Faculty and Staff
Erin Smith, Executive Director and Director of Training for Assistants to infancy
Erin Smith has been working in Montessori environments since 2001, and as a classroom guide for sixteen years. She has worked as an Assistant, Nido guide, Toddler guide, Primary guide, Parent-Infant Class Facilitator and Instructional Coach. Erin is also an AMI Trainer at the Assistants to Infancy level and an A to I Consultant for AMI/USA. She has worked on AMI training courses in the United States, Europe and Asia
Erin’s personal Montessori journey began at The Montessori Institute in Denver when she attended training in 2002-2003, learning from Judi Orion and Cha Cha Vidales. She went on to earn her Masters at Loyola University in Maryland in 2005. Erin completed her Primary training with Annette Haines in 2008. Upon entering AMI’s Training of Trainers program in 2010, Erin returned to TMI to support students and further her own learning, later joining the TMI faculty as a Trainer in 2018.
Erin is honored to be working on behalf of TMI in the role of Executive Director, amongst a team of talented and dedicated Trainers at the A to I, Primary and Elementary levels, as well as the wonderful administrators and staff. TMI is an AMI Training Center with a long legacy and a bright future, and it is a pleasure to serve such a special organization.
email: erin_smith@tmidenver.com
Andrea Fleener, Director of Training for Elementary
Andrea Fleener is an AMI Elementary Trainer and most recently was training adult learners at the undergraduate, degree completion, and graduate levels through partnerships with Alverno College and the Montessori Training Center of St Louis. She also offers courses through AMI China. Andrea holds AMI diplomas at both the Primary and Elementary levels, a B.A. in Germanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Kansas and a M.Ed. in Montessori Education from Loyola University in Maryland.
Andrea has over 10 years Montessori teaching experience at the 6-9, 6-12 and 9-12 levels as well as experience working as support staff in Montessori classrooms. She has served on various Montessori task forces, is a past chair of the AMI-EAA board of directors and is an AMI examiner. Andrea has worked with the staffs of public Montessori schools in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota and has offered workshops, mentoring and staff support both in the United States and internationally. She is passionate about helping teachers bring the theory into practice and loves opportunities to mentor and support teachers.
Vinkle Thakkar, Director of Training for Assistants to infancy
Vinkle Thakkar’s Montessori interest was inspired by the confidence and independent thinking she observed in her siblings and cousins who went to a Montessori school. The journey since then has been ongoing and evolving.
Vinkle holds AMI diplomas for the 0-3, 3-6 and 6-12 levels and a Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of Mumbai, India. After 21 years in the classroom and engagement with the children of different age groups, she is now an Instructional Coach at Near North Montessori School in Chicago, IL. She is also an Auxiliary Trainer for the Association Montessori Internationale and the Montessori Institute in Denver, CO.
Judith Orion, Assistants to infancy trainer emeritus
Judi holds the AMI Primary (3-6) diploma and received her Assistants to Infancy (0-3) diploma at the first AMI training for that level, given in Rome. Judi has conducted Primary and Infancy Montessori classes and is a trainer, examiner, and consultant at both levels. Judi has retired from full time training but is an active contributor to The Montessori Institute and Association Montessori International.
Katy Myers, project manager
Prior to joining TMI, Katy spent over 20 years as a leader of public Montessori innovation and charter schools. Katy was a founding parent and later the head of school of Compass Montessori School, a pre-k through 12th grade public charter school in Jefferson County, Colorado, where her three children attended from age 3 through high school graduation. After 10 years at Compass, Katy took a sabbatical year to finish her Montessori elementary training and work in the adolescent boarding community at the Montessori High School in Cleveland. That year, she wrote the performance application for what became Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School (DMHS), an innovation school within Denver Public Schools, where she was the founding principal from 2012 - 2020. She holds the AMI Elementary (6-12) diploma, the AMI Adolescent (12-18) diploma and the Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies (NAMTA) and earned a MEd in education leadership and administration at Arizona State University in addition to a BS from the School of Speech at Northwestern University.
Email: katy_myers@tmidenver.com
Christie Archuleta,
Operations and Admissions Coordinator
Christie earned her AMS Associate Infant & Toddler Credential in 1997, through Mid-America Montessori Training Institute, and worked in the Montessori field for over 8 years in different roles such as after school coordinator, guide and classroom coach. Prior to joining TMI, Christie found her way back into Montessori and worked at The Montessori Academy of Colorado in the Nido environment for over five years.
In between her early years as a Montessori guide, and her position at MAC, Christie ventured into the corporate world with a large student loan company where she worked as a department trainer. Christie loves to help students connect with The Montessori Institute and enjoys being part of the TMI community.
Lara Wallace,
Onsite Elementary coordinator
Lara holds an AMI Elementary diploma for 6-12. She has an M.Ed. in Montessori Education from Loyola University in Maryland and a BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado. Lara has worked in Montessori schools for twelve years as an Assistant, a Teacher, and a Mentor. She has worked part time at The Montessori Institute since 2008.
Partners
Araceli del Carmen O’Clair - Good Tension Solutions
Araceli del Carmen O’Clair is currently an educator in the Denver Public Schools. As a former principal of a public dual language Montessori school, she has successfully led equity work that focused on adult development and gentle shifts in mindset. Now through her consultancy, Good Tension Solutions, she continues to help growing others in their journey towards equitable practices. Most recently, she attained certification to become an Interpersonal Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator. She believes this tool is essential as we relate to each other cross-culturally. With more awareness about ourselves, the efficacy we have to adapt to each other’s needs, especially those of children.
She attended the University of Denver, Ritchie Program for School Leaders: Executive Leadership for Successful Schools to obtain her elementary school principal’s license. Araceli holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education from the University of Colorado, Denver. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Worcester State University in Massachusetts. As a proud Latina connected to her roots, she treasures the gift of being bilingual and bicultural. Moreover, she acutely understands the need for a leadership movement that is grounded in respect for humanity.