Cindy Acker 

Tuesdays, 10 am EST

Cindy Acker is in her 38th year as head of school at The Child Unique Montessori School/Montessori Elementary School of Alameda. She has served as president of one of California's preschool management associations and vice president of the National Child Care Association. She holds a Montessori elementary certification from Ursula Thrush and holds a master's degree in cultural studies and spirituality and a doctorate in educational leadership from UC Berkeley. Areas of expertise include school management, financial management, board training, social justice 

Andrew Kutt

Thursdays, 4 pm EST

Founding Head, Oneness-Family School, IMC Board, 

Andrew Kutt is head of Oneness-Family School, the Montessori-based, international peace academy he founded in 1988 in Bethesda, MD. He serves on the board of the International Montessori Council and is a founding member of the Montessori Peace Academy, which advises schools with a peace-centered curriculum. Academics, self-discovery, and world service are integral parts of the curriculum 

Kathy Leitch

Tuesdays, 2 pm EST

Montessori Foundation, IMC Executive Director

Kathy has been active in Montessori education for over 30 years. In addition to many years of experience in the classroom and as Head of School, Kathy has also serves as a Montessori Teacher Trainer, International Workshop Leader, School Consultant, Board Secretary for the IMC and School Accreditation Commissioner for the IMC. Additionally, she is a certified Parenting Instructor and Stress Management Facilitator. In 2018, Kathy has been appointed Executive Director of the IMC. 

Mary Beth Ricks

Tuesdays, 7 pm EST

Bowman International Montessori School, IMC Accreditation Co-Chair

Mary Beth Ricks has been involved in both public and independent education for over 26 years as a teacher, division lead, Director of Curriculum, and Head of School. She has served the last six years as the Head of School at Bowman International School in Palo Alto, Calif. and, in that time, has raised enrollment from 180 to 225 students, garnered accreditations from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the International Montessori Council (IMC), and brought innovative programs focused on experiential learning to the school. She has previously taught at the Program for the Gifted at the Education Research Institute at Purdue University. Ricks received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education from Purdue University, her Montessori training at St. Mary’s College, and completed her Head of School training from The Center for Montessori Education at the College of New Rochelle. 

Tim Seldin

Tuesdays, 4 pm EST

President of the Montessori Foundation, Chair of the International Montessori Council, Head of the NewGate School

Tim's more than 40 years of experience in Montessori education, includes 22 years as Head of the Barrie School in Silver Spring, MD. Tim was the co-founder of the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies and the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, He currently serves as the co-Head of the New Gate School in Sarasota, FL. He earned a B.A. in History and Philosophy from Georgetown University; an M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision from The American University; and his Montessori certification from the American Montessori Society. Tim is the author of several books on Montessori Education, including How to Raise An Amazing Child, The Montessori Way with Dr. Paul Epstein; Building a World-Class Montessori School; Finding the Perfect Match – Recruit and Retain Your Ideal Enrollment; Master Teachers – Model Programs; Starting a New Montessori School; Celebrations of Life; and The World in the Palm of Her Hand.  

Kristina Torres 

Wednesdays, 7 pm EST

Kristina (Stina) Torres is a Management Consultant with 15 years of participatory leadership experience in nonprofit, public, and private education. Her areas of expertise are complex systems, organizational behavior, leadership development, equity and inclusion, risk management, and policy. As the former Head of School at St. Croix Montessori, Kristina led the school through a period of systemic reorganization and improvement, resulting in being recognized in two university studies as one of St. Croix's most effective nonprofit leaders as well as being awarded "best independent school" of St. Croix two years consecutively. Kristina received her B.S. in Biology and her Masters from The Ohio State University was on personal narrative, Disability Studies, and social change. Kristina's career at Ohio State included project management, grant writing, communications, compliance and risk management, and inclusive practices in hiring, talent management, and leadership. She is a member of IMC, the Montessori Foundation, and AMI-USA. She is an experienced Art of Hosting practitioner and CliftonStrengths by Gallup coach.

Dr. Valaida L. Wise 

Thursdays, 2 pm EST

Dr. Valaida L. Wise (Val) is an educational consultant and a faculty member in the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. An educator for more than 20 years, Val has served as the Head of School of several independent schools in the Washington DC region. Her most recent headship was at the National Child Research Center, one of the oldest inclusion model preschools in Washington DC. During her tenure, NCRC was named one of the top preschools in the nation by Town and Country magazine. Dr. Wise also holds an AMS Primary Montessori certification and Charlotte Danielson Teaching Framework Certification. She has been a Montessori teacher trainer and has written articles on Montessori leadership and issues of diversity and inclusion. Val's areas of expertise are in leadership, governance, and issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Jonathan Wolff 

Mondays, 7 pm EST

Jonathan Wolff is a Montessori school consultant, leadership coach, teacher educator, and author, who brings to his work 40 years of experience in Montessori education as a classroom teacher and school administrator. He is the author of numerous educational publications, I including, The Self-Awakened Child – Character Education Program. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English Education from Temple University and a certification as a Primary guide from the Association Montessori Internationale. He studied with Mother Isabelle Eugenie, an early student of Maria Montessori.