2026 AIMS Conference

Tom McSheehy

Tom McSheehy is a licensed social worker, teacher, and author. Tom taught elementary school for 21 years and has been a social worker and family therapist for 30 years. He has 40 years of experience working with parents, teachers, children, teenagers, and families. Tom's passions are merging the worlds of mental health and education and guiding and supporting teachers and parents in connecting deeply with children and teenagers.

Tom is the creator and author of the SEL curriculum, In Focus: Improving Social and Emotional Intelligence, One Day at a Time, published by Thoughtful Learning, and used in schools throughout the United States. Tom is the founder and director of Teaching Heart Institute, an organization dedicated to supporting parents and teachers in developing children's and teenagers’ social and emotional intelligence.

Facilitator: Andrew Faulstich

After working in schools around the world, Andrew Faulstich is convinced that the education status quo must be disrupted. He is the Director of Education at the Oneness-Family Montessori High School and the Co-Founder of Developing Education, which operates three sub-divisions: the Breaking the Paradigm Podcast, First Intention, and The Enlightened Educator Project. Andrew is also an Affiliate Instructor of Montessori Teacher Education at the graduate level at Loyola University. He holds a Masters in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, a Bachelors in Anthropology from the University of Rochester, and an AMI Adolescent Diploma.

Panelist: Dr. Nicole-Noelle Evans

Dr. Nicole-Noelle Evans has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal of a public Montessori ABAR (Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist) school, and executive director of urban education at an HBCU. Currently, as Embracing Equity’s Senior Director of Leadership, she leads the yearlong Leadership Residency Program and provides equity-centered coaching for school and organizational leaders.

Her Montessori leadership includes supporting the founding of Montessori for Social Justice, keynoting the 2023 MSJ conference, and speaking at AMI and AMS national conferences, as well as at St. Catherine University and the Wisconsin Montessori Association. She has also guided multiple Montessori schools through equity-centered leadership residencies.

Recognized as a Power 100 awardee by Delux Magazine and recipient of the Women Who Inspire Award, Dr. Evans brings nearly three decades of experience and a deep commitment to transforming education through equity and justice.

Panelist: Heather Gerker, Ph.D

Heather Gerker, Ph.D., is an educational researcher with over twenty years of experience in Montessori education. She has served as a teacher, teacher educator, and director of a Montessori teacher education program. Drawing on her background in nonprofit leadership, educational organizations, and community-based research, Dr. Gerker partners with educators and organizations to reflect, research, and reimagine their work, turning insights into meaningful action. She is also a parent of three children who have attended public Montessori schools since preschool, grounding her work in both professional expertise and lived experience.

Panelist: Dr. Luz Casquejo Johnston

Dr. Luz Casquejo Johnston has been in the field of education for almost 30 years and has been in the Montessori movement in every capacity–primary student, mother, lower elementary guide, charter school principal, teacher education director and professor. Her roots and passion run deep. Her recently published book “Parenting on Purpose: Raise Badass Humans by Becoming One Yourself” is the parenting guide she always wanted and includes Montessori planes of development, personal development and healing practices all delivered with Dr. Luz’s signature sass. .

Panelist: Dr. Corey Borgman

Dr. Corey Borgman is a Montessori educator, administrator, speaker, researcher, advocate, and consultant with 17 years of experience in the classroom and 12 in administration. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UVA's School of Education & Human Development, with a dissertation focused on the challenges facing principals of public Montessori schools. As education & outreach director for the Montessori Science Program, Borgman’s role focuses on leveraging the lab’s Montessori research into tangible, positive community impact. She is the proud parent of three Montessori educated daughters.

Heather Gerker, Ph.D

Heather Gerker, Ph.D., is an educational researcher with over twenty years of experience in Montessori education. She has served as a teacher, teacher educator, and director of a Montessori teacher education program. Drawing on her background in nonprofit leadership, educational organizations, and community-based research, Dr. Gerker partners with educators and organizations to reflect, research, and reimagine their work, turning insights into meaningful action. She is also a parent of three children who have attended public Montessori schools since preschool, grounding her work in both professional expertise and lived experience.

Dr. Corey Borgman

Dr. Corey Borgman is a Montessori educator, administrator, speaker, researcher, advocate, and consultant with 17 years of experience in the classroom and 12 in administration. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UVA's School of Education & Human Development, with a dissertation focused on the challenges facing principals of public Montessori schools. As education & outreach director for the Montessori Science Program, Borgman’s role focuses on leveraging the lab’s Montessori research into tangible, positive community impact. She is the proud parent of three Montessori educated daughters.