OUR TEAM

Outdoor Programming and Upper Elementary Interim Guide

Before joining Puddletown's Elementary team in 2020, Ali spent several years working in public Montessori. Ali (she, they) was born and raised in Columbus, Indiana and graduated from DePauw with a degree in Environmental Geoscience. In 2016, Ali moved to Portland for a position at a public Montessori school as an assistant in an upper elementary classroom. She then completed her AMI Elementary 6-12 training and MEd from Loyola University Maryland. As an educator, Ali is motivated by community, connection and empowerment. In addition to teaching credentials, Ali has experience utilizing restorative justice and anti-racist anti-bias (ABAR) practices. When she's not teaching, Ali is making art, hiking, or reading. She and her partner love spending time exploring all the great nooks and crannies Portland has to offer, both indoors and outdoors!

Assistant in Sunflower (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Allison (she, her) was raised on the East Coast and discovered Montessori education while teaching at Saint Maur International School in Yokohama, Japan. She connected with Maria Montessori’s pedagogical approach that each child has the potential to self-create and offer their innate gifts to our world. Allison received her AMI Primary diploma at the Washington Montessori Institute in DC, where she studied under Hildegard Solzbacher, and her AMI Infancy diploma under Dr. Silvana Montanaro at the Montessori Institute in San Diego. She taught at Marin Montessori School in Corte Madera, CA, and was the founder of Laurelhurst Montessori School in Portland, OR, which she led for over a decade. Allison holds a BA degree in English and Drama from Saint Mary’s College of Maryland. With a deep passion for early childhood education within the Montessori framework, she is dedicated to helping each child realize their full potential through exploration, discovery and independence in a nurturing and respectful environment. In her free time Allison enjoys traveling, creating art, and exploring in nature with her two daughters.

Assistant in Lavender (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Andi (she, her) was born in Denver, Colorado and spent her childhood there. She moved to Oregon when she was in middle school, and fell in love with the northwest so she never left. Andi graduated from Oregon State University and worked for several years in the insurance business before starting a family. When her first daughter was born over 13 years ago, she decided to become a stay at home mom. Then when her daughter was old enough for preschool she knew she wanted her to attend Montessori just like herself, because it had such a positive impact on her life.

Once she discovered Puddletown she never looked back, and her oldest attended through third grade. Now her youngest children represent all three preschool-kindergarten classrooms. When not at Puddletown, Andi enjoys being with family, cooking, camping, hanging out with her dogs, slowly renovating her old house, and listening to music.

Admissions and Co-Founder of Puddletown School

Andrea (she, her) is a co-founder of Puddletown Montessori School. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Creative Writing from Colorado State University. After graduating she headed a creative writing and arts program at a local Fort Collins, Colorado preschool. Andrea then moved to Portland where she began assisting and teaching at the Northwest Children’s Theater. She returned to school in 2001 to receive her Montessori Primary (ages 3-6) Diploma from Montessori Northwest and a Master's of Montessori Education from Loyola University. She has worked with many Portland public schools and local Montessori schools through outreach and other after school programs. Andrea has served on the Oregon Montessori Association Board of Directors. Since stepping back from her leadership role at Puddletown, she started showstopper cookies! In her free time Andrea enjoys baking, walking her dog, traveling, reading and swimming in the ocean.

Outdoor Classroom; Schoolwide Support; Aftercare

Andy (he, him) was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Portland in 2002. Andy worked all over the city before starting a family, and becoming a stay-at-home dad. He spent many years as a parent volunteer in Puddletown's Outdoor Classroom prior to formally becoming the Outdoor Classroom (OC) assistant in 2021 and OC guide in 2024 when his love for the Puddletown community and for childhood wonder drove him to this as a new career. When Andy's not at school, he enjoys reading comic books, DJing, exploring new restaurants, live music, stand-up comedy, podcasting, and skateboarding.

Early Care and Schoolwide Support

Angela (she, her) was born and raised in Southern New Jersey near Philadelphia and considers herself a jack-of-all-trades. In 2004 she attended the University of the Arts as a Craft/Metals major, with a focus on body adornment/jewelry. In 2012, Angela moved to Portland to officially study Middle Eastern Dance. While embarking on a dance career, she began training at Montessori Northwest where she received her AMI Primary diploma (ages 3-6) as well as an MEd from Loyola University Maryland.

In 2019, Angela made another decision to become a Death Midwife (www.heartwisewoman.com). Angela hopes to educate those around her, young and old - to teach them that death doesn’t have to be a scary thing to talk about. When not at Puddletown, Angela is baking, reading, dancing, hanging with horses or creating in her art studio. She loves spending time exploring, staying at various Air BNBs, creating jewelry, and singing to her cats!

