| PRIMARY TEACHER TRAINING: STAFF MEMBERS Executive Director Jennifer Davidson has worked in administration at the Montessori Institute Northwest since 2001. Long ago she moved from Arizona to Portland to complete her B.A. in Environmental Studies at Lewis and Clark College. Since then she has also achieved the AMI Primary Diploma from MINW's 2003-2005 Summer Course, and completed the Loyola M.Ed. program in 2006. Jennifer is also a certified self defense instructor and trains an Indonesian martial art called Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen. She is passionate about participating in the Montessori movement for peace. Director of Primary Training Ginni Sackett is a trainer, lecturer, consultant and examiner of the Association Montessori Internationale. She holds a B.A. in History from Seton Hill University, a M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Hawaii, and the AMI Primary Diploma through the Montessori Education Center / Oregon. After 12 years as a classroom teacher, Ginni joined the staff of the Montessori Institute Northwest as a Course Assistant in 1994. She achieved the status of AMI Director of Training in 2002. Ginni has presented topics at local, regional, and national workshops and conferences and has had articles published in AMI Communications, the NAMTA Journal and Forza Vitale. Course Assistant Sally Coulter is an Australian citizen with educational and administrative experience in several different countries, including Japan, Australia and the United States. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Media Studies, and a Graduate Diploma in Adult Education. She graduated from MINW with her AMI Primary Diploma in June of 2007, and is thrilled to be a part of the MINW staff. Lead Administrative Assistant Elise Arevalo, with five years of administrative experience, has a desire for life-long learning. With a B.A. in Women and the Environment she has pursued a path in the healing arts as a Certified Massage Therapist. Finding her passion in adult education she has been involved with small business development, personal growth, empowerment, and alternative educational endeavors. Administrative Assistant Laura Pilkington, M.A., M.ED., joined the staff at MINW in the fall of 2008. She holds a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology from Lewis and Clark College, a M.A. in Music History from the University of Oregon, a M.Ed. from Loyola College in Baltimore, MD, and the AMI Primary diploma from MINW. A native of Colorado, Laura now calls Oregon her home where she happily lives with her husband, daughter, and rambunctious Border Collie. Assistants to Infancy Director of Training Patricia Wallner has received both the AMI Primary Diploma, from Washington D.C., and the Assistants to Infancy diploma from the Houston, Texas course. For 18 years she directed a bilingual infant community in Amsterdam. Ms. Wallner assisted at and later co-directed AMI Assistants to Infancy courses with Dr. Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro in Rome, London, Yokohama (Japan), and San Diego. Assistants to Infancy Course Assistant Nancy Lechner-Wallner has been working with young children since 1977, and holds AMI credentials in Assistant to Infancy, Primary Education, and Special Education. In addition to her 27 years of experience as a teacher, she is the mother of two children, Angela and Patrick. Nancy enjoys ballroom dancing, sailing, and gardening in her free time. She and her family live in Northern California. |