Hershey Montessori Staff

Lashawn grew up in Redlands, California, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology in 2002 from California State University, San Bernardino. After the birth of her first child, she decided to explore and learn more about Montessori. She became an assistant in a Toddler Community at Montessori in Redlands School in Redlands, California. After working there for three years, she and her family moved to Cleveland Heights in 2011, where she started as an assistant in the Toddler Community at Ruffing Montessori School. Thereafter, she enrolled in the AMI Assistants to Infancy Training with Dr. Silvia Dubovoy at the Montessori Institute of San Diego in La Jolla, California. In 2018, she successfully completed her Master’s in Montessori Education for children ages 0-3 years from Loyola University in Maryland. Lashawn enjoys camping, playing the ukulele, and spending time with her three children in her free time. 

Danielle received her Bachelor of Arts in Child Development with a minor in education in 2010 from Whittier College. Following that she attended the Montessori Institute of San Diego and the University of San Diego, earning her AMI Assistants to Infancy and Primary diplomas, as well as a Master’s in Education in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in Montessori Education in 2011. Danielle has been with Hershey Montessori School since 2011. Danielle grew up in San Diego and enjoys crafting, decorating, cooking, baking, reading and a good movie

Hind is a greatly respected AMI Children’s House guide with fifteen years of experience and a tangible energy for bringing the highest quality pedagogy to children.  Hind trained with current Hershey guide Johan van der Wee and retired AMI Children’s House guide Jayne Koeth, and took a lead role in a Montessori classroom in Cleveland’s Urban Community School. Hind obtained her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in education in Lebanon and taught there for seven years before moving to the USA and discovering Montessori.

Saren attended Hudson Montessori School and came to Hershey to study as a 9th grade student (Hershey did not yet have a high school in those years). She volunteered multiple times a week on the farm through high school and during her summers in college. Before returning to Hershey as a guide, Saren attended College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine and completed her AMI Montessori training outside of Baltimore. Her first teaching position involved the starting of the first elementary classroom at a tiny rural Montessori school in Virginia. She and her partner, Ian, have two bunnies, a blind kitty, a California king snake, and about 360,000 honeybees in six colonies! She also frequently visits her childhood horse and dog at her family’s home nearby.

Wes has been teaching in independent schools since he graduated from The University of Virginia with a BS in Biological Chemistry in 2005.  He began his teaching career teaching upper school sciences and athletics at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia followed by 11 years at Hawken School in Gates Mills, OH.  He is a native to Huntsburg, Ohio, and grew up only a few minutes away from Hershey’s Adolescent Campus.  Wes completed his AMI Certification for the NAMTA Adolescent Studies and is began his work at Hershey in 2018 as the Upper School Coordinator and a guide for Upper School sciences.

A.J. grew up in Chardon and resides in Burton with his wife Tracy and their son Ben who is a student at the Hershey Upper School.  Currently he is the Whole School Facilities Manager for Hershey, managing the Concord and Huntsburg campuses.  He worked in the construction industry for twenty years, including six years living in the Catskill mountains in New York learning the timber framing, plumbing, stone masonry and heavy equipment trades.  A.J. enjoys being outdoors, mountains, streams, golfing, motorcycles and cooking. 

Michelle joined Hershey as the tutor for the adolescent community in 2017. She grew up in the Cleveland area and holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University with minors in Mathematics and Science.  While at Eastern, she participated in The Renaissance Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality, which was endorsed by the US Department of Education. Michelle is a military wife and has traveled, lived, and taught children in many states over the last 20 years.  Prior to being sent to their first post in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she taught fifth grade for six years.  While in San Juan, she tutored ESL students of all ages.  Since returning home to Ohio in 2012, Michelle and her husband Aaron have been busy raising three sons.  In 2019, she became a middle school math guide for Hershey.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and playing sports with her family, and curling up with a good book.   

