Our Staff:
Administrative Team
Emily Farley
Owner/Director
Emily Farley graduated from Regis University in 2006 with a degree in Elementary Education. She received her Primary Montessori training from The Montessori Institute of North Texas (Association Montessori Internationale) in 2010, and taught in Denver Public Schools for six years as a lead primary guide.
Emily received her Assistants to Infancy training through The Montessori Institute (Association Montessori Internationale) in 2014, and opened Highlands Montessori that fall. She completed her M.Ed. in Montessori Education through Loyola University in 2015.
Emily was born and raised in Colorado. In her free time, she enjoys the Colorado outdoors by hiking and snowboarding. She also enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 children, and her cat, Dotty.
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Natalie Anderson
Owner/Director
Before opening Highlands Montessori in 2014, Natalie Anderson was a lead Montessori primary guide in Denver Public Schools for 5 years. She received her Primary Montessori training from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies in 2009, and completed her Assistants to Infancy (0-3) training through the Montessori Institute (Association Montessori Internationale) in 2014.
Natalie graduated from Regis University with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Criminology, and also holds a M.Ed. in Montessori education through Loyola University.
Natalie spends most of her free time with her husband and two children. She enjoys sewing, hiking, spending time with friends and family, and walking her dog, Huckleberry, around the neighborhood.
Nido Staff
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Alicia Venor
Nido Lead Guide
Alicia Venor joined our community in 2014 as a Toddler Guide, and opened up our Nido environment in the fall of 2015. Before joining Highlands Montessori, Alicia worked in both private and public schools as a Montessori teacher, assistant, and special education teacher for infants through 4th grade students.
Alicia completed her Assistants to Infancy (0-3) training through the Montessori Institute (Association Montessori Internationale) in 2013. She attended The University of Northern Colorado for Early Childhood Education and Special Education in 1998.
In her free time, you can find Alicia spending time with friends, family, and her teenage son. Alicia enjoys cooking, playing guitar and piano, painting, hiking, and going to music shows!
Ingrid Mendez
Nido Lead Guide
Ingrid Mendez was born in Texas but lived most of her young life in a small town in Mexico called Nuevo Casas Grandes. She moved to Colorado at the age of nine. Ingrid has 2 years of experience working in traditional preschool, and another 4 years of experience working as a Montessori assistant. She loves working with children and considers it one of the most greatest experiences of her life. Ingrid is currently enrolled in the Assistants to Infancy (0-3) Montessori training at the Montessori Institute of Denver.
Ingrid loves music, painting, educational videos and spending time with her family. Montessori has been one of the greatest influences in Ingrid's life. Working with children has allowed her to learn patience, empathy, and the desire to find a better way. She hopes to continue her journey and is happy to share it with all the wonderful people around her.
Gilda Garcia
Nido Assistant Guide
Bio coming soon.
Kylie Russell
Nido Assistant
Kylie grew up in Illinois and moved to Colorado in 2018. She has always had a passion for working with children through volunteering and now teaching. She has been a part of Highlands since 2020. She has been a float, part of the aftercare team and is now an assistant in the Nido classroom. In her free time she enjoys taking her dog for walks, baking and hanging out with friends!
Toddler Community Staff
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Catherine Wadley
Toddler Community Lead Guide
Catherine moved to Colorado from Texas to complete her degree in criminology. Post-graduation she developed a love for the classroom after taking an assistant position at Highlands. She completed her Assistants to Infancy (0-3) training with The Montessori Institute of Denver in 2020. Prior to working at the school, Catherine gained experience working with children as a nanny and tutor for many years.
In her free time, Catherine enjoys camping, hiking, cooking, watching horror movies, and drawing. She is a proud mother of two twin boys who also attend Highlands.
Jazmin Galvan Pacheco
Toddler Community Assistant
Jazmin was born in Durango, Mexico, and raised in Denver, CO. She loves taking care of the children and creating a safe space for people of all ages. She recently completed her certification as a yoga teacher, and i s looking forward to completing her certification for sound healing.
Jazmin enjoys making handmade Jewelry as well as selling second hand fashion on her Depop . Jazmin loves dance, photography, spending time with family, friends, and her boyfriend as well as activities by the ocean and in the mountains.
Kate McAleer
Toddler Community Lead Guide
Kate McAleer was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Annapolis, MD before moving to Colorado in 2013. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. In college, Kate was a dual athlete playing soccer and lacrosse and is now the head lacrosse coach for Rocky Mountain Girls Lacrosse Program. She has her 200 hour certificate in yoga teacher training, and she is certified in Montessori Sports accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale.
