Our Training Team

Louise is an AMI Trainer with many years of experience working with children in Montessori environments, latterly running the Maria Montessori Institute’s exemplar School in Notting Hill. She directs the Institute’s 3-6 courses and is Head of Training overseeing all of the Institute’s training offers from 0 -18 – including workshops, certificates, diplomas and degree programmes. She also mentors the Maria Montessori school’s teachers. She is an AMI Trainer of Trainers, having mentored many Trainers in Training from start to finish in the UK and China. She is an AMI examiner and lectures both in the UK and internationally. She has been involved in AMI’s work in China since 2007 and has been instrumental in supporting and co-ordinating the growth of an AMI Faculty in China including both international and local AMI Trainers.

Louise also holds an MSc in Educational Neuroscience and is currently preparing her doctoral thesis in Educational Neuroscience for final submission. She is a key member of the AMI Global Research Group and is committed to promoting research-based education.

Louise is a leading figure in the Montessori world and is beloved by her former students around the world. She has driven forward ongoing professional development opportunities for Montessorians in the UK and around the world including making the ground-breaking Post Diploma MMI Observation Course available to communities outside of the UK as well as recently trailblazing our new Montessori and Learning Difference course, which takes a neurodevelopmental approach, based the neuroscience of development and learning.

Alison Awes has been the Director of 6-12 Training at the Montessori Center of Minnesota since 2010, serves as an adjunct faculty member for Saint Catherine University, St. Paul, and is the Director of 6-12 Training for the Maria Montessori Institute, London. She holds Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Diplomas for Primary (ages three to six) and Elementary (ages six to twelve) levels, a B.A. in art history from Smith College, an M.A. in Latin-American studies from Tulane University, and an M.Ed. in Montessori education from Loyola University Maryland. She has taught in Montessori classrooms for ages six to nine and ages nine to twelve. Alison is an AMI examiner and consultant, and has served on the boards of private and charter (public) Montessori schools. A former board member of the AMI Elementary Alumni Association, she served as a pedagogical advisor for six years and now works on the AMI Scientific Pedagogy Group.

As an international lecturer and keynote speaker, Alison has given numerous workshops and short courses on a wide variety of topics, including dyslexia, art and the work of the hand, the psychological and physical prepared environment, and moral development in the digital age. She has worked on the faculty at international AMI teacher training centers, including those in Australia, India, South Africa, and Thailand, and has also directed courses in England and Switzerland. She has worked to advance the philosophy, spirit, and practice of Montessori through regularly mentoring teachers in Montessori classrooms worldwide. An advocate for children with reading challenges, she also holds Level I Orton Gillingham training. Alison attended Montessori school until the age of twelve.

Carla has AMI 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas from MMI in London and the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee. She also holds a bachelor degree in Social Anthropology and Scandinavian Studies and a combined Masters degree in Old Icelandic Literature and Norwegian Literature from UC Berkeley. Carla has worked with children at the levels 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12, working in both private and public Montessori schools. She has been an elementary trainer since 2011. Carla has worked with children in 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 classes from 1985-2010, both in public and private settings. She has given keynote speeches and workshops on several continents covering many aspects of Cosmic Education and works as a consultant in Europe. She has completed the Bay Area Writers Workshop for teachers of writing and has many years of experience with dance and drama.

Kyla Morenz is an AMI 6-12 Elementary Trainer from Toronto, Canada. She has taught in 6-9, 9-12, and 6-12 elementary Montessori environments in Canada and Morocco. She has particular interest in bilingual education, developing language materials for the elementary classroom, and adult learning and education. In addition to her work on diploma and orientation courses, Kyla regularly presents online and in person workshops for parents, classroom guides and assistants. She is a mentor for teachers and school staff internationally, supporting them through school visits, online small groups, and individual coaching.

Heidi is the founder of two small Montessori Bilingual Preschools and the 2Voices Montessori Study Room for adult education in Amsterdam. Her specialty is helping parents in the application of Montessori principles and bilingualism in the home environment. Heidi has spoken extensively around the Netherlands and internationally on Montessori-related topics for the birth to three years age group. Heidi holds a Masters Degree in Education and is an AMI Trainer, examiner and consultant at the 0-3 level.

