Select a Profile
- Hallie Barrett
- Britt Clements
- Connie Crider
- Susan Downs
- Lydia Edwards
- Andrea Getz
- Kim Getz
- Genie Gibson
- Tatiana Gitcevich
- Krysten Griffin
- Zech Hook
- Leeann Lelejko
- Dana Maxfield
- Kathy Maxfield
- Catherine McElroy
- Melissa Jansen
- Tejal Mehta
- Sarita Nair
- Kelsey Neff
- Peyton Newsome
- Brendan Powers
- Janell Preheim
- Lana Redfield
- Zachary Redfield
- Cristina Riascos
- Lisa Rigsby
- Melanie Ryan
- Emily Sims
- Rachel Sizemore
- Candice Stevens
- Shannon Terry
- Amanda Turner
- Kaitlyn Turner
- Ken Williams
Hallie Barrett
Middle / High School
- Secondary Lead Teacher / Middle School Humanities & 9th Grade ELA
- B.A. in Spanish, Sewanee: The University of the South
- M.A. in English with a Specialization in Linguistics and TESOL, Mississippi State University
- AMS Secondary I–II Credential, CMSTEP
- 10 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2022
Britt Clements
Toddler Classroom 1
- Georgia Southern University - BS in Family and Consumer Science, emphasis in Child Development
- Trillium Montessori Assistant Trained in Infancy and Toddler
- 25 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Susan Downs
Head of School
- BA in Elementary Education, Samford University
- Master's Degree in Curriculum, University of Louisville
- Educational Leadership Certification, University of Montevallo
- Gifted Certification, University of Alabama, Birmingham
- 45 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2023
Lydia Edwards
Lower Elementary
- Pursuing an Early Childhood/Elementary Education degree, University of West Alabama
- CGMS Certification: Center for Guided Montessori Studies Elementary 1 (6-9)
- 5 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2025
Andrea Getz
Primary Classroom 1
- BS in Sociology with a concentration in Youth Studies
- AMS Certification: Seton Montessori, EC (2.5-6)
- Common Sense Educator
- 9 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2017
Kim Getz
Primary Classroom 4
- AMS Certification: Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes, South Bend, in partnership with Indiana University EC (2.5-6)
- Common Sense Educator
- Spalding writing program
- 37 years' teaching Montessori Philosophy
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2015
Genie Gibson
Lower Elementary
- BS Teacher of the Hearing Impaired, University of Montevallo
- AMS Certification: MMTTC Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center EL 1 and EL2
- Orton-Gillingham trained
- Common Sense Educator
- 30 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 1997
Krysten Griffin
Toddler Classroom 2
- BA in History — UAB; Masters of Library Science— University of Alabama
- Elementary Reading Specialist certification—AMS; Montessori Assistant Infancy and Toddler training—Trillium Montessori
- 4 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Zech Hook
STEM
- BA in Theatre and Speech, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- AMS certification: Montessori Live Educator Training Program, Elementary I and II (ages 6-12)
- Common Sense Educator
- 15 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2014
Leeann Lelejko
Upper Elementary
- BA in Pre-Law, Rowan University
- MA in Elementary Education, Fairleigh Dickinson University
- MEd in Instructional Leadership, Auburn University at Montgomery
- PhD in Administration in Curriculum and Instruction, in progress, Auburn University
- AL Elementary Teaching certification K-6
- AL Instructional Leader certification, P-12
- Orton-Gillingham Trained
- Common Sense Educator
- Post-Graduate Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis
- 17 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2019
Kathy Maxfield
Primary Classroom 3
- BA in Early Childhood Education, Birmingham Southern College
- AMS Certification: MMTTC- Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center, EC (2.5-6)
- AIM Certification: Authentic Institute of Montessori's Infant-Toddler
- Common Sense Educator
- 31 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 1994
Catherine McElroy
Interventionist / Montessori Curriculum Coordinator
- BS in Childhood Development and Family Studies, University of Alabama
- MA in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- AMS Certification: Mid-West Montessori Training Center, Elementary I (6-9)
- Orton-Gillingham trained
- Common Sense Educator
- 23 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2010
Melissa Jansen
Primary Classroom 1
- BA in Communication, University of South Alabama
- Montessori Assistant Toolkit: Early Childhood, Montessori Assistant Toolkit: Infant-Toddler
- 1 year teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Tejal Mehta
Primary Classroom 4
- BA of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai University
- MA of Commerce in Management, Mumbai University
- AMS Certification: Age of Montessori, Lower Elementary
- Orton-Gillingham trained
- Common Sense Educator
- 35 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2010
Sarita Nair
Primary Classroom 2
- BA, Literature and Travel, Mumbai, India
- MA in Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education, Ashford University, AZ
- AMS Certification: AMS Memphis, EC (2.5-6)
- Orton-Gillingham trained
- Common Sense Educator
- 21 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2007
Kelsey Neff
Primary Classroom 3
- BS in Elementary Education, University of Montevallo
- BS in Elementary Education, K-6th, University of Montevallo
- AS in Early Childhood Education, Jefferson State Community College
- Currently training for AMS Certification: Institute of Montessori Training, EC (2.5-6)
- 3 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2022
Peyton Newsome
Drama
- BA Child Development, University of Alabama
- 6 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Brendan Powers
Librarian / Online Advisor
- MA in English, St. John's University
- BFA/BA in Theatre Studies/English, Niagara University
- Member, Actors' Equity Association
- 10 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2023
Janell Preheim
Music
- MM in Violin Performance, Bowling Green State University
- BA in Music/All Grade Education, Goshen College
- License: P-12 General/Instrumental/Vocal Music
- AOSA: Orff-Schulwerk Level I and II, Samford University
- 2 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2023
Lana Redfield
Spanish
- BA in Creative Writing and Anthropology, Berry College
- 2 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2023
Zachary Redfield
Upper Elementary
- BA in English Literature with a minor in Communication Arts, University of Alabama at Huntsville
- AMS Certification: Currently training, Montessori Live, Elementary I and II (6-12)
- 13 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2022
Cristina Riascos
Primary Classroom 2
- BS in Early Childhood Education, University of Quindio, Colombia
- 23 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2015
Lisa Rigsby
Art
- MBFA, University of Montevallo
- MeD, University of Montevallo
- Common Sense Educator
- 34 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2019
Emily Sims
Primary
- BS in Human Development and Family Studies, The University of Alabama
- Master's in Teaching English as a Second Language, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- MACTE-Accredited Montessori Certification: Prepared Montessorian Institute, Children’s House (Ages 3-6)
- 7 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Rachel Sizemore
Guidance Counselor
- BS in Education, University of Montevallo
- MA in counseling, UAB, and the University of Montevallo
- 44 years in education - 22 of those as a counselor - grades 6-9
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2023
Candice Stevens
Toddler Classroom 2
- BS Human Services with a concentration in Early Childhood Education
- AMS Early Childhood Montessori Teacher
- AMS Infant and Toddler Montessori Teacher
- 23 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2024
Shannon Terry
Toddler Classroom 1
- University of Kansas - Graphic Design
- Prepared Montessorian Institute - Infant/Toddler
- 2 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2025
Amanda Turner
Lower Elementary
- BA in Criminal Justice, UAB
- Experience teaching ESL
- 19 years' teaching experience
- Joined Bruno Montessori in 2025
