Lisanne Pinciotti has been an advocate for Montessori education since 1985.  Her years of experience in the Early Childhood classroom and as Financial Administrator at Children's House Montessori School in New Jersey provided a strong foundation for future endeavors in the field.  Lisanne earned a BS in Business Administration (University of Dayton), a M.Ed in Early Childhood Education (Rutgers University), an AMS Early Childhood Credential (CMTE/NY) and an AMS Administrator Credential (CMTE/NY).  Shortly after earning her Early Childhood credential, Lisanne joined the staff at CMTE/NY and has been a language, philosophy, child development, geography and art presenter  as well as academic coordinator for the New Jersey Early Childhood program.  She also enjoys making field consultant visits and has presented at numerous New Jersey Montessori Administrators Council (NJMAC), AMS, and NJAEYC workshops.  Lisanne believes that supporting the efforts of local and national associations is an important way to contribute to growth of the field, therefore she has also served as VP and President of NJMAC, Policy Committee Member of the Teacher Education Council for AMS, MACTE Early Childhood representative and MACTE Accreditation Coordinator for CMTE/NY.  In addition to her dedication to Montessori education, Lisanne also serves as Director of Operations for Sports Physical Therapy Instititue where she has happily supported the growth of her husband's practice since 1988.  Lisanne directs the finance, HR, billing and marketing efforts of a busy multi-location practice.  She has found it rewarding to discover that Montessori's philosophy is a way of life, in business as well as in the classroom.

Mark Powell is currently Technology Coordinator at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, a progressive mainstream private K-8 school in Oakland, California.  He taught in Montessori lower and upper elementary classrooms in the Boston area and the San Francisco East Bay area for 14 years and has been a teacher trainer at the Center for Montessori Teacher Education/New York for the last twelve years. Mark took 6-12 training at CMTE/NY after coming to the U.S. from Australia in 1994 and had the first on-site wedding in 1996!  He is K-6 certified by the state of Massachusetts and holds a M. Ed. with a specialty in Conflict Resolution and Peaceable Schools from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA.  Mark has designed many classroom materials, several of which are now sold across the United States and internationally by companies such as Hello Wood and Nienhuis Montessori.  He contributes regularly to Montessori Life and also wrote a chapter on recess play for the book Where Do the Children Play? edited by Elizabeth Goodenough for Wayne State University Press.

Lydie Raschka works as a field consultant for CMTE/NY and teaches on staff in the summer. She is also a freelance writer. Lydie was a 6-9 teacher in Yonkers for six years. Prior to that, she taught 3-6 year olds and started the 6-9 elementary program at the Michelle Norris Montessori School in Ann Arbor, MI. She has a B.S. in Special Education (Eastern Michigan University), an M.S. in Education (Bank Street College), and an AMS Elementary 6-9 credential (CMTE/NY).

Sheila Reed has been on staff since 1976 at the Chemung Valley Montessori School in Big Flats, NY.  She currently co-teaches the upper elementary class and is curriculum coordinator for the 9-12 and middle school levels.  Sheila is a reading and writing specialist, and teaches much of the 9-12 Language curriculum at CMTE/NY. She serves as a Field Consultant to schools in NY and PA. She has a B.A. in German (Wilson College), a M.S.Ed. with a concentration in reading (Elmira College), an AMI 3-6 credential (Minnesota), and an AMS 6-12 credential (CMTE/NY).

Carol Schwab, a reading specialist and veteran Montessori teacher of children ages three through junior high, currently works as a mentor, lecturer, and consultant. Carol has an M.Ed. (Xavier University), an Education Specialist in Administration (Univ. of Dayton), an AMS Early Childhood credential (Xavier University), AMS Elementary 6-12 credential (CMTE/NY), and an AMS Research credential.

Beverly Smith, Assistant to CMSM Coordinators, has been a middle school educator since 1985. She has worked at the Washington Montessori School (New Preston, CT), since 1992, where she has created and implemented the Life Skills curriculum for the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Beverly also supports the WMS staff by mentoring classroom management skills and is  currently the Specials’ Coordinator and Programs Director. Beverly holds a B.S. in Education (Central Connecticul State University), M.A. in counseling (St. Joseph’s College) and AMS middle school credential (School of the Woods in Houston). She has been working as the assistant to the coordinators of the CMSM program since 2001.

Holly Stoehr has been involved in Montessori education since 1982. She holds both her AMS Early Childhood and Elementary I teaching credentials, enjoys her work as a teacher, consultant and CMTE/NY teacher trainer. In addition, upon completion of her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Holly pursued her interest in creating harmonious environments for children and adults, receiving her certification in Interior Alignment and Instinctive Feng Shui. She currently teaches at the Cambridge Montessori School and has a private Feng Shui practice, both in Massachusetts.

Martha Torrence has been a Montessori educator since 1977, serving as a classroom teacher, Head of School, and teacher educator. She is currently Director of the Toddler and Primary programs at Cambridge Montessori School in MA. Martha served on the AMS Board of Directors for 11 years, Teachers’ Section Chair for 9 years, Executive Committee for 3 years and was President for 1 year. For 3 years she served as Principal and Head Teacher in the Pre-primary classroom at the Xavier Univ. Lab School.  A Teacher’s Research Network participant, Martha has written award-winning articles on her research topic, play. Martha holds a Liberal Arts B.A. and an M.Ed. in early childhood education (Penn State University); and an AMS Early Childhood credential (Ithaca).

Benay Umrichin has 9 Years experience teaching 6-9 at Montessori School 31, a public Montessori school in Yonkers, NY. She holds a Masters Degree in Literacy instruction from St. Thomas Aquinas college and is certified for NY State grades K-12 as well as certified with AMS 6-9. Benay is a member of the International Reading Association and a member of the Montessori Counsil for Yonkers Public Schools. She has mentored Student Teachers through Manhattan College and mentored Yonkers teachers as candidates for AMS certification. Benay has been with CMTE/NY for 4 years.

Mary Velasquez has been teaching at the Cambridge Montessori School since 1993, first as a toddler teacher, now in the upper elementary class. She joined the CMTE/NY staff in 2002.  She has a B.A. in English (Harvard University) and AMS Infant/Toddler and Elementary 6-12 credentials.