The Montessori three-year cycle allows teachers to build meaningful relationships with their students, gaining a deep understanding of each child’s unique personality, interests, and learning style. This extended partnership enables educators to nurture natural talents, support individual growth, and meet the developmental needs of the whole child.
South Suburban Montessori School’s faculty includes dedicated educators who bring a wealth of Montessori knowledge and experience to our community. All of our lead teachers, along with many of our classroom assistants, have earned Montessori certification and are committed to fostering a rich, engaging learning environment where every child can thrive.
Introduction to Faculty & Staff Bios
At the heart of South Suburban Montessori School is an exceptional team of educators and staff who inspire curiosity, encourage independence, and support each child’s journey of discovery. We invite you to get to know some of the talented individuals who make our school community so special by reading their biographies below.
Michaela Anborgh
Lower Elementary Assistant
Michaela spent most of her life on the other side of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada before moving to Ohio. Growing up in a bilingual household (English and Dutch) helped her develop a love for languages and she graduated from the Western University with a Bachelor of Arts in French Studies. Prior to becoming an assistant at SSMS, her experiences in education included teaching English at a francophone high school in Québec and working as an English language tutor to students from all around the world. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, travelling, being in nature, and cheering on the Cavs.
Karen Badovick
Toddler Assistant
Karen has been working with children ages 6 weeks- 6 years, for more than 30 years. She has a 2-year degree in early childhood education. She came to SSMS in 2023 and has loved working in the toddler environment. She loves spending time with her three grown children and five beautiful grandchildren. She also enjoys swimming, hiking, NASCAR, and relaxing on her patio with her husband and dog.
Bella Boehnlein
Auxiliary Staff Member
Bella grew up in Broadview Heights, OH, and has been part of the South Suburban Montessori community for most of her life, attending SSMS from Toddler through 8th grade. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in P–5 Education at Cleveland State University and plans to earn her Montessori Toddler and Children’s House Lead Guide certifications in the future.
Bella has a deep appreciation for the Montessori philosophy and believes that choice, play, independence, and hands-on experiences are important parts of a child’s learning and development.
Outside of school, Bella enjoys mountain biking, singing, and dancing, especially ballet, tap, and contemporary.
Maureen Chapin
Children’s House Assistant
Maureen has worked in the teaching field for over 25 years and finds it rewarding to watch children learn, grow, and discover their independence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Notre Dame College. She enjoys creating a supportive environment that respects children’s interests and encourages their natural curiosity. Outside of school, Maureen loves nature walks, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Jeanette Chin
Lower Elementary Lead Guide
Jeanette grew up in Ohio and has lived here most of her life. She attended the University of Akron, receiving a bachelor’s degree in education before discovering Montessori. She began co-teaching at a Montessori school in 1999 and obtained her AMI Montessori certification and master’s degree at Loyola University in 2002. Jeanette has worked with children in both the Upper Elementary and Lower Elementary environments and is the parent of a Montessori graduate. When she is not at school, she can be found baking something sweet in her kitchen, digging holes in her flower beds, reading a good piece of fiction, or playing games with her family.
Corrin Early
Middle School Lead Guide
Corrin grew up in many different places throughout her childhood, including New Jersey, Alaska, and Ohio. While living in Alaska, she embraced the importance of nature and fell in love with hiking, fishing, swimming (in glacier water), and exploring. When her family moved to the countryside of Ohio, she still got to explore but also loved playing sports—especially volleyball! That love and dedication for volleyball ended up earning her an athletic scholarship to Wheeling University! She graduated from Wheeling University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. After earning her degree, she wanted to give back to the community; she joined Teach for America and was placed in Cleveland, OH. After eight years of teaching in Cleveland, she joined the SSMS community. She has been at SSMS since 2023 and has been teaching for 10+ years. She loves spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys learning new things and exploring the world around her. Her passion is helping others to grow and learn, whether that be in the classroom or at home. Corrin and her husband Nate currently reside in Medina with their two children, who currently attend SSMS.
