About Us

Jacquie Maughan received her AMI Primary Diploma in Palo Alto, CA.  In 1980 she founded Woodland Montessori School in Spokane, WA.  When she and her family moved to Seattle, she started Pacific Crest Montessori School.  Opening in 1985 in a church basement with one primary classroom, it has grown to a vibrant school community serving children and families from age three through eighth grade. After her retirement from Pacific Crest in 2013, Jacquie began Access Montessori.  The opportunity to reach children and families who have lacked access to Montessori education fulfills a dream to expand the reach of the Montessori movement. Jacquie brings her long history and commitment to the fundamental principles of Montessori education to her work.   She serves on the AMI Board and is a participant in AMI’s Bold Goal and Educateurs sans Frontieres initiatives. She also has served on the NAMTA board since 1986.

The following team of Regional Coordinators are guiding and supporting our outreach:

Maria Caradonna has an AMI 0-3 Diploma which augments her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Maria has worked with families, their infants and young children, and teachers of young children for over 25 years in a variety of settings and locations in the United States and abroad on several continents. Together with her husband, who is also a Montessori parent and a pediatrician, she has co-led Parent Education classes, done home visits and helped develop multiple family well-child appointments with the goal of offering ongoing support to families as their children grow from birth on. Maria particularly enjoys working with fellow Montessorians, as she has a strong belief in the power of collaboration and its role in building the foundation for Education for Peace.

Liza Davis is an AMI Primary Auxilary Trainer and is currently in the AMI Training of Trainers program. She received her primary diploma in 2001.  Prior to entering the Training of Trainers program, Liza was Head of School at Cornerstone Montessori School and Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School, a public charter school, in St. Paul.  Liza is currently Director of Special Programs at the Montessori Center of Minnesota.

Myesha Green is a Montessori child, attending from primary through upper elementary.  Her Montessori career began in 2006 when she enrolled in the Primary training at the Montessori Institute of Atlanta.  She completed the elementary training in Atlanta in 2012.  Myesha’s first career was as a research scientist – she has a PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences.  She has worked as a primary directress for ten years and is active in her school’s parent outreach and board of directors.  Myesha also serves as an AMI USA consultant.

Polli Soholt is an AMI primary trainer and consultant who is currently working on a course in Australia for the Australian Centre for Montessori Studies. She has worked as a trainer at the Montessori Teacher Training Center of Northern California and Montessori Northwest. Before becoming a trainer, she worked as a guide and director of a Montessori school in California.