Aaron grew up in Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio and attended John Carroll University and Lake Erie College earning a degree in History. He was a two-sport athlete at JCU playing baseball and basketball. Aaron is in his eighteenth year with the United States Coast Guard and a reservist at Station Cleveland Harbor, Ohio.  He is a middle school guide teaching Humanities and Physical Expression.  His wife Michelle is a guide at the middle school, as well. Their oldest son was born in Puerto Rico and their twin sons were born in Burlington, Vermont. Aaron enjoys coaching the Riverside Youth Travel Soccer Team and is a member of the Riverside Riverhawks Youth Football Board. He also sells real estate for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty on the Michael Kaim Team in Mentor, Ohio. Aaron is also an ordained minister and conducts wedding ceremonies for family and friends.

With twenty years of experience teaching Spanish, predominantly at the middle and high school level, Dorene returns to Ohio after teaching in Chicago since 2013. Her prior experience teaching Spanish includes five years at Gilmour Academy’s middle and upper school. She spent seven years at Ruffing Montessori School in Rocky River, teaching elementary and middle school grades. In addition to teaching Spanish, she taught English as Second Language for seven years: five in Spain and two in the U.S. Dorene spent two years studying at la Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, outside of Madrid, as well as teaching English in Madrid for five years. She has developed high standards for teaching and engaging her students. Many of her students, who chose to compete in the National Spanish Exam, placed in the highest rankings over multiple years. Dorene holds the Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Training certificate, in addition to a Bachelor degree in Education and a Master degree in Spanish.

Matt brings twenty-six years of experience teaching environmental and related sciences to elementary through college level students. Beginning as a middle school science teacher and coach including three years at University School, Matt subsequently became the Director of the Center for Science Education, Hiram College, and coordinator of Environmental Outreach for Hiram College’s Field Stations, where he taught community education programs for elementary through adult learners. Serving as Adjunct Faculty at Hiram, Matt has been student teacher supervisor and mentor of teachers in the science education licensure program. . Matt and his wife, Roxanne, a teacher education professor at Hiram College, have two children who are now in third level education.

Doug taught English, World History, and Humanities at both middle and high school levels for the past ten years at Northwest Academy middle and high school in Portland, Oregon. He has also been teaching college credit English through Portland State University and began his career teaching writing as adjunct professor for a year there. He has published a middle grade novel, Finally, Something Mysterious, by Knopf Books, and anticipates the sequel to be published in 2022 in addition to many literary magazines and fiction writing honors and prizes. He has a passionate vision for theory, practice, assessment, and growth, for both teaching and learning. Doug is also looking forward to returning to his family roots in Hudson, Ohio, with his wife and two young children.

Dylan grew up in the small town of Minerva in Northeastern Ohio.  She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communication through Kent State University. After graduating, Dylan worked in various roles in nonprofit organizations and education. In 2018, she continued her studies by attending the University of Pittsburgh and attained a Master of Education degree in English Education. She is thrilled to be a part of the Hershey Montessori School community. Outside of her work, Dylan enjoys reading copious amounts of books, collecting vinyl records, teaching yoga and mindfulness, and as often as possible taking in the peaceful and life-giving elements of nature with her husband and her two daughters.

Lakisha joined Hershey Montessori School in August 2016.  She graduated from Xavier University with a major in Communications and minor in Gender and Diversity Studies. Most recently, she completed her AMI 6-12 Montessori Orientation (also known as the AMI Montessori 6–12 Assistants Certificate) in May 2021 and the AMI 3-6 Montessori Orientation course in January 2022.  Prior to joining Hershey, Lakisha was the regional director for a national nonprofit focused on dropout prevention.  Additionally, Lakisha is a former college admissions professional and has worked in admissions at Macalester College, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Auburn University at Montgomery. The common thread to her professional career has been relationship building and service to students and adults from all life experiences. She is grateful to share the Hershey Montessori School journey with her spouse and three elementary aged learners.