Meet Our Team

Cynthia Barraza (she/her) is the school quality manager at AMS. She oversees schools joining and progressing through the Pathway for Continuous Improvement. She supports school leaders to apply the 5 core components of Montessori in each of their unique schools.

Hannah Joy Baynham (she/her) is the director of learning and professional development at AMS. She helps to consider the continuous spiritual preparation of the Montessori guide, by listening, creating, and responding to the community’s needs for professional development. Ask her about the AMS Learning on demand library or about many of our wonderful professional development opportunities.

Dr. Dean Blase (she/her), EdLD, is the deputy director of education at AMS. She is a veteran educator, serving in many capacities: as an AMS secondary credentialed former teacher and principal at Clark Montessori, a former assistant superintendent, and a principal supervisor. She specializes in imagining systems that increase human capacity and joy. At AMS, Dean oversees the day-to-day integration of four AMS areas that are integral to AMS adult learners: Teacher Education, Professional Development, Equity, and Engagement. She will also liaise with the AMS Research Committee.

Niels Bolle (he/him) is the design consultant for AMS and the Montessori Life magazine. He continues to apply his tremendous skill and artistry to a wide variety of print, packaging, and digital media projects for AMS events and publications.

Stephanie Cavinder (she/her) is a member of the teacher education department at AMS. She helps teacher education programs become affiliated with AMS and assists with the scholarship processes for adult learners. She supports quality adult Montessori education.

Rachel Cole (she/her), M.Ed, is the Community Engagement Lead at AMS. Rachel has a wealth of experience as a Montessorian serving as a Montessori teacher in both public and private schools, a micro-school founder, curriculum director and instructional coach, ELF graduate, and Montessori parent. In the Events Department, Rachel will plan, manage, and implement the Regional Symposium events, support the work of the Regional Action Commission, and assist with other events. In Membership, Rachel will be responsible for implementing and managing the new Head of School Cohort Project (still in the development phase) that will provide mentorship and support for groups of school heads throughout the country through an ambassadorship program.

Nicole Coman (she/her) is one of the co-hosts of the Educating the Human Potential podcast, produced by AMS. As a licensed educational psychologist, Nicole brings a wealth of expertise in school psychology and child development. Her experience with educational practices, Montessori education, and child development allows for an ever-captivating and insightful dialogue.

Marie Conti (she/her) is the senior director of community and events at AMS. She manages regional initiatives and the AMS Regional Action Commission (RAC) and maintains relationships with local groups, state Montessori organizations, Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI), and community organizations aligned with AMS’s work and mission to increase stakeholder connection. She also oversees events including The Montessori Event, Traveling Symposium, and Leadership Labposium.

Ayana Crawford (she/her), MEd, is the director of school accreditation at AMS. She supports member schools through every stage of the accreditation process. She also manages pathway schools that become accreditation candidates and the eligibility of accredited schools.

Rachel Davis (she/her) is the registrar at AMS. She oversees the registration and credential recommendation process for teacher education programs and adult learners. She provides guidance and support to teacher education programs from the point of registration through to credentialing. Rachel also works closely with credential services under the teacher education department of AMS.

Nikki Dipaola (she/her) is the staff accountant at AMS. She is responsible for payables, collections, recording transactions, and invoicing. She also maintains financial records and assists in the preparation of the annual audit.

Cathy is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Consultant for AMS, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing our commitment to inclusivity and engagement. She leads AMS’s DEIB efforts by identifying key areas for impact and fostering an environment where all members feel a sense of belonging. Cathy collaborates with the Community Engagement & Action Committee (CEAC), oversees AMS affinity groups, and coordinates focus groups to deepen engagement in social justice, global citizenship, and professional development. She holds a BA in Economics and Psychology and an AMS Infant-Toddler Montessori credential.

Deborah Elias (she/her) is the conference consultant for The Montessori Event. She is a highly-experienced event planner with an impressive career spanning over 25 years. Deborah is the founder of Elias Events, LLC, based in Houston, Texas, and her expertise in event planning has led to the successful execution of a wide range of exceptional events in the United States and various international destinations.