Katie Fox
Upper Elementary Lead Guide
Katie is a graduate of Ohio University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Education. During her undergrad was when she first heard about the Montessori method. She immediately knew that was the path that she wanted to pursue for her career. Shortly after completing her undergraduate, she began her Montessori training and is now a Montessori certified teacher. In her free time, she loves to paddle board on Lake Erie, hike the metro parks with her dog, go skiing when there is snowfall, go to the gym, meditate, or do almost any activity that incorporates nature and promotes mindfulness.
Elizabeth Funk
Lower Elementary Lead Guide
Elizabeth received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History from John Carroll University and her Master of Arts in Art History and Museum Studies from Case Western Reserve University. She joined the SSMS community in 2015 and has since earned her Elementary I credential from the American Montessori Society, as well as a Master’s in Montessori Education from Xavier University. When she’s not in the classroom, Elizabeth enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with the people she loves.
Sheri Funk
Children’s House Literacy/Writing Support
Sheri came to SSMS years ago as a summer camp art teacher, where she fell in love with the Montessori method. She returned as a substitute in 2021 and found a real connection with the students. With an understanding of the importance of handwriting to literacy, Sheri enjoys working with our Kindergarten students on the development of their handwriting practice. She may also be found encouraging older students to write creatively, in the after-school Creative Writing Club, which she formed in Spring 2026.
Angela Galarza
Children’s House Lead Guide
Angela has enjoyed teaching and working in Montessori environments for over 35 years (14 at SSMS) and received her AMS Early Childhood Teaching Credential in 1992. She also holds degrees in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Development from Palm Beach State College and Walden University.
Prior to coming to SSMS, Angela’s rich experience includes working as a Montessori Children’s House Guide, Head of School, Summer Camp Director, and Music Teacher. Deeply passionate about supporting fellow educators, Angela has also been actively involved in Montessori teacher education at South Florida Montessori Education Center, Summit Montessori Teacher Training Institute, and The Maryland Center for Montessori Studies.
Proudly, Angela’s youngest son (a graduate of SSMS) is a local firefighter/paramedic. Outside of the classroom, Angela loves spending quality time with her sons, husband and family, singing in her church choir, exploring nature, walking, biking, hiking in the Metroparks, kissing her cat, and trying out new recipes.
Heather Gerheim
Children’s House Lead Guide
Heather started teaching traditional elementary school in 1998, but became involved with Montessori in 2001. She holds a degree in Elementary Education from Miami University of Ohio as well as her AMS Early Childhood Credential from Columbus Montessori Teacher Education Center. Heather has two children of her own. Heather enjoys many activities outside of school such as reading, knitting, walking with friends, playing the violin, tap dancing, and volunteering at her church. She also enjoys sleeping in on the weekends. Her goal for the future is to complete her Montessori Applied to Children At-Risk Training.
Elizabeth Hinkel
Associate Head of School
Beth’s Montessori journey began at age three, when she joined a Children’s House classroom in Cincinnati, Ohio. Years later, as a college student at Xavier University, she found herself reunited with the Montessori materials she remembered so fondly after a professor encouraged her to explore becoming a Montessori teacher. She was enthralled to say the least! In 2008, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Montessori Education going on to teach in both private and public Montessori schools across the country before eventually finding her way back home to Ohio. Beth returned to Xavier to earn her Master’s in Montessori Education, and for the past twelve years, she has been part of the South Suburban Montessori School community. Her time at SSMS has been split between teaching in the Aspen classroom and serving as Associate Head of School. One of her favorite parts of her current role is spending time in classrooms with students and faculty and learning more about the community as a whole. Beth’s connection to SSMS is a family affair, too. Her three children are all SSMS students! When she’s not at school, Beth loves spending time with family and friends, playing games (especially card games!), reading, biking with her husband, cooking, and baking. She’s also determined to transform her once-not-so-green thumb into a decidedly greener one.
Meike Kisch-Visger
Children’s House Assistant
Meike was born and raised in a small town about 40 minutes outside of Stuttgart, Germany and moved to the United States 22 years ago. She is fluent in German and brings a diverse background in hospitality, along with many years of experience leading a bereavement group at church.
