Book: I Listen by Helen Oxenbury

Mike is a lover of wisdom and learning. He learned about Montessori from his philosophical mentor who provided him a copy of the incredible book Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work by E. M. Standing. This detailed and eye-opening book took about a year to work through. Completely inspired he then spent six months seeking to meet with Montessori schools to learn more about what he believed to be a solution to so many societal issues. He traveled to Paris and met with a Montessori school director who recommended that he join a Montessori organization as a way to meet with educators and others in the community. This outreach has fostered an interest in philanthropy related to improving child-family-community relationships and early childhood education.

Joanne graduated from Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, and studied at the University of Michigan with a concentration in Painting and Drawing in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program. She is Montessori certified in Primary and Adolescence through 12th grade and holds certifications from both the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). Collaborating with the best minds in Montessori education is of the highest importance to Joanne. She works with mentoring groups amongst Montessori leaders through the Montessori Leadership Collaborative (MLC) and with teaching professionals, internationally.

Magdalena graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Psychology. She is trained in Team Management and Leadership through Landmark Worldwide; Executive and Leadership Coaching through MentorCoach; and plays an integral role in the different practice communities of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Magdalena decided to join the Montessori community, where she could make an impact on independent schools and leaders, with purpose and passion. As a Montessori mom, she is passionate about Montessori education and is empowered and driven to guide Montessori schools into the future.