President
Reena Vohra Morgan

Reena Vohra Morgan is a Montessori Consultant & Coach, and founder of Hive Educational Consulting and Parent Coaching. She has over 20 years of experience as a Montessori teacher & school administrator in both public and private Montessori schools in Chicago. Reena holds a Master’s Degree in Childhood Development from the Erikson Institute, Chicago. She holds both AMS & AMI Primary Montessori Certifications and is a Jai Certified Parenting Coach. Reena is a Montessori teacher trainer with MRC (Montessori Residency of Chicago) and has been on the AIMS Board since 2016. Reena loves yoga, biking, & reading and resides in the city of Chicago with her husband, 3 uniquely wonderful daughters, 2 cats, & 1 dog!

I enjoy serving on the AIMS Board as a resource to guide & support all Montessorians interested in learning, growing, and empowering each other! I really appreciate the connections and shared values among all AIMS members!

Vice President

Erica Lane

Erica Lane serves as Head of School at Brickton Montessori and has been in Montessori education for almost 30 years. Prior to her headship, she served as a Montessori Coach for Drummond Montessori School in Chicago Public Schools. Before this, she was the Educational Director of Brickton Montessori School for seven years. While at Brickton, Erica also spent five years teaching in Lower Elementary and fifteen years leading the Upper Elementary program. In addition to being a long-time Montessori teacher, Erica was a Montessori student at Beverly Montessori and Clissold's CPS Montessori program on the south side of Chicago. Throughout her career, Erica has led teacher workshops at AMS and AIMS on Montessori curriculum and program outcomes, social/emotional development, executive functioning, and classroom management around learning differences.

I joined the board in the fall of 2021. I currently serve as the membership director of AIMS and enjoy supporting work for the annual conference and marketing. I really appreciate AIMS board work because of its working nature - the AIMS board works to serve the advancement of Montessori in mainstream education and support the networking of all Montessori communities.

Secretary

Ben Blair

Ben Blair is the Head of School at Rogers Park Montessori. He joined the school in 2005 as an Upper Elementary Teacher, served as the school's Elementary Director, before being selected as Head in 2018. The dad of two Montessori kids, Ben hopes that Montessori's lessons in responsibility balanced with freedom and the goal of perpetuating peace through education will have a positive impact on our world. Ben joined the AIMS board in 2022 and is glad to serve the Illinois Montessori community.

I enjoy the camaraderie and shared purpose of advancing Montessori in the state of Illinois, and the opportunity to bring high-quality professional development to Montessorians in our state.

General Member
Denise Monnier

General Member
Maria Barksdale

Maria Barksdale is the Assistant Principal and the Director of the Junior High Program at the Montessori School of Englewood (TMSOE) in Chicago. A former homeschool mom and traditional classroom educator, Maria became part of the Montessori community 13 years ago before the opening of TMSOE. Maria is AMS certified for 6-12 and has an AMI diploma for adolescence. She has a BS in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MA in Education from Buena Vista University.

“I am excited about becoming part of AIMS and helping to serve the Montessori community of Illinois.”

General Member
Angela G. Garcia

Angela Garcia is the Head of School of Near North Montessori (NNM) School in Chicago. She has been an educator for over 30 years. Angela was an early childhood and elementary teacher in independent and public schools for nine years. Prior to leading NNM, she was the Head of School of Friends Community School, a K-8 progressive Quaker school in MD and the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys. She has served as an Assistant Head of School at The Fessenden School and the Director of Lower School at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School.

I was invited to serve on the board spring 2024 and am delighted to have the opportunity to serve with Montessori educators.

General Member
Sara Motlagh

Sara Motlagh was a Montessori student through 8th grade and is very passionate about this approach to education. She holds AMS credentials for 3-6 and 6-12 and AMI credentials for Secondary 1 & 2. She recently completed her PhD in Community Psychology from National Louis University. Her dissertation was a mixed methods study on the Montessori Secondary Experience which she presented at the 2024 AIMS conference. Sara teaches in the secondary program at her school and enjoys seeing the whole scope of the first 3 planes of development at her school. She is also very passionate about neurodiversity.

