Our Staff

Owen Greenwood is the lead guide in the JMS Young Children's Community. He has worked in the YCC for six years and has been in the lead role since 2020. In that position he specializes in guiding the development of the youngest students with a focus on building motor skills, cognitive and language development, problem solving and fostering functional independence. He believes that Montessori education for peace offers each child, and humanity, the hope of a bright future. Owen received his AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma in 2021 from The Montessori Training Center of St. Louis. He also holds a Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts from the California Culinary Academy, San Francisco. Owen's other interests include music, art, the natural world, cooking and Tlingít language learning. He enjoys bringing his knowledge