training birth – seven/ 6-12/ MA in Early Childhood – dissertation on play in Montessori settings. For 35 years working in Montessori community – nursery owner/teacher, teacher trainers, CEdO of MCI for 20 years. Mont course design and development, quality assurance, professional development, magazine, social justice and peace education, articles and two books published, liaison with government on ECh policy in UK, currently member of Early Childhood Forum UK, Board member Montessori Europe, Montessori granny blog to be launched in September
Larking on a trampoline and more recently ‘playing dog with a 3 year old’
Jana Morgan Herman
(US)
Jana started her journey in 1992… as a long term substitute, and eventually moving into an assistant teacher role. She taught as the lead teacher in 1999 at a private Montessori that transitioned into a charter school in 2002. She continued working in the classroom until 2015, when she took the director position.
Jana has worked as a teacher educator for 5 MACTE accredited teacher education organizations in the US and Asia, since 2001 and is the Director of Training for VMAT, a MACTE accredited training center in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Heidi van Staten
(South Africa)
Montessori Centre South Africa
An insatiable thirst for learning new things and my Montessori work allows me to live my passion every day. I achieved my first Montessori certification for ages 3 – 6 through St. Nicholas London in 1990 and worked my way through the ages groups until I completed the Orientation to Adolescent Studies in 2010. I run a Montessori school for children aged 18 months – 18 years which keeps me busy during school hours and am a fellow director of a Montessori teacher training organisation which keeps me busy after that. I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life!
I can play the piano and the flute:)
Philip Snow Gang
(US/New Zealand)
The Institute for Educational Sudies (TIES)
Philip Snow Gang, Ph.D. is Founder of The Institute for Educational Studies (TIES) and its graduate programs in Integrative Learning and Montessori Integrative Learning. He is a pioneer in the field of integrative, systemic and transformative approaches to education. He is the author of Rethinking Education and co-author of Conscious Education: The Bridge to Freedom. His new book, Educating for Right-Action and Love will be released toward the end of 2020.
I am a woodworker
Dr. Cindy Acker
(US)
The Child Unique Montessori School
Dr. Cindy Acker was trained by Ursula Thrush, and holds five degrees in human development, culture and spirituality, and educational leadership. As a UC Berkeley doctoral graduate, her dissertation involved human ideologies and perceptions shaping how we make decisions that affect the lives of others. Dr. Acker is a keynote speaker and advocate, specializing in biases, cultural recontextualization and anti racism.
I am a choir director in Novato, California, and I speak Dutch.
Hannah Joy Baynham
(UK)
Montessori Centre International ( St. Nicholas) London
Hannah Baynham has a BA in Sociology and received her International Montessori Diploma at MCI in 2009. She has worked in kindergartens and Montessori schools in India and Hong Kong and started a parent cooperative Montessori school in Istanbul which she ran for four years. She also was able to help promote Montessori in Turkey through teacher workshops for low income nurseries and early childhood education students. Her first book ‘Following the Child’ was translated and published in Turkish in 2015.
She joined MCI in August 2017 as a curriculum lecturer and is now the EYE and IMP course leader.
I was born and raised in the Himalayas
Sid Mohandas
(UK/India)
Middlesex University
Sid Mohandas is a former Montessori educator and teacher trainer, and is a guest lecturer at Middlesex University. He is the founder of The Male Montessorian (TMM) and the Montistory platforms. Sid is currently doing his doctorate at Middlesex University investigating how gender materialises in Montessori spaces using feminist posthuman/’new’ materialist theories.
I have three sugars in my tea (four sometimes!)
Tatenda Blessing Muchiriri
(US/Zimbabwe)
Montessori Lens
I’m a Montessori Education specialist. I discovered my love of Montessori when I moved to China where I had the opportunity to work with children for seven years before moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2015. I am passionate about Montessori philosophy and received my AMS Infant/Toddler and Early Childhood credential through Montessori Education Center of the Rockies, Colorado. I was privileged to be part of the American Montessori Society Emerging Leader’s Fellowship 2nd cohort 2018 and currently a cohort member for Moonshoot EdVentures Fellowship-Denver metro. I also serve as a board member for Colorado Montessori Association.