Meike has always had a passion for working with younger children. Her twin boys began attending SSMS in 2024, and shortly afterward, she began working at the school as a substitute teacher. She has loved becoming a part of the SSMS community and spending time with its students.
In her free time, Meike enjoys organizing, gardening, baking, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Emma Kowing
Spanish Guide
Emma grew up in Bettendorf, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in both Spanish and World Language Education. She also has an endorsement in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She has worked at SSMS since 2025. Emma has always been nerdy about languages, but she fell in love with Spanish when taking it in middle school and never looked back. Spreading that love of language and learning at SSMS fills her with such joy! She always tries to keep learning Spanish fun through songs, books, dances, and games; the sillier, the better!
When not teaching, Emma can be found learning new words from various languages, playing games with her husband and friends, reading fantasy books, singing in choir, and cuddling with her cat, Buttercup.
Sara Knoblauch
Admissions Coordinator
Sara grew up in Northeast Ohio and has lived here for most of her life. She attended a Montessori school through 5th grade and has environmental engineering degrees from Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins University. Sara has previously worked as an engineering consultant turned stay-at-home mom. She is passionate about sharing the magic of Montessori with everyone she meets, so she is happy to welcome new families to South Suburban Montessori School! When Sara is not taking care of her children, she loves to knit and crochet, go on hikes and binge watch reality tv shows.
Gretchen Larrow
Administrative Assistant
Raised on a farm, airport, and drag strip south of Canton, OH, Gretchen found her calling early as a performing artist. At age 11, she sang her first role as a Jewish concentration camp child in “I Never Saw Another Butterfly”. Various choirs, bands, musical theater productions, summer stock, community theaters, operettas, and full operas have seen Gretchen performing all the way through Heidelberg University where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. While pursuing a vocal career at the University of Akron, Gretchen met her husband. Her in-laws are well-known Montessori leaders of teaching, teacher-training, and accrediting while serving on multiple Montessori committees and Boards and at different NEO Montessori schools. Tom and Gretchen’s two sons started Montessori school at age 2-1/2yrs and Gretchen joined the SSMS administrative team thereafter.
Jeanette Louis
Upper Elementary Lead Guide
Jeanette is entering her 23rd year of teaching and has had the opportunity to work in a multitude of school environments. She began her teaching journey in a traditional school but then worked for many years with students on the autism spectrum in both an integrated school setting, as well as a private school program. Most recently she taught in a school for gifted students. She surprisingly realized that her philosophy and style of teaching that has developed over the years lines up very closely to Montessori. Jeanette has lived within an 11-mile radius her whole life and currently lives in Broadview Heights with her husband and four sons. She spends her free time vanning, finding ways to spend quality time with her family, reading, and binge watching Netflix.
Amy Mackie-Barr
Head of School
Born on a Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, California, Amy spent her childhood and teenage years moving frequently with her parents and two younger brothers, living in communities across the United States and abroad. After graduating from college in 1994, she accepted a part-time secretarial position at a small local Montessori school. What began as a job quickly became a calling.
Amy holds American Montessori Society (AMS) teaching credentials at both the Infant & Toddler and Early Childhood levels. Her dedication to Montessori education and leadership led her to become Head of School at SSMS in 2007.
Although she never lived in the same place for more than four years while growing up, Amy has proudly called Cleveland Heights home for the past three decades. She is the mother of two sons, Michael and Owen, both of whom shared in her Montessori journey as students. More recently, she embraced a new and cherished role as grandmother to Alexandra.
Outside of school, Amy enjoys reading, biking, and unwinding with complicated jigsaw puzzles. She is also an enthusiastic Jazzercise participant and makes it a priority to attend classes at least three times each week.
Alana Miller
Toddler Assistant
Alana received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Baldwin Wallace University where she first crossed paths with the Montessori philosophy while studying English Education. Alana cares deeply about children; she is devoted to her work and feels naturally connected to the toddler age. She is passionate about nurturing each of her students’ development, supporting and cherishing their unique personality and spirit, helping them find their sense of joy and purpose within their world, all while guiding their independence and offering warmth and encouragement as they build confidence in their own abilities. Outside of work, Alana is a life-long book lover and avid reader and likes to spend time out of the classroom studying psychology, philosophy, poetry, and the healing arts. She enjoys being outdoors and going for long walks, exercise and play, hanging out by the lake, writing poetry, tending to her home, and spending time with loved ones.