Lead Guide in Sunflower (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Blair (she, her) was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and grew up on the eastern side of Washington state. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Portland State University, majoring in Community Development with a minor in Sustainable Urban Development. After several years of working in the nonprofit sector, Blair had the pleasure of staying home with her children who went on to join a Montessori classroom. Blair immediately fell in love with Montessori and decided to return to school to deepen her knowledge of the subject. Blair completed her AMI Primary training (ages 3-6) at Montessori Northwest in conjunction with earning a Master’s degree in Montessori Education from Loyola University. Upon graduating, she has worked as both an assistant and lead guide in the Portland Montessori scene.

In her free time, Blair enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters hiking, camping and backpacking; reading, gardening, embroidering, making sourdough bread, cooking delicious vegan meals and playing with the family’s dog Max.

Executive Director and Head of School: Interim Elementary Coordinator

Brie (they, she) has a deep commitment to Montessori pedagogy and has spent over 20 years in Montessori Elementary and Early Childhood classrooms. They have a Masters in Elementary Education (K-8) and Montessori Elementary credentials (ages 6-12), as well as a lifelong love of learning. Her approach is rooted in a strong belief in equity, inclusion, and social justice—ensuring that each learner is seen, valued, and empowered. They are committed to cultivating classroom values that uphold community, foster belonging, and support social-emotional learning. Brie is very excited to be joining the Puddletown community and to be so aligned with the mission and value system of the school. When not thinking about educational philosophy and child development, Brie likes to travel, be in or near water, hang out with her teenage kids and dog, read books, eat tasty food, or learn a new craft

Registrar; Program Promotion; Aftercare

Growing up in Corvallis, Corinne's mom was an assistant in a Montessori preschool-kindergarten classroom while Corinne (she, her) attended another Montessori program nearby. Corinne has BA in English from University of Oregon, AMI Primary Diploma from Montessori Northwest (MNW), and M.Ed from Loyola University of Maryland. Corinne spent 12 years as Primary Course Assistant at MNW, has served on the board of the Oregon Montessori Association (OMA), and is a past recipient of the OMA Outstanding Dedication Award. Corinne enjoys working with both adult and child members of the Montessori community. She joined Puddletown as the Outdoor Classroom Guide in 2018, and has been on the administrative team since 2021. Her favorite Montessori role, however, has been parenting her own Montessori learner/daughter who was in Montessori from age 2-14. In Corinne's free time, she enjoys visiting the Oregon Coast, working on her home's Backyard Habitat, learning about the natural world, and cuddling her pets.

Operations and Administrative Support for Camps

Celine (they, them) is passionate about supporting educators, working collaboratively towards liberatory education, and fostering a work environment where staff feel valued as whole people. In addition to facilitating day-to-day operations, Celine also assists with state compliance, and helps coordinate Puddletown's camps.

Celine began their journey at Puddletown as a substitute teacher, where they quickly developed a passion for Montessori education. This passion led them to a role as a classroom assistant in the Sage Classroom, where they spent four fulfilling years. Outside of school, Celine enjoys spending time with their three beloved cats, cooking delicious food, and taking naps

Lead Guide in Lavender (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Emi (she, her) has been the lead guide in the Lavender classroom since 2014. Before joining Puddletown in 2011 as the assistant in the Lavender classroom, Emi had worked in varied environments caring for children including daycare, summer camp, and nanny work. Emi received a BA in Psychology from University of Hartford. Once arriving in Portland from the east coast, she received her AMI Primary diploma (ages 3-6) from Montessori Northwest. Emi is committed to the essence of the Montessori method and believes in the marvel of the true nature of the child. In her free time, Emi enjoys walking, writing, drawing, cooking, listening to records and spending time with her family.

Assistant to the Head of School

Emilia (they, them) grew up in the Twin Cities, before traveling out west to Vancouver, BC to attend the University of British Columbia. They studied cognitive systems and computer science, and really found their groove in a teaching assistant position, ultimately deciding to switch paths towards education. Since then, they’ve worked at a natural history museum teaching earth and planetary sciences to incoming field trips, and led an aftercare program at a French immersion elementary. Outside of school, Emilia enjoys thrifting, playing board and card games, writing when the mood strikes, and spending time with friends.