I throw my self a one man’s dance party at home
Koren Clark
(US)
Wildflower partner // KnowThySelf inc.
a Montessori-trained guide with over 20 years in the field of education. She holds an AMS Elementary I credential, an Administrator credential from New Leaders, and California state-teaching certification. She is a UC Berkeley grad and has gone on to conduct educational research internationally Egypt and studied in both Zimbabwe and Germany. Koren founded an independent school, Lotus Blossom Academy and is the designer of KnowThyself Inc., a Montessori materials and professional development organization. She currently serves on the board of the black Montessori Education fund and Montessori Life.
I am the mother of a recent 2020, high school graduate who’s name is Khepera. I named her in the African tradition of bringing to life what the village currently needs- Her name means change in the Metu Ntr, the words of the divine, commonly known as the hieroglyphs.
Regina Lulka
(Canada/Mexico)
Montessori Jewish Day School
Regina holds a Master’s of Education (OISE UT) specializing in Teacher Development and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from York University, Liberal Studies with specialization in Education and Media Studies. She received Montessori training in Mexico and AMI (Association Montessori International) Training in Toronto. She brings more than twenty years experience working with and learning from children as a directress in Montessori schools.
In addition to being the Principal of the Montessori Jewish Day School, Regina is Professor and Field Supervisor for Montessori Early Childhood Education teacher candidates at Sheridan College, and is also consultant for Montessori schools and for CCMA (Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators).
Gabriel Salomão
(Brazil)
Lar Montessori (online platform)
I am a Montessori researcher and spreader. I was a Montessori student from to 2 to 14 years old, and when I went to the University and started teaching Literature and Grammar to High School students, I went back to Montessori to improve my lessons. That led to some research projects, including a Doctorate studying Montessori in Contemporary Media, and to the beginning of the first online platform about the Montessori Method in Portuguese, Lar Montessori. Nowadays, I work with parents and teachers, schools, universities, teacher training and online courses, to help spread Montessori, both as a school practice and as a form of living peacefully with children.
I really, really like colorful striped socks, and I plan to start using them for work after the pandemics is over.
Laura Flores Shaw
(US)
Johns Hopkins University School of Education // White Paper Press
Laura Flores Shaw, an Assistant Professor in the School of Education, is extensively trained in family systems therapy and educational neuroscience. She also has direct experience as Head of School within an AMI based Montessori school framework. She instructs in the Mind, Brain, and Teaching Certificate and the Doctor of Education online programs. Laura’s work has focused on translating research from multiple areas of neuroscience, educational psychology, sustainability education, and family systems research into school design and classroom practice.
If I’m in a car, I’m likely singing.
Trisha Moquino
(Cochiti Pueblo)
Keres Children’s Learning Center
Trisha is from 3 of the 19 Pueblo villages in New Mexico: Cochiti, Ohkay Owhingeh, and Kewa. She co-founded KCLC, which opened in 2012 as a Keres-immersion early childhood classroom using Montessori pedagogy which now includes a Montessori dual-language Elementary classroom. Trisha and her colleagues launched the Indigenous Montessori Institute (IMI) in 2018 which just graduated it’s 2nd cohort. She is an Embracing Equity facilitator and enjoys being Daisy’s work wife. Trisha is a founding board member of Montessori for Social Justice and is currently a Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow with the First Nations Development Institute.
I have dance parties by myself all the time. Sometimes, my daughter will join me 🙂
KimAnh Nguyen Anderson
(Vietnam/US)
Giáo Viên Montessori Việt Nam” Facebook group
KimAnh Nguyen Anderson has 17 years of experience as an educator and administrator in private, public, and international schools. She graduated from California University of San Marcos with M.Ed in Literacy and Curriculum Design. For the past 13 years she has worked in 3-6 and 6-12 Montessori environments, both in the private and public sector. She currently teaches an upper elementary class and also has a consulting business that conducts seminars, trains teachers, and consults with school owners about best practices. Her future plans are to continue advocating for Montessori education locally and globally. Eventually KimAnh and her husband would like to relocate to Vietnam part-time, and open a Montessori school in the town where she grew up, Đà Lạt, Việt Nam.
My musical taste is stuck in the 60’s and 70’s!