Blake Minich
Middle School Lead Guide
Energized by the Earth’s yellow sun Blake uses enhanced abilities, unbridled curiosity, a business degree from Miami (OH), and six years of experience teaching English as a Second Language in Seoul, Korea to spread Truth, Justice, and the Montessori way. After spending eight years as a non-basketball playing globetrotter, Blake moved back to Northeast Ohio in 2010 to take on the role of Marketing Director for a local financial services firm. Despite being surrounded by some of the most talented professionals in the finance industry he would leave the office each day feeling unsatisfied. Remembering the sense of accomplishment he received from leading students to knowledge Blake decided to resign from his desk job so that he could go back to school. As a Middle School Guide he has found a renewed vigor and sense of purpose in the classroom each day where he hopes to spread his enthusiasm and natural inquisitiveness to the students of South Suburban so that they can become life long learners. When he is not in school Blake will spend his free time with his wife and children, laboring in a Sisyphean attempt at having a well-manicured lawn, reading, cooking, and catching up on sleep.
Khema Perera
Toddler Lead Guide
Khema completed her AMI Montessori training in her home country of Sri Lanka. She first lived in Nevada before settling in Ohio. Khema has experience in public, charter, and private Montessori schools. She has three lovely teenagers. Some of Khema’s passions outside of school are cooking a variety of ethnic foods, reading, and walking in the Metroparks.
Jen Petric-Black
Executive Administrator
Jen is a Cleveland native who, aside from a brief adventure in Chicago, has proudly called Northeast Ohio home her entire life. She earned degrees in Computer Programming and Communications from The University of Akron, building a unique blend of technical expertise and communication skills that fueled more than a decade in software development leadership, most recently at OverDrive, Inc.
Since joining the SSMS administrative team in 2018, Jen has leveraged her passion for technology, process improvement, and data-driven problem-solving to support the school community. Whether she’s streamlining workflows, building the perfect spreadsheet, coding a new app, or finding smarter ways to get things done, she brings equal parts tech savvy, creativity, and dedication to her work.
Outside the office, Jen stays busy keeping up with her three Montessori teens and tackling ambitious DIY home renovation projects that often involve removing walls before fully deciding what comes next. An avid baker with dreams of one day stepping into the iconic Great British Baking Show tent, she also remains a loyal Cleveland football fan who fully embraces the city’s trademark optimism: there’s always next year.
Mara Radzialowski
Lower Elementary Assistant
Mara started her work at South Suburban as a Children’s House volunteer during her high school years. After accumulating upwards of 400 volunteer hours, she continued to work as a teaching assistant during the summers. She received the opportunity to rejoin the SSMS team during the Summer of 2022 and has worked as the Upper Encore guide, a Children’s House float and an Elementary assistant. Mara has a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently enrolled as a graduate student in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at the University of Akron. Outside of work, Mara’s favorite ways enjoy her time include any activities that involve being in nature, traveling, bouldering, long-boarding, new experiences and activities, and spending time with loved ones.
Danielle Reidinger
Toddler Lead Guide
Danielle has enjoyed growing up in the northeast Ohio area and is proud to make Cleveland the place where she raises her family. Danielle and her family most enjoy the plethora of museums our city has to offer and utilizing any area of the Metroparks. But her favorite place to spend down time with her children is the zoo.
Danielle has her Associate’s degree with focus in Early Childhood Education and her Infant Toddler Credential from The Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Danielle has spent most of her career working with toddlers which bring a deep understanding of the unique and exciting stages of development this time period offers.
Brian Riha
Music Guide
Brian has always had a passion for music, and while attending college he discovered his passion for teaching it. While majoring in classical guitar at Baldwin-Wallace College, he began as a student teacher there.