Dorothy Ewing (she/her) is the membership development and operations manager at AMS. She builds meaningful relationships with heads of school and adult learners to help them reach their membership goals. She has a passion for helping others and works closely with the membership, marketing, and communication teams.

Danielle Hardoon (she/her) is the public Montessori school program consultant at AMS. She connects and communicates with current AMS public Montessori member schools and supports unaffiliated public schools interested in AMS membership. Danielle works with the professional development team to design AMS Learning and live sessions for public school Montessori educators. Danielle also leads AMS’s Championing Montessori in Public Schools Initiative (CMPSI) program.

Helen Hass is the retention and engagement marketing manager at AMS. She is responsible for community engagement and membership retention by developing targeted marketing campaigns across events, classes, and member communication. Through strategic planning and collaboration with the organization’s other departments, Helen supports AMS’s mission by increasing attendance, engagement, and retention within its diverse community.

Deb Hoffman is the senior director of finance and people operations at AMS. She is responsible for overall leadership and strategic direction of several administrative functions including: Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology.

Andrew Hofland is director of information technology at AMS. He manages AMS’s IT infrastructure and services, including AMS’s databases, web spaces, and computer systems.

Jasmine Johnson (she/her) is a membership services specialist at AMS. She provides guidance on membership needs, offers maintenance support, and enhances the overall membership experience. Jasmine has been working in Montessori since 2014 and has her AMS Early Childhood credential. She has worked at both the Infant & Toddler and Early Childhood levels and also held a role of diversity, equity, and inclusion director before joining AMS. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys hiking, biking, painting, and traveling.

Carey Jones (she/her) is editor of Montessori Life magazine. She lives in Denver, CO with her husband and two daughters and in her free time likes cooking, reading, and learning languages.

Gina Lofquist (she/her) MEd, is the senior director of education and strategic initiatives at AMS. She oversees the professional development and teacher education areas while also developing and implementing multiple strategic initiatives. She guides efforts that offer Montessori programming for the community and works to strengthen AMS’s Montessori. She works with several AMS committees and builds relationships globally.

Jesmine Lok is the Mandarin language operation consultant of AMS for China. She is from Malaysia, living and working in Boston for 10 years, and now has been in China for 11 years. She works closely with AMS to continue providing quality Montessori education for the Mandarin language community. She is the liaison of AMS-China WeChat Platform and translates Montessori blogs and videos to Mandarin to better serve the Mandarin language members. She also supports the stewardship and events of AMS for China.

Biff Maier (he/him) is one of the co-hosts of the Educating the Human Potential podcast, produced by AMS. Biff is an AMS Living Legacy, a former Montessori head of school, and a former teacher education program director. These deep-rooted connections with Montessori education, his passion for Montessori principles, and his legacy within AMS make him the perfect addition to our podcast team.

George Markham (he/him) is a former head of two Montessori schools, and for the last 12 years he has managed the AMS exhibit hall at The Montessori Event. Through close relationships with vendors, he works to assure a high-value exhibit hall, where teachers and administrators can find virtually any product, service, or organization that they need.

Xiaoping Mei is the accounting manager at AMS. She takes care of Accounts Receivable, payroll, retirement plan, and month end closing including bank account reconciliations.

Marcos Miller (he/him) is the registration and credential services coordinator. He assists programs with their adult learner registrations as well as oversees the credential service area. Marcos also coordinates the printing and mailing of credentials to new adult learners.

Brenda Modliszewski (she/her) has served as the Montessori Life copy editor for almost 20 years. Brenda provides editorial consulting services and ensures that the magazine is consistent, accurate, and meeting the rigorous standards of AMS. She lives outside of Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, son, dog, cat, and a fish named Harold, Jr.

Katherine Nguyen (she/her), is the accreditation services coordinator at AMS. She supports the prospective applicants throughout the accreditation process.

