Our Board

Susan Florsheim, Secretary

Owner & Director, Los Ninos Montessori Preschool

Originally from Louisiana, Susan has lived in Albuquerque for 18 years. Susan graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of General Studies degree with a focus in Applied Life Science. She quickly moved to New Mexico after graduating. Susan started at Los Ninos Montessori as an assistant, changing positions to Director after a few years and then purchased the school when the previous owners retired.

Besides working with children, Susan also has a passion for caring for many rescue animals both at Los Ninos and at home.

Mara Matteson

administrator, Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC)

Originally from Ohio, Mara Matteson did her teacher training at the University of New Mexico and taught for the Bernalillo Public Schools for 16 years.  In 2004–2005, she took Elementary Montessori training at the Washington Montessori Institute in Baltimore.  She earned her New Mexico Administrative license in 2006.  She now works as administrator for the Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC), a nonprofit Montessori school dedicated to Keres language revitalization and Indigenous educational sovereignty at Cochiti Pueblo.

Tina Patel

Director, Montessori One

Ms. Patel is the Founder and Director of Founder and Director of Montessori ONE Academy, the only AMI accredited Montessori school in Albuquerque. Prior to opening Montessori ONE Academy in November of 2007, Ms. Patel was co-founder and director of a Charter school here in Albuquerque. But her inspiration for Montessori ONE Academy reaches back to the days when her eldest daughter attended a Montessori school, and she was ‘hooked’ on the authentic Montessori approach to education. Ms. Patel’s youngest daughter also attended Montessori ONE Academy.

Her passion for instilling this love of learning began when Tina was a graduate student in architecture in the 90s. A tour through the impressive, new 14,000 square foot state-of-the-art Montessori ONE Academy facility reveals this background, as well as her successful blending of both passions by applying her knowledge of design and engineering concepts to improve learning opportunities.

Ms. Patel's additional experience in developing innovative curriculum and writing programs that encourage students to take ownership of their education has proven beneficial in the creation of Montessori ONE Academy's Distinctives.

Angela Feathers

Early Childhood education consultant

Angela Feathers is originally from Memphis, TN where she owned and operated urban Montessori schools. She most recently served as the superintendent and principal of La Tierra Montessori School in Ohkay Owingeh, NM. Angela has worked as a teacher, principal, superintendent, coach and mentor and has a true passion for Montessori education. She is currently focused equitable education, educational policy work, and on advocating for more public Montessori education in New Mexico.

Angela studied Early Childhood Education during her time at the University of Memphis; she received a BS in Speech Pathology with minors Sociology and Special Education from Old Dominion University; she received her MA in Montessori Education from St. Catherine University and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education and Instructional Leadership. She is an AMI Primary certified Montessori educator, she holds Montessori certifications for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Levels 1, 2, and 3), Montessori Model UN, AMI Administrator training and the Philosophy of Indigenous Education training. She has also recently completed the Whole School Leadership Institute training. Angela is additionally a licensed teacher and administrator in the state of New Mexico. 

Angela lives in Santa Fe, NM with her husband and four children. 

Ellen Gore

Mentor teacher, May center for learning

A love for life and learning has meant a career path full of variety for Ellen Gore. Her interests in social justice, public policy and international relations, along with a BA in Political Science, led to jobs lobbying in Washington, D.C. for the Women’s Equity Action League (WEAL), and documenting political asylum cases for the National Refugee Office of Amnesty International USA. Love for adventure and the outdoors led her to pilot houseboats on Lake Powell for Elderhostel programs, and later to teach environmental education at the Nature Center in Zion National Park. It was this work with children in the outdoors that ignited her love for teaching, and inspired her to pursue Montessori education.

Earning both Primary and Elementary AMI diplomas, Ellen spent nearly 20 years working at Guadalupe Montessori School in Silver City, NM in an expanding variety of roles - Primary Guide, Elementary Guide, Program Director, and School Director. During her time at GMS, she became an active advocate for both early childhood education and Montessori education. Collaborating with organizers from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT-NM), Ellen was one of several chartering members for Early Educator’s United, a group working to help secure accessible, affordable high-quality early childhood education for all children and families in New Mexico. Ellen also joined together with a small group of educators around the state to form the Montessori Task Force in an effort to gain greater inclusion for and understanding of Montessori pedagogy.

Ellen lives in Santa Fe, where she is excited to continue advocating for the human potential through her MNNM board work and classroom teaching roles. Ellen currently works as a classroom teacher and Mentor Teacher at the May Center for Learning.

Tammy Oesting

montessori educator

Tammy Oesting MEd, (she, her) is an internationally known Montessori speaker and teacher educator and self-identifies as a practitioner of awe and wonder. She serves educators globally through her company ClassrooMechanics as a consultant and mentor. Tammy is widely published and is a founding member of Montessori Everywhere receiving the 2021 AMS Community Service Award. She is a faculty member of The Institute for Educational Studies graduate program and she cultivates content creators for Trillium Montessori.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tammy has had a lifetime of travel and adventure including 9 years traveling the world as a nomad and supporting Montessori communities before settling in Santa Fe where her husband Aaron is a public librarian. Her professional passions include issues of social justice, educating support staff, neuroscience as applied to educational practices, and exploring the magnificence of the universe.  AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood, Elementary)

Julia O’Hara

Owner, Horme Montessori

Julia is the owner and guide for Horme Montessori Microschool and the facilitator for The Horme Studio in Santa Fe, NM. Prior to her work with children and families in New Mexico, Julia worked with many schools and families across the United States, beginning in Oak Park, Illinois, her home town.

Julia found herself working in Montessori after offering to fill in for a classroom assistant. She instantly fell in love with the Montessori pedagogy and by the end of her first year of working at West Suburban Montessori School, she pursued her Montessori training and never looked back.

Holding AMI diplomas for both Assistants to Infancy and Primary, Julia’s focus in Montessori is supporting both teachers and families. Horme Montessori is a school with the vision of learning at all ages and levels. Between supporting teachers in training and holding Montessori playgroups for children and their families, Julia believes learning by way of Montessori should be accessible to people of all ages.

When not involved in her Montessori pursuits, Julia enjoys working with her aquariums at home, crocheting, and camping with her husband and two dogs.