Brian picked up the guitar at age 8, and had his first public performance by age 10, at a summer bible school. Guitar lessons would soon follow. Diverse formal instruction came later as Brian began to develop a strong dedication to teaching the instrument he loves. His areas of study have included classical training, with a bachelor’s degree in performance, as well as music theory, history, and composition.
Brian has been teaching private music lessons since the 1990’s. He is eager to serve our community by helping to harvest the talents of our children and young musicians both as a Montessori teacher and music instructor. Brian has been a Montessori parent since 2006 and enjoys working with children of all ages. He resides in Brecksville with his wife and three children, enjoys serving his church, making music, vacationing with his family, home remodeling, and muscle cars.
Diane Robinson
Intervention Specialist
Upon completion of both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at The Ohio State University, Diane began her career as a Licensed Professional Counselor. That work, along with the privilege of raising 3 wonderful children, highlighted her desire to work alongside children. Licensure as an Intervention Specialist has allowed Diane to work with students who are facing varied hurdles, including academic, executive functioning, and social-emotional challenges. Of particular interest to Diane is helping students with reading, causing her to earn both her Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner Certification and her AMS Elementary Reading Certificate. As a Cleveland transplant, Diane is a true champion of the city—enjoying everything from the varied wildlife in her backyard to the wonder of Play House Square! When not at school, Diane can be found working on home improvement projects with her husband, caring for her vegetable and flower gardens, playing with her 3 crazy dogs, doing needlework projects, or binge-watching British crime dramas!
Robert Scott
Business Administrator
Robert obtained his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Ohio State University and received his Master’s degree in accounting from John Carroll University. He has two years of experience as a Staff Accountant & one year of experience in payroll. Robert grew up in Ohio and enjoys watching Cleveland Sports (Cavaliers & Guardians) and sometimes the (Cleveland Browns).
Remi Stefanski
Children’s House Lead Guide
Remi was born and raised in Seven Hills and currently resides in Independence, with her husband. She is a graduate of Ohio University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. During her early years as a preschool teacher, she learned about the Montessori Method, falling in love with the philosophy. In 2018, she received her AMS Early Childhood Credential from Columbus Montessori Teacher Education Center.
In her down time, Remi loves to organize anything and everything – she jokes that the label maker is her best friend! She enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, playing board games and traveling. Remi loves drinking coffee, trying new baking recipes and finding treasures at local thrift stores.
Deena Tsatiris
Toddler Assistant
Deena is a NE Ohio native, lucky enough to have grown up enjoying the outdoors and especially Lake Erie. After graduating from Denison University with a Bachelor of Science and later a Master of Science from Cleveland State University, she worked in healthcare before life became more family focused. She has lived in Brecksville since 2015 with her husband and their two kids, where they love to play sports, ride bikes, swim, take long walks, and keep in touch with their Greek heritage and community.
She has been a substitute at SSMS since 2023 and has enjoyed growing her connection at the school. Her own early childhood years were spent in Montessori classrooms, and she is excited to now come back full circle to a Montessori Toddler environment.
Hannah Weber
Children’s House Lead Guide
Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Educational Studies from Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky in 2018. After spending a year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Malaysia in 2019, she returned home and, just a few days later, started a job as the after-school coordinator at a Cincinnati Montessori School. She quickly fell in love with the Montessori way of teaching and learning, feeling a strong desire to dive deeper and become a certified teacher. She earned her AMS credential and graduated with her master’s degree in Montessori Education from Xavier University in 2022.
Originally from the “Kentucky” side of Cincinnati, Hannah moved to Northeast Ohio in 2023 and has enjoyed making her home here ever since! She especially loves hiking & volunteering in all of the incredible parks, playing recreational volleyball, and exploring local gems like the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Patty Zilich
Children’s House Assistant
Patty is a lifelong Ohioan and calls Newburgh Heights home. She has worked in both public and Montessori settings for the past 21 years. She is thrilled to be back “home” in a Montessori environment. Patty is married and has three lovely children and three amazing grandchildren. She is a die-hard Browns, Cavs and Guardians fan. She loves attending sporting events and doing retail therapy at thrift stores.