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 Auxiliary Trainer and has worked at AMI 0-3 Teacher Training Courses across the US and Canada.
Mia Crabill
Administrative Director
Mia joined Montessori at Roseborough in 2006. In 2018 she received a certificate with the Educateur sans Frontieres (Educators without Borders) Assembly in South Africa. She graduated from AIU in Los Angeles, California with a BA in Fine Arts. She also completed a course focusing on business development. She has experience in the Assistants to Infancy environment as well as in school administration. Mia attended a Montessori school as a child in Sweden. Mia is involved in all aspects of school operation and should be your first point of contact.
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.
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.
Meghan Dubay
Assistant – N.E.S.T. 2
Ms. Meghan joined the school in 2018. Originally from Michigan, she began her career as a CNA, working in that field for 8 years. She relocated to Florida in 2017. When not working, Meghan enjoys spending time at the beach with her dog.
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.
Veronica Meza
Assistant – Children’s House 2 (ages 3-6 years)
Veronica joined the school in 2008. Born in Mexico, she speaks Spanish with the children in class. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball with her family and trips to the beach.
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.
Ritsuko Nukui
Directress – Elementary 1 (ages 6-12 years)
Ritsuko completed her AMI Elementary training in Bergamo, Italy, holds an AMI primary diploma from Chennai, India. She earned her BA in Intercultural Studies from Ferris University in Yokohama, Japan.
Travis Williamson
Directress – Elementary 2 (ages 6-12 years)
Travis graduated from Western Carolina University with a BS degree in Early Childhood Education. She received her AMI diploma from the Fondazione Centro Internazionale (Bergamo, Italy) and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at Cleveland State University.
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 Howard
Assistant – Elementary 2 (ages 6-12 years)
Ms. Brenna has two children and loves gardening, plays several instruments, and is an avid reader.
Fawn Stam
Directress – Adolescent Program (ages 12-15 years)
Fawn received her Bachelor of Science in Ornamental Horticulture with concentration in Evolutionary Biology. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching from University of Alaska. Fawn received her AMI Adolescent training in 2014.
Sarah Classon
Directress – Adolescent Program (ages 12-15 years)
Sarah has a BA in Classical Studies from Rollins College and a MA in Liberal Studies from Rollins College. In 2015 she completed the AMI Adolescent Training in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Audra Montgomery
Directress – After Care and Summer & Holiday Camps
Audra graduated from UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication with a BA in Advertising/Public relations and from UCF’s Conservatory Theatre with a BA in Theatre. Audra joined the school in 2015 and began running the Aftercare program in 2016 as well as leading summer camps and helping the Adolescent Program with theatre.
Alyssa Padin
Assistant – After Care
Ms. Aly is an early childhood educator with both professional and lay experience in caring for children. She holds an Associate’s degree from Seminole State College. A Florida native, this marks her first year as a resident of Lake County.