MONTESSORI PUBLIC POLICY INNITIATIVE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Head of School, Jarrow Montessori School
Job Titles:
- Director of State Advocacy
Denise Monnier is a Montessori parent, advocate, and advocacy coach, striving for public policy that supports universal access to Montessori education. More than 15 years of teaching in and leading Montessori schools made her deeply aware of the need for equity in and access to high quality education. Denise‘s journey into education policy began when she founded an early childhood outreach program. Later, as the head of Fox Valley Montessori School in Aurora, Illinois and through her involvement in the Association of Illinois Montessori Schools where she currently serves as Executive Director, her advocacy efforts turned to statewide and national advocacy. Her work with MPPI is centered around supporting our state advocacy groups and equipping them with the tools and training they need to be effective advocates for children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Executive Director, Association Montessori International / USA
Jessica Davis
Assistant Head of School, Bloomington Montessori School, President, Legislative Advocacy Chair, and School Validation Coordinator for the United Montessori Schools of Indiana
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Teacher Educator, PhD Student in Education Policy and Teacher Education Co - Founder Kentucky Montessori Alliance
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Chairman
- Head
- Member of the Board
- President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Executive Director, Mountain Montessori Former President, Colorado Montessori Association
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Executive Director, American Montessori Society
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Elementary Level Coordinator West Side Montessori Teacher Education Program, New York State Montessori Alliance Board Member
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director of Satellite and Special Projects at Montessori Training Center Northeast, AMI / USA Board Member
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Vice - President Virginia Montessori Association, Consultant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Montessori Senior Team Lead and Reading Interventionist K - 3 at Lincoln Elementary School - Denver Public Schools
In her nearly 25 years as a Montessori educator, Vyju has served as a Montessori teacher, head of school and school founder. She has worked in both private and public Montessori schools and strongly believes that there needs to be greater access to high quality Montessori education for all families. She is AMS credentialed for Primary and Lower Elementary and holds an AMS certificate in Administration and a master's degree in Education from Xavier University.
Vyju focused on advocacy while serving on the United Montessori Schools of Indiana board of directors, working with Montessori leaders and licensing specialists to reduce policy obstacles to quality Montessori education. She was instrumental in creating and implementing a verification program for Indiana Montessori schools.
As a veteran Montessori school administrator and Montessori parent, Wendy has seen the transformational impact that a Montessori education can have in the lives of children. Her passion for making this invaluable educational approach accessible and available to more children inspires her public policy work with MPPI.
While serving as a head of school in Washington, DC, Wendy successfully advocated for policy changes to help Montessori programs in the District flourish. She became involved in national advocacy efforts in the early stages of MPPI's work. Now, as MPPI's Executive Director, she supports state level advocates, collaborates with leaders across the Montessori community, advocates and builds coalitions with other national education organizations, and offers trainings and workshops both domestically and internationally to prepare Montessori educators to be effective advocates.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- State Services Project Director, BUILD Initiative