I have been in the Montessori world since 2002, when I joined the staff at Near North Montessori School in Chicago as an assistant and theater teacher. Over my years at Near North, I worked with students 2 years-8th grade and had the joy of absorbing the Montessori philosophy through each stage of development. After our first son was born I stepped back from my work at the school and co-founded an eco-conscious retail and resource center for new families. Over the subsequent seven years, I taught classes, supported, and connected with new families (and had another son!), all while keeping the Montessori foundation present in my work. In 2012, my husband, two boys, and I moved to Denver to be closer to my family, but had no idea that we would discover a second family through MCHD. I had the opportunity to begin my work at MCHD in leadership, as the Park Hill Campus Coordinator. Soon after, I followed a lifelong dream of pursuing my 0-3 Montessori training and, two years later, my master’s in education. I enjoyed several wonderful years guiding toddlers, and in 2017 I was given the opportunity to co-pilot our Parent-Infant program with Mavis Baker, our Sustainability Coordinator. In August of 2018, I stepped back into leadership as the Park Hill Campus Director, while continuing to lead the Parent-Infant curriculum. In 2022, I shifted once again to become MCHD’s Inclusion Coordinator, working with staff and families to support inclusion in our classrooms. I am so proud that my children have been MCHD students, that my husband is our resident architect, and that they have provided a place where children and adults can thrive in the incredible work of learning. My favorite moments are ones when a child lights up with discovery, when a teacher shares a “Montessori moment,” and when a parent sees their infant in a new light. Every day, I have the privilege of bearing witness to young children as they develop and to the amazing teachers who guide them.