Kate is a "Montessori child," having gone to an AMI Montessori school from Nido through Upper Elementary. She just finished up her first summer at The Montessori Institute of Denver and is looking forward to receiving her Assistants to Infancy diploma at the end of summer 2022.
Kate, her husband TJ, and their 2 big dogs live in Arvada, CO where they spend a lot of time hiking, running, practicing yoga and spending time with family and friends.
Erica Venor
Toddler Community Assistant
Erica was born and raised in Denver, CO. Growing up in Park Hill, she has always enjoyed being around and working with Children. She has worked at a couple of different schools as a teacher's assistant throughout her life until she found Highlands Montessori.
Erica loves the outdoors, whatever that may be; hiking, kayaking, etc. She enjoys taking pictures whenever she gets a chance. She also loves all kinds of art. Though, drawing is her favorite.
Aneta Martinez
Toddler Community Lead Guide
Aneta was born in Poland and moved to London, England in her twenties, then to New York City, and
finally to Denver in 2020. She has worked in Montessori schools since gaining her first AMI diploma.
Aneta received her Primary Montessori training from the Maria Montessori Institute in London
(Montessori Association Internationale, AMI) and Assistants to Infancy training from the Montessori
Institute in Denver (AMI). She graduated from the City University of New York with a Bachelor's degree
in Childhood Studies and is working towards an M.Ed. in Montessori Education through Loyola
University. Aneta enjoys spending time with her husband and friends, being in the mountains, traveling, and
reading.
Kourtney Mills
Toddler Community Assistant
Kourtney was born in Atlanta, Georgia where she has lived most of her life before moving to Denver on a whim in 2022. She has a Bachelor of science degree in Leadership and Communication studies and a Psychology Minor from Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Previously, Kourtney worked assistantship riles at nonprofits supporting underrepresented and marginalized groups and as a volunteer co-facilitator of an empowerment group for teenage girls.
Primary Staff
Erin Oliver
Primary Lead Guide
Erin Oliver has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Towson University in Maryland and obtained her AMI certification from The Montessori Institute in Denver, CO in 2013. She is a "Montessori child," having gone to an AMI Montessori school from primary though upper elementary and has worked in both private and public Montessori schools.
Erin was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Annapolis, MD. She moved to Denver in 2016 and has been enjoying all of the beautiful things Colorado has to offer with her Border Collie, Benson and Golden Retriever, Baylee! When not at work, Erin loves reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Stephanie Chacon
Primary Assistant
Bio coming soon
Leonela Barrios
Primary Lead Guide
Leonela is from California and came to Colorado in 2004. She loves working with kids of all ages and she has worked with kids since she graduated high school. Leonela also did some Montessori training at MECR in Boulder, Colorado.
In her free time, Leonela enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to travel and take family vacations.
Chantel Merriex
Primary Community Assistant
Chantel is a Denver Native. she has a Bachelor's of Arts in entrepreneurship with the idea of creating a daycare and a nursing home to continue to expand learning and experiences through aged adults and kids. Chantel loves kiddos in general and has created a safe space for the kids in her neighborhood, where she has babysat some of the children for 11 years.
In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her kids in the neighborhood, family, and friends as well as shopping and relaxing!
Aftercare/Support Staff
Lexie Cabral
Aftercare Coordinator
Lexie was born and raised in Denver, Colorado where she pursued her education at the Community College of Denver for a double major in Psychology and American Sign Language. During the day, she works for two counseling centers in Downtown Denver. In the afternoon she is the aftercare coordinator where she loves taking care and interacting with the students while creating a safe and kind environment for all.
During her free time she loves to travel and explore new places with her partner, as well as experiencing new art, music, and different cultures. She also loves to spend time with her family and friends, and cuddling her sweet bulldog, Watson!
Kelsey Fagerberg
Float/ Primary Aftercare
Kelsey is a pre-service art education teacher studying at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Montessori has been influence on her teaching philosophy and she is eager to incorporate what she has learned at Highlands in her future classroom.
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys drawing, painting and reading as well as hanging out with her boyfriend, and cat, Griffin.
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Zoey Flores
Float/ Toddler Aftercare
Bio coming soon.
Aaliyah Vigil
Toddler Aftercare
Dalilah Guerra
Toddler Aftercare
Bio coming soon.
Jenna Hill
Toddler snd Primary Aftercare
Jenna was born and raised in Colorado where she graduated from Arvada Senior High School. Jenna loves working with children and is very passionate in continuing a career in Montessori. During her free time she enjoys gardening and taking care of her house plants, as well as surrounding herself with family and friends.
Zoey Flores
Float/ Toddler Aftercare
Bio coming soon.