Southwest Region of the Regional Action Commission
About the Southwest Region
About the Southwest Region
Two commissioners, Sharmeen Niazi, and Lindsey Pollock, provide support for the Southwest region, which covers the states of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
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Southwest by the Numbers
134
AMS Member Schools
10
AMS-Affiliated Teacher Education Programs
Meet the Commissioners
Sharmeen Niazi
Southwest Co-Commissioner
Sharmeen Niazi is a community liaison and Elementary guide at Archgate Montessori Academy and a teacher instructor at Shelton Montessori Training. She also serves as a MACTE field consultant for adult learners in public schools. Sharmeen is the social media coordinator for her state group Texas Education and Advocacy for Montessori. She is a graduate of the AMS Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program and holds a certification in MACAR (Montessori Applied for Children at Risk). She deeply understands the specific needs of children with learning differences and additional exceptionalities. AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, Elementary I – II).
Lindsey Pollock
Southwest Co-Commissioner
Dr. Lindsey Pollock is the Provost at Sarasota University coordinating Montessori Education degrees and a teacher at the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. She serves as the treasurer for Montessori for Social Justice and is on the board of Texas Education and Advocacy for Montessori (TEAM). For 13 years she was the principal of Garden Oaks Montessori public school in Houston ISD. Her professional experience includes 25 years in public school as a teacher, social worker, program developer, and school administrator.
“We've had the honor of working with Montessori advocacy leaders in Texas and Arizona, and we're excited to share some of the amazing work happening there! In Texas, we've partnered with Texas Education and Advocacy for Montessori (TEAM) to support Montessori educators. They're a fantastic group doing incredible things. And in Arizona, the Move On With Reading (MOWR) group is making a big impact with their focus on reading curriculum. We're impressed with their dedication!
We're passionate about Montessori education and and want to see it flourish throughout the Southwest. If you're in another state in the region and interested in starting a Montessori chapter, we'd love to help! Don't hesitate to reach out – we're here to support you.”
—Lindsey Pollock, Southwest Co-Commissioner
