~Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
“She [the Montessori teacher] must acquire a moral alertness which has not hitherto been demanded by any other system, and this is revealed in her tranquility, patience, charity, and humility. Not words, but virtues, are her main qualifications.”
Megan Muniz-McAleavey
Montessori Teaching Coach
Children’s House Lead Guide & Program Coordinator
Contact Megan
Megan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and spent several years working with children of all ages before discovering Montessori in her time working at The Garden in 2015. She went on to earn a MACTE Lower Elementary Montessori Credential and AMI Primary (3-6) Diploma and has been working in Montessori Education for the last 10 years. She has completed Orton Gillingham reading instruction training and also graduated with a M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning with a Concentration in Montessori Education in 2024.
Alyssa Irons
Children’s House Assistant
Alyssa holds a degree in Elementary Education from Belmont Abbey and completed her student teaching in a Kindergarten classroom before moving on to become a certified 4th-grade teacher. Her child attends The Garden’s Toddler Community.
Contact Alyssa
Gemma Farris
Montessori Apprentice
Gemma is our very first Montessori Apprentice–which is a new role available to Sandhills Community College students and offered as part of their Early Childhood Associate’s Degree program for students interested in pursuing Montessori training after graduation.
Ashley Farris
Lead Nature Guide: Trailblazers
Ashley holds a BA in Art History & American Studies and a Master’s in experiential and outdoor education and has experience teaching preschoolers through middle school in both religious and public school settings. Her experience and education make her a great asset to our Wild Hearts Preschool Team and she begins her Grow & Guide Teacher Education Program in 2025.
Amanda Shay
Nature Preschool Co-Lead Guide: Tree Huggers
Amanda has worked as an assistant and lead teacher in elementary special education and preschool settings and as a program director at a residential camp for children and adults with disabilities. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire and a certificate in Early Childhood Education. Amanda has been on our team as a Co-Lead Wild Hearts Guide since 2020.
Contact Amanda
Lauren Pataki
Nature Preschool Co-Lead Guide: Tree Huggers
Marketing Coordinator
Lauren holds an MBA and began her career in Human Resources and Business Administration, but most recently worked as a Preschool teacher at a farm and nature school. She comes to us with great experience in an outdoor preschool setting and a passion for quality early childhood education.
Brittney Bumgarnder
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Polliwogs
Brittney has experience as a daycare teacher and cheerleading coach and is currently pursuing the Grow & Guide Teacher training program. Brittney has been a substitute guide at The Garden since 2023.
Kathleen Shuler
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Polliwogs
Katie earned her Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Maryland and spent two years supporting exceptional children in a Montessori primary environment. She has also worked as an assistant teacher and floater in a traditional setting and is currently completing the Grow & Guide training.
Ashley Lowe
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Tadpoles
Summer Camp Lead Guide: Puddle Jumpers
Ashley holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She has worked as a court advocate and as an assistant and lead preschool teacher before coming to our team here at The Garden. She is currently completing the Grow & Guide teacher training.
Rachel Subdias-Cardenas
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Tadpoles
Rachel earned an associate’s degree in Child Development with a certificate in Infant and Toddler Care from Sandhills Community College. She spent a year working with Toddlers at The Garden before a brief military move and returned in 2024. She completed the Infant/Toddler Montessori Assistant Toolkit training through Trillium Montessori and the Montessori Beginnings Training through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
Olivia Haralson
Co-Lead Guide: Caterpillars
Afternoon Adventure Club Co-Lead
Olivia graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Child Development and was an intern at The Garden in 2023. Olivia has worked as a dance and movement instructor and nanny in addition to her time with us as a summer intern. She is currently completing her Grow & Guide teacher training.
Contact Olivia
Virginia LaPrairie
Co-Lead Guide: Caterpillars
Teaching Administrator: Toddler Community
Ginny is a certified Equine Specialist and has taught toddlers for many years in addition to serving as an Assistant Director, Program Director and Director of Cirriculum, Training & Development int an early childhood setting for 10 years. She also works currently as a Wellness Coach in addition to her role here at The Garden.
