~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.”
Colleen Smith
Nature Preschool Lead Guide: Trailblazers
After School Nature Club Leader: Sports + Movement, Science Club
Colleen recently graduated from UNC-Pembroke with a degree in Physical Education. In addition to child care experience, she has served as an intern with Scotland County Parks & Rec and completed her service learning with elementary and high school students.
Contact Colleen
Sarah Maccio
Assistant Nature Guide: Trailblazers
Nature Club Leader: French Club and Yoga
Sarah holds a BA in Music Education from ASU and has interned at the elementary and high school level. She brings a solid foundation in education and a passion for nurturing student growth to our Wild Hearts teaching team and is currently completing the Grow & Guide Teacher Education Program.
Jaycie Tonelli
Nature Preschool Co-Lead Guide: Tree Huggers
Social Media Manager
Jaycie graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in Psychology and went on to earn her Masters Degree. Jaycie is a licensed Play Therapist and has been on our team as a Co-Lead Wild Hearts Guide since 2020.
Contact Jaycie
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
Olivia Haralson
Lead Guide: Polliwogs
Nature Club Leader: Creative Movement & Dramatic Play
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
Brittney Bumgarnder
Assistant Nature Guide: Tadpoles
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.
Ashley Lowe
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Tadpoles
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 training.
Kathleen Shuler
Co-Lead Nature Guide: Tadpoles
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.
Yudy Barragan
Lead Toddler Guide: Butterflies
Co-Lead Guide: Afternoon Adventure Club (Spanish + Art Club)
Co-Lead Guide: Parent & Child Montessori
Yudy earned her associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Sandhills Community College and worked as an educator at Sandhills Children’s Center for many years before joining our team at The Garden. She has completed the CGMS Montessori Beginnings Training and the Nido & Toddler Lead Guide Montessori Diploma through the MACTE accredited Prepared Montessorian Teacher Training Institute. Yudy is also fluent in Spanish and has been with us since 2021, first as a teachers assistant and moving into a Lead Guide role in 2022.
Contact Yudy
Haely Semeniuk
Assistant 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 is pursuing the Montessori Beginnings Training through CGMS and the Montessori Assistant’s Toolkit through Trillium Montessori. Haely has been on our team as an assistant teacher since 2022.
Estephanie Quattrucci
Lead Toddler Guide: Caterpillars
Co-Lead Guide: Afternoon Adventure Club (Creative Movement + Science/Sensory Club)
Co-Lead Guide: Parent & Child Montessori
Estesphanie has 5 years of experience leading infant-preschool classrooms and another 3 years as a professional nanny. She studied child development and is fluent is Spanish. Estephanie is currently completing her Nido & Toddler Lead Guide Montessori Diploma through the MACTE accredited Prepared Montessorian Teacher Training Institute.
Contact Estephanie
Rachel Subdias-Cardenas
Assistant Toddler Guide: Caterpillars
Nature Club Leader: Forest Wednesdays
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 is now returning. She completed the Infant/Toddler Montessori Assistant Toolkit training through Trillium Montessori and the Montessori Beginnings Training through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
Valeria Puebla
Floating Support Guide: Toddler Community
Valeria is an experienced Montessori teacher assistant and holds an Associate’s Degree in Education. She is also bilingual and enjoys sharing her native language with her students. Valeria is currently completing the Montessori Beginnings training through CGMS.
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 9 years. She also graduated with a M.Ed in Teaching and Learning with a Concentration in Montessori Education in 2024.
Gabby McNamara
Children’s House Assistant
Gabby joined our community as a parent in 2019, but she has also worked in various classroom roles for over 10 years including as a Preschool teacher and assistant, elementary grades teacher and assistant, as a tutor and most recently as a substitute guide here at The Garden. She holds a BA in Early Childhood Education and Sociology and a Masters in Learning Disabilities. She has completed the Montessori Beginnings and Fundamentals courses through CGMS and is currently pursuing her IMC Montessori Certification for ages 3-6 years through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
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.
Betsy Yamron
Lead Art Specialist and Wild Hearts Floating Support Guide,
Afternoon Art Club Leader
Miss Betsy has been an energetic & creative Guide at The Garden for over 2 years. She has taken on several roles: Wild Hearts Assistant Guide, Afterschool Art teacher (Process Art and Art Club), and Floater/Art Teacher. Betsy graduated from Wells College with a degree in Art History. She has had varied positions in her career: advertising account executive, event planner at a hobby store and manager of a children’s bookstore and a fine art supply store. Her most important and rewarding job is being a Mom to 3 children.
Lorri Perini
Substitute Guide
Katherine Davis
Substitute Guide
Katie Newman
Substitute Guide
Lisa Duke
Substitute Guide
Christal Lynn
Substitute Guide
Katie George
Kiely Lyles
Suzanne Strayhorn
Caitlin Kessay
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.