Sara is qualified as an AMI Assistants to Infancy trainer and is also an AMI examiner at this level. She conducts teacher training internationally and is currently the Director of Training in Dallas, Tokyo, Sydney and China. Sara holds AMI diplomas at both Assistants to Infancy and Children’s House levels. She has a Masters in Education from Loyola College in Maryland and is an AMI/USA consultant. Sara has worked extensively in a variety of Montessori settings: long-day care, pre-school and Montessori in the home. She has enjoyed working in Nido and Infant Communities as well as parent-infant classes. Sara lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and three children.

Bimpe Pogoson is part of the training team at the Maria Montessori Institute in London. Prior to joining that team in 2018, Bimpe had been lead directress at one of the Children’s Houses of the MMI schools in London for a number of years. She has had extensive hands-on experience in the last 15 years working at several Montessori Children’s Houses as well as supporting on the diploma and assistants’ certificate courses at the Maria Montessori Institute on a part time basis. Bimpe holds AMI diplomas for the 0 to 3, 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 age groups, an AMI post-diploma certificate in observation as well as a Masters’ degree in Childhood Studies from the Institute of Education at the University College, London.

Vikki Taylor is an AMI 3-6 Trainer with over 25 years’ experience in Montessori education. Originally trained at the Maria Montessori Institute in London, she has worked extensively with children and adults alike.
Vikki has also been involved with work in East Africa for more than 10 years and is currently the Director of Training for the AMI 3-6 course in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. She is also an AMI Examiner.

Lori holds 0-3, 3-6 and 6-12 AMI diplomas, and an M.Ed in Montessori Education. She worked as a lead directress in MMI’s model Children’s Houses, and during these years also studied Post-Diploma Observation Courses, guided by Hilla Patell and Karen Pearce. She has 2 daughters, who both thoroughly delight in their days at Maria Montessori School.

Sabeen Nanji is a trainer-in-training at the Maria Montessori Institute and Director of Step By Step Montessori. Her work is driven by a deep belief in every human being’s ability to flourish when given the right environment and guidance. With over a decade of experience working with children, she has gained invaluable insights into how Montessori philosophy is relevant now more than ever before. Supporting adults in their learning journey is deeply empowering as it enables them to guide children to develop as nature intended, leading to a more harmonious world. Sabeen strives to help adults unlock their full potential and make a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Andrea Venathithan a Course Assistant and Tutor at the Maria Montessori Institute, where she supports students in their training. She has been involved in the world of Montessori education since 1998. Over the years, she has developed and keeps developing an understanding of Maria Montessori's philosophy and its transformative approach to learning. In 2017, she took a significant step in her journey by founding her own Arborescence Montessori Children’s House, where they create a warm, nurturing environment that fosters independence, curiosity, and a love for learning in young children. This dual role of Course Tutor and Educator allows her to stay connected to both the classroom and the broader Montessori community.

Emma assists the Training Team in the training of the students across all the AMI 3-6 Diploma Courses. She also assists in giving lectures on the AMI 3-6 Orientation Courses and runs the 0-3 and 3-6 Montessori in the Home series of outreach workshops for parents and carers.

Emma has an AMI 0-3 and 3-6 Diploma and the Observation Post Diploma Certificate Course. She also holds the AMI 3-6 and 6-12 Assistants Certificate Courses and the AMI Montessori 12-18 Introductory Workshop.

Georgie Williamson is a tutor for the students on the AMI 3-6 Diploma 2 year evening programme.

Georgie started her career with a BA in Fine Art and working in an art room within The Percy Hedley Foundation, a disability charity. It was through questioning why art is often limited to being a therapeutic activity or for the very young, that she began to read about creativity in Education and came across the Montessori approach. She has over 10 years’ experience of working in various kindergartens, schools and Montessori settings in Munich and the UK, including as Lead Teacher in the Coach House at the Maria Montessori School - Hampstead. Georgie holds the AMI 3-6 Diploma, AMI 0-3 Diploma and Post Diploma Course in Observation which she studied at the Maria Montessori Institute.

Suzanne oversees the day-to-day running of our Training Centre and supports the administration of all our in person, blended, and online courses.

Kim oversees the application processes for the AMI 3-6 Diploma (One Year Intensive), AMI 0-3 Diploma, and a variety of short courses, including the AMI 3-6 and 6-12 Orientation Certificate courses. He also manages student visa applications and compliance.

Tessa oversees the application processes for the Foundation Degree in Montessori Pedagogy, AMI 3-6 Diploma (Two-Year courses), AMI 6-12 Diploma, and a variety of short courses, including the AMI 0-3 and 12-18 Orientation Certificate courses.