Haely Semeniuk
Co-Lead Toddler Guide: Butterflies
Haely has dedicated herself to her children as a stay at home mom previous to joining us here at The Garden. She completed the Montessori Beginnings Training through CGMS and the Montessori Assistant’s Toolkit through Trillium Montessori and is currently pursuing her Early Childhood Associate’s from Sandhills Community College. Haely has been on our team since 2022.
Contact Haely
Rebecca Collins
Co-Lead Toddler Guide: Butterflies
Rebecca brings over a decade of educational leadership, homeschool experience, ministry work, and child development knowledge, along with a passion for outdoor learning and holistic care. She holds an associate’s degree in Business Administration and is undergoing Montessori professional development.
Ashley Young
Wild Hearts Floating Support Guide
Ashley is the mother of two of our Wild Hearts students and spent the majority of her career serving in the military as an analyst. She holds a BA in Language & Linguistics and is fluent in Sign Language.
Sarah Hester
Toddler Community Floating Support Guide
Sarah is currently pursuing a Psychology degree from Appalachian State University and has experience working with children in a drop-in care setting.
Rachel Martin
Toddler Montessori Consultant
Rachel holds an AMS Montessori Credential for ages 0-3 years and has many years experience in a toddler Montessori classroom. She travels from Raleigh to observe in our classrooms and support our toddler teaching team in their implementation of the Montessori philosophy.
Kelly Fagan Echavarria
Yoga Instructor
Kelly has decades of experience working with children both in Special Education for Moore County Schools and teaching children’s yoga and mindfulness classes. Kelly is the co-owner of The Connection Corner in Southern Pines where she holds her yoga and mindfulness classes through Namaste with Kelly for children of all ages and abilities.
Lorri Perini
Substitute Guide
Lisa Duke
Substitute Guide
Caitlin Kessay
Substitute Guide
Kathryn Hall
Head of School & Operations Director
Location: Southern Pines Campus
Contact Kathryn (910)420-8762
Kathryn holds a BS in Environmental Science and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Lynchburg College. Kathryn has nearly 10 years of experience in higher education, working as Assistant Director and Coordinator of Residence Life and as Graduate Hall Director. She completed the Montessori Foundations 3-6 training and the Montessori Beginnings 0-3 training through Center for Guided Montessori Studies. She also completed the Mastery of Montessori Leadership training through Holistic Montessori Solutions in 2020.
Elizabeth Demeyere
Linden Rd Operations Director
Outreach Director
Location: Pinehurst Campus
Contact Elizabeth (910)420-8762
Elizabeth earned her degree in Developmental Psychology and has spent nearly 10 years of her career in early education. She also has a Masters in Organizational Development and Leadership and is a board certified coach through the Institute of Life Coaching. She is the founder of Rooted Resiliency Coaching and offers professional and personal coaching to help people of all ages meet their goals through one-on-one or group support.
Mary Travis
Wild Hearts Program Director
Location: Pinehurst Campus
Contact Mary (910)420-8762
Mary holds a Masters in Geography and a BS in Sustainable Development from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has most recently taught at the college level but has several years of experience in early childhood education as a Preschool teacher and through her work in children’s public library programming. Mary has been a lead guide at Wild Hearts Nature School for the past 2 years.
Ellen Graham
CEO & Founder
Admissions & Resources Director
Location: Charlotte Campus
Contact Ellen (910)315-0990
Ellen earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from UNC-Wilmington. She went on to earn her NC Early Childhood Credentials and attended Graduate School at Western Carolina University for Special Education before founding The Garden in 2014. She is also the founder of Kindermusik with Ellen, an early childhood music and movement program which has been in operation in Southern Pines since 2011, and additionally has over 20 years of experience in childcare and early education with training in Montessori for Early Childhood, Developmental Play Therapy and Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers.
