Merry Hadden
Executive Director
Merry is a graduate of the first AMI Assistants to Infancy Training Course, Rome, Italy, 1980-1981. She is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor and Certified Childbirth Instructor; assisted in the AMI Preparatory Course (ages 3-6) for adults in Perugia, Italy; graduated AMI Training Course, Calcutta, India in 1977 for work with ages 2.5 to 7 years; founded the Montessori N.E.S.T. in 1983; holds a B.A. in Psychology and minored in Business at St. Leo College. Merry is a AMI Assistance to Infancy Consultant and AMI 0-3 Trainer and has worked at AMI 0-3 Teacher Training Courses across the US and Canada.
Mia Crabill
Head of School
Mia received her AMI Primary diploma from the Montessori Training Institute of North Texas. She holds a certificate with the Educateur sans Frontieres (Educators without Borders) Assembly in South Africa and an AMI Montessori Core Principals certificate from Dallas, TX. She graduated from AIU in Los Angeles, California with a BA in Fine Arts. She completed a business development course focusing on startups. She has experience in the Assistants to Infancy environment as well as many years in school administration. Mia attended a Montessori school as a child in Sweden. She joined Montessori at Roseborough in 2006.
Mike Grady
Groundskeeper
Born and raised in Miami, Mike completed his BA in Archaeology at Florida Atlantic University. After seven years in that field, he tried his hand at blueberry farming. Additionally, Mike is an avid woodworking hobbyist.
Ali Shelton
Office Assistant
Ali received her BS in Health Studies with a concentration in Community Health Education in 2013 from Portland State University. Originally from Oregon, she has volunteered and worked with children and vulnerable communities throughout her life. In her free time, she enjoys running, swimming and family trips to the beach.
Jessie Uvalle
Infant Directress – NIDO
Jessie received her AA from Flagler College. She graduated from the AMI Assistants to Infancy Training Course at the Montessori Training Center of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 2018. She was a student athlete and has worked with children of all ages coaching soccer. She is a yoga instructor and enjoys teaching yoga in her spare time.
Svenja Altevogt
NIDO Assistant
Svenja moved to the US from Germany this February. She received training in Early Childhood Education at Ludwigsburg as well as Business Administration at Aalen. In her spare time, she enjoys art and crafting.
Kia Larkin
Toddler Directress – N.E.S.T 1
Kia Larkin received her AMI Montessori 0-3 Diploma from the Montessori Training Center of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She completed her BA in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development from University of South Florida.
Christie Duryea
Toddler Directress – N.E.S.T. 2
Christie completed her AMI Assistants to Infancy Certification at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta after 10 years as a Pastry Chef. She holds a Baking and Pastry Arts degree from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Maria Paz Merino
NEST Assistant
Originally from Leon, Spain, Maria received a BA in Mechanical Draftsmanship from Athuri Technical University in Bilbao, Spain and a BA in Electronic Instrumentalist from Getxo University in Spain. She moved to the US in 1988 and speaks Spanish to the children. Maria is an avid puzzle aficionado. She also enjoys reading and traveling.
Deirdre Jordan
Directress – Children’s House 1 (ages 3-6 years)
Deirdre holds a BS in Administration of Early Childhood Programs from Empire State in NY. She received her AMI Primary training at Sion Hill Montessori College in Dublin, Ireland in 1982 and her Assistants to Infancy 0-3 diploma from the Montessori Institute, Denver, Colorado in 1999. She joined our team in 2012.
Erika Trejo
Assistant – Children’s House 1 (ages 3-6 years)
Erika was born in Mexico. She is bilingual and speaks Spanish to the children. She has assisted in our Summer Camps and enjoys being with the children. She has a child that attends the school. Erika is an avid reader. She came to us in 2010.
Mikkale (Mikie) Seabaugh-Alford
Directress – Children’s House 2 (ages 3-6 years)
Mikie earned a BS in Child Development from Southeast Missouri State University with a minor in Family Studies. She graduated with an AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis in Kirkwood, MO in 1999.
Monica Reno
Directress – Children’s House 3 (ages 3-6 years)
Monica is a graduate of the 2008 AMI Primary Training Course at The Montessori Training Center of St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned her B.S. in Communications at the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico in Toluca, Mexico. Monica is a native Spanish speaker and speaks Spanish with the children. She joined our school in 2002.
Doug Hays
Assistant – Elementary 1 (ages 6-12 years)
Doug is an accomplished artist who specializes in sculpture and blacksmithing. You may recognize some of his artwork on our very own campus as he designed and fabricated the ornate gate leading to the “Children’s Garden”. Doug earned a BA in Elementary Education from UCF and is a hobbyist fisherman.
Sommer Lewis
Directress- Elementary 2 (ages 6-12 years)
Sommer is a graduate of the AMI Assistants to Infancy training course at the Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado. She is currently enrolled in the AMI Elementary training in Hartford, CT and holds a BA in Human Development and Family Studies. She is a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) from the National Council on Family Relations.
Brenna Kluesener
Elementary 2 Assistant
Ms. Brenna returns to Elementary for her second year at Montessori at Roseborough. She is currently pursuing her degree in Elementary Education. In addition to being an avid gardener, she plays several instruments and loves reading.