I am excited to advocate for the private sector. I was recently voted onto the board (spring of 2024).

General Member
Robin Padar

Robin Padar holds three certifications from the American Montessori Society (AMS)—Infant/Toddler, Early Childhood, and Administrator—and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has led Montessori classrooms from infancy through age six and served in roles ranging from parent and teacher educator to school leader. Robin attended Montessori during her formative years and returned to it as an adult while volunteering at Ronald Knox Montessori School (RKMS) in 1996. She later became a lead teacher at RKMS and eventually its Head of School. Passionate about supporting families and developing future educators, Robin has also trained aspiring Montessori teachers at Seton Montessori Institute and participated in AMS accreditation work.

Robin and her husband, Craig, have been together for over three decades. They enjoy life with their two independent daughters, Claire and Marjorie, and their spirited poodle, Queenie.

“I am honored to serve on the AIMS Board, collaborating with fellow Montessorians to advance Montessori education across Illinois. I value the education of all students and those that serve as their guides along their journey.”

General Member
Kerry Rossow

Kerry Rossow is the Head of School at Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana. She joined the school in 1994 and has worn many different hats along the way. Joining the AIMS board is a new hat to wear but all of these roles work together to support Montessori schools and to connect Montessorians!

Kerry is mom to four children, resides in Champaign with her husband and their naughty cat.

“I feel strongly that Montessori is more than the name of our schools- it is a way of life!”

General Member
Colin Palombi

Colin Palombi is the Co-Director of Adolescent Programming at Train Montessori. He has worked with adolescents in both Montessori and non-Montessori environments since 2004. He established and directed the Adolescent Program at Chicago Montessori (2016 to 2022), and enjoyed working as a humanities, self-expression, and kitchen guide at the Montessori School of Lake Forest (2004 to 2015). He is AMI trained at the 0-3 and 12-18 levels, holds a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (IL) and an M.Ed from Loyola College in Baltimore (MD). He has worked as an advisor and presenter for AMI 12-18 Orientation and Diploma courses in Ohio, Illinois, and Colorado. He loves to collaborate and share his passion for art, music, and the outdoors with adolescents.

I became a general member of the AIMS board in 2024 and enjoy being part of a community dedicated to supporting Montessori education.

General Member
Emily Sautter

Emily Sautter serves as the Director of Elementary and Middle School at Intercultural Montessori Language School in Chicago's West Loop. She has over 25 years of experience in public and private education as a Teacher, School-based Literacy coach, Assistant Principal, Principal, Instructional Support Leader, and an Educational Consultant. Emily obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten Endorsement from Purdue University. She also holds a Master's Degree in Reading, Language, and Literacy from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Master's in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. Emily completed her Montessori Administration certification from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.

In her free time, Emily enjoys playing tennis and spending time with rescue dog Sadie.

“I look forward to serving on the AIMS Board. I am interested in giving back to AIMS for all of the advocacy and professional development they have provided Montessorians for years.”

General Member
Caitlyn Solomon

Caitlyn Solomon (She/Her) has been involved in Montessori at all stages of her life. As a three-year-old, she enrolled in Portage Collaborative Montessori School, a public Montessori School in Canton, Ohio, where she stayed until she graduated from the program in 8th grade. Caitlyn eventually enrolled at Xavier University, receiving her bachelor's in education and her AMS 3-6 Montessori Training. Caitlyn taught as a Primary Guide for nine years before moving into her current role as Head of School. Caitlyn's passion for continuing education has pushed her to receive her Master's Degree in Educational Policy and Leadership with a focus on Diversity and Equity in Education from the University of Illinois. Caitlyn is also a trained Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) facilitator, a member of the AMS Thinktank Cohort 2, and serves on the board of Humboldt Park Montessori.

I am excited to help push advocacy for Montessori Educators as well as help nurture the community of support AIMS has cultivated.