Melina Papadimitriou (she/her) MAED, is the director of teacher education at AMS. She is an experienced Montessorian with Early Childhood and Elementary certifications, teaching and principal licensures, and experience as a teacher, head of school, university TEP program director and instructor, and public and private school consultant. Together with the whole teacher education team, Melina provides guidance and support for aspiring, new, and existing AMS-affiliated teacher education programs (TEPs). She oversees both the affiliation and the adult learner-related work of AMS teacher education.

Jason Roth is the senior director of marketing and communication at AMS and is responsible for leading the strategy and execution of AMS’s efforts to optimize member engagement, acquire new members, and disseminate news of AMS’s activities, working across all digital and traditional marketing channels. He also oversees AMS’s advertising and sponsorship sales activities.

Natalie Sanchez (she/her) is the growth marketing manager at AMS and Montessori parent of two Early Childhood students. She is passionate about expanding the global AMS community by attracting new individuals and member schools through targeted communications and strategic campaigns. Natalie works closely with her teammates to build a meaningful experience for new members, teach the community about our AMS offerings, and further the growth of Montessori Education.

Sherita Sargusingh (she/her) is the affinity group coordinator and the ABAR instructional support at AMS. Sherita assures that all facilitators and attendees have direct communication, access, and support for monthly affinity group meetings. She also supports the Antibias, Anti-Racist teacher education certificate program, working directly with the LMS via Canvas Infrastructure, and corresponding with the AMS director of equity and inclusion.

Katie Sharpe (she/her), EdD, is the online learning instructional designer at AMS. She coordinates the design, development, and delivery of online learning experiences and collaborates with Montessori experts on ways they can share their expertise across a variety of web platforms. Katie also supports content developers as they deliver their courses online and explore innovative teaching and learning tools. Katie also holds an AMS Early Childhood credential.

Munir Shivji (he/him) is the executive director at AMS. For over 20 years, he has been a noteworthy leader in Montessori education—as a former teacher, instructor, school administrator, and teacher education program administrator. He is an inspirational multi-AMS-Montessori credentialed leader who observes, connects, and tells stories that inspire action while also being grounded in business and financial acumen that levers the American Montessori Society for future success. Munir takes the collective voice and vision and makes it a reality through creative strategy development. Respected as a leading voice in Montessori, Munir connects AMS members and the Montessori community, establishes meaningful experiences for all stakeholders, and leads by example, always doing his best and encouraging others to do the same.

Lily Stange (she/her) is a member services specialist at AMS. She works closely with the membership and accreditation departments as well as the event teams to help organize and disperse information with school and individual membership, provide support with account inquiries and benefits, and help foster a positive and rewarding experience for members.

Melanie Thiesse (she/her) is the senior director of membership & school accreditation at AMS. She strives to build a strong and growing community of individuals dedicated to high-quality Montessori throughout the world. Melanie oversees all benefits and processes of membership and accreditation, builds relationships with state organizations and cooperating accreditation associations, and is the staff liaison to the school accreditation commission.

James Timmerman (he/him) is the video editor and videographer at AMS. James, while a member of the professional development department, also creates educational, informational, and promotional videos for other departments.

Kaija Warner (she/her) is one of the teacher education associates at AMS. She assists teacher education programs (TEPs) throughout the AMS affiliation and renewal process, supports currently affiliated TEPs, TEAC, and the AMS TE community, and helps with all things behind the scenes in teacher education.

Bay Warren is the professional development coordinator at AMS. She manages registrations and enrollments for Instructor Academy, Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program, AMS certificate classes, and You and Your Child’s Montessori Education. She also manages the AMS video learning library and the continuing education units (CEU) certificate request process.

Kayte Zowine (she/her) is the events logistics lead at AMS, working in partnership with internal and external community members to assure our AMS events run smoothly. She coordinates the multitude of logistics required for complex events, serves as the point of contact for presenters at The Montessori Event and regional symposia, and is fiercely dedicated to highly organized spreadsheets.