Riddhi’s journey as a Montessorian began as a “Montessori Mom” in 2004. Watching her son discover place-value using the Montessori Golden Bead Materials opened the door to her Montessori Certification in 2007. With a Bachelor’s degree in Textiles & Graduate studies in Textile Design, Riddhi has spent the last 16 years working with children in a Montessori setting and has grown through her experiences as a Teacher, Curriculum Developer & Coordinator and Program Director. She believes in nurturing growth through interaction in a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment. Besides being committed to learning about the Montessori philosophy and child development through attending professional development classes and AMS conferences, Riddhi spends her free time exploring the NW trails, painting, cooking, reading and watching movies with her husband and two sons. She continues to volunteer in the capacity of a trainer and curriculum coordinator at a local non-profit organization she has been a part of for 13 years. If she is not at school you will find her travelling, sewing, writing or hanging out with family… Living LIFE!

Esme grew up from the Philippines and moved to the U.S. in 2001. She currently lives in Issaquah with her husband Michael and has a daughter Ava who is now in University. Her love of working with children brought her to became an active parent-volunteer ever since her daughter attended Montessori. Seeing the amazing human she has become drove Esme to be part of the school that helped her daughter and other children cultivate their love and passion for learning, and joined Arbor in 2016. Esme holds her Early Childhood Short Certificate and has completed her Montessori Assistant Training at MEIPN. Esme is also thrilled to bring ASL to all of our Primary Students as our Primary World Language Specialist. When she is not surrounded by her wonderful students, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing table tennis, shopping, dining out, and walking her two dogs Shaggy and Fluffy. She also has a passion for aquaponics and is an aquarium hobbyist.

Vanessa was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico; her first language is Spanish. She has been teaching children for more than 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in Mexico, with an endorsement in special education. Vanessa was part of a pilot program at University of Washington for parents and educators, and has been part of “Fiestas de Alfabetizacion Temprana” (Early Literacy Parties in Spanish) organized by King County Library System. Her passion is working with kids, and is very proud of her students when she hears them speaking in Spanish, incorporating expressions and sentences in their daily life. She has lived on the Eastside for the last 15 years with her daughter and husband. She enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and admiring nature.

Amy is a local recording artist and singer songwriter who has spent her time teaching music in area schools over the last 20 years. Originally from the East Coast, Amy has her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Film Production, and is certified in Positive Discipline. Amy loves Montessori because it allows children to find their own path and become who they truly are. She loves being able to be a part of a community that fosters independence, curiosity and kindness. When not teaching music in schools, Amy is busy writing music, playing guitar, drawing, reading, and reading tarot. A Montessori Parent, Amy also has two dogs, Rocky and Djuna.

Katrina came to Arbor in 2021. A former professional ballet dancer and yoga instructor, Katrina graduated from the SSCC Culinary Arts Program in 2007. She also holds her 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate. With a thirst for travel, Katrina has lived on four of the seven continents, in Switzerland, Peru, Thailand and the United States. What drew her to Montessori is how the philosophy focuses on the whole human-being and is tailored for individuality. In her free time, you can find her on the forest trails, cooking, snowboarding, doing art, yoga, or relaxing.

Katy brings a wealth of knowledge to our students in all things Horticulture by sharing her love of plants and ecology. She holds her BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University in 2016. She also received her Certificate of Holistic Landscape Design from Bastyr in 2021, as well as her Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate. She loves working with children, and has years of experience as an Assistant Teacher in both the Primary and Infant levels. She came to Arbor in 2022, and loves the welcoming, kind and innovative energy of the school community, and how Montessori Education honors and nurtures the innate intuition and wisdom that children have. In her spare time, Katy enjoys crocheting, rock climbing, aerial arts and herbalism. She lives with her two cats in Seattle.

Angie originally hails from southern California and moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1993. In 1997, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in English, and her state teaching certificate soon followed. In 2010, she found Montessori when looking for schooling for her son and was hooked! She worked as a Primary and Lower Elementary Assistant during the year and swim teacher and lifeguard during the summer. Noticing a need for more focused reading instruction to complement the work being done in the classroom, she received her Orton-Gillingham Comprehensive Training in 2016 and began teaching students to read. In 2021, Angie received her Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Literacy to stay current on best practices of teaching reading to all learners. In her spare time, you can find her diving into books, Reading, watching movies, and traveling with her family are just a few of her great loves. She also is an avid Seattle Sounders fan and has traveled to several states over the years to watch them play.

Katrina came to Arbor in 2021. A former professional ballet dancer and yoga instructor, Katrina graduated from the SSCC Culinary Arts Program in 2007. She also holds her 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate. With a thirst for travel, Katrina has lived on four of the seven continents, in Switzerland, Peru, Thailand and the United States. What drew her to Montessori is how the philosophy focuses on the whole human-being and is tailored for individuality. In her free time, you can find her on the forest trails, cooking, snowboarding, doing art, yoga, or relaxing.

Suparna first came to Arbor as a parent of an Arbor student. She joined the faculty in 2021, and has felt at home here with the welcoming community in both parents and co-workers. She loves the Montessori Philosophy and values, and she brings a wealth of knowledge to her classroom. Suparna completed her Masters of Science in Zoology, and her Senior Diploma in Fine Art. She also completed her Digital Marketing Course from Vermont University. Her experience with children includes teaching Elementary in India for two years, and has worked as a preschool and kindergarten teacher here in the United States. Suparna loves painting, music, reading, gardening and photography.

Brad Meyer has been a Montessori teacher and woodworking instructor for 20 years. He is also an award-winning wood artist. In his classes, Brad teaches children to properly use hand tools while constructing real wood projects. These are quality projects the children are proud to put their names on. Kids will learn how to safely use Japanese pull saws, hammers, drills and a variety of measuring tools. Brad is excited to be back at Arbor working with our Elementary students this year!

Claire is an Arbor Alumni Student, and is coming back to campus to help on our new farm when she is not in High School. The biggest thing she learned here at Arbor as a student was that she had the freedom to make her own choices and decide on what she wanted to learn about. She is very happy that Arbor continues to find ways to foster and support her love and connection with animals. Claire would like to be a Wildlife Biologist some day, and owes much of that drive to her Montessori Education. She is very excited to help with the animals and share her knowledge with the current students here at Arbor!