Fundraising, Invoicing

Erin (she, her) began volunteering as a Puddletown parent in 2013 and has been a staff member at Puddletown since 2017. She is a former therapist to children and families. Erin has an MS in Counseling Psychology from Lewis and Clark Graduate College and a BA in Political Science from Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. It was at Lewis and Clark where Erin's interest in Montessori sparked, and she graduated knowing that she really wanted any of her future children to attend a Montessori program or school. As soon as she met Sam and Andrea, then the lovely teaching staff at Puddletown, she knew this was where she wanted her kids to stay, and for as long as possible. Erin wishes for and wants to work toward the Montessori experience being available to all children and interested families. She has a long history in research (marketing and scholarly), making her inquisitive, efficient and organized. She's slowly run a marathon and many halves, played roller derby competitively across the country, and now is well practiced at home improvement projects, singing camp songs and playing elaborate rounds of charades with her three fantastic children (all Puddletown alum) and thespian-at-heart husband, Eddie.

Midday Support

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LETRS certified Literacy Specialist and Schoolwide Support

Before joining the Puddletown family, Kay (they, them) worked 12 years in education. Kay was born and raised in the cornfields of Illinois, where they attended Northern Illinois University for a degree in Environmental Geosciences. Upon graduation, Kay worked as a Ranger for the National Park Service, traveling to unique places as far off as Alaska. As a lifelong learner, Kay was called to work in education where their passion for imaginative play has found purpose. Since then, they have fallen in love with Portland for its quirkiness and natural beauty. When not teaching, Kay enjoys outdoor adventures, tabletop roleplaying games, and painting their hundreds of miniatures.

Accommodations Director

Lee (they, them) joined Puddletown in 2022 as a regular substitute for Red Cedar. Before helping at Puddletown, they taught high school history, government, and economics in traditional schools in the Portland area since 2013. Lee is originally from Boston, but fell in love with Portland when they came here to get their BA in religion at Reed College. They also have a graduate degree in religion and history from the University of Oxford, as well as their MA in Teaching from Lewis and Clark. Lee is thrilled to be experience Montessori education alongside their own kids in the Red Cedar classroom! When not teaching, Lee is likely in the garden at home, unless they are playing video games.

Primary Support and Aftecare

Liz (she, her) grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and still spends her summers in the land of lakes. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. In 2011 Liz moved to Portland to take the Primary Training at Montessori Northwest. Liz went on to earn a Masters in Education from Loyola University in 2013. Since 2012, she has worked at three Montessori schools in the Portland area at the primary level, as well as assisting and supporting at the elementary level. Most recently she has been providing reading support to five and six year olds and learning about the science of reading. She most enjoys the primary age because of their cuteness and because they give the funniest quotes. Liz’s hobbies include creating art, photography, pet care and training, playing team sports, travel, being by/in/on the water, camping, hiking, and learning about nature.

Lead Guide in Sword Fern (Middle School)

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Lead Guide in Sage (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Rachael (she, her) earned her AMI 3-6 Primary diploma from Montessori Northwest and M.Ed. in Montessori Education from Whitworth University. She was a Montessori child herself, and spent several years teaching 6th-8th grade in Iowa before moving here to Portland. After several years immersing herself in books at Powell’s Books, Rachael has returned to her Montessori roots. She appreciates the power Montessori has to support transformation in the child, the adult, and the community. When not at Puddletown, you can usually find her reading, running, working on a craft project, or learning to play the banjo.

Assistant in Sage (Preschool-Kindergarten)

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Special Support for Lower Elementary

Sab (they, he, she) was born and raised in New Mexico with a big and passionate family. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, Sab began work with an ABA company. During their 3 1/2 years there, Sab was able to connect with his clients and forge new friendships. Sab's work with the ABA company led them to overlapping with Puddletown where they were amazed and calmed by the learning environment and how accommodating and understanding the staff can be. When Sab is not advocating and learning to understand different ways to communicate with the students, she is yearning for more renaissance fairs while exploring antique and vintage shops with their spouse. Sab can also be found at his home reading and writing as its cats cuddle with them or passionately watching and playing dungeons and dragons. With their extra spare time they facetime their family while watching various shows with them. Feel free to ask her about his favorite Odyssey musical that is still a work in progress.

Assistant Head of School; Facilities; Co-founder of Puddletown

Sam (he, him) is a co-founder of Puddletown Montessori School. After working in more traditional educational settings, Sam volunteered in a Montessori classroom on the Oregon Coast to develop an immersion program for Spanish speaking students. He went on to get his Montessori 3-6 Primary Diploma from Montessori Northwest and a Master's of Education from Loyola University in Baltimore and has been invested in Montessori education since 1996. He began teaching in Connecticut at a Montessori school with the Hartford Public School system, becoming involved in the planning and development of the Learning Corridor with Trinity College. After returning to the Pacific Northwest, Sam taught at an Elementary program and worked to establish a Montessori middle school. Eventually the desire to return to the Primary classroom and a willing partner led to starting Puddletown School. 

Interim Lower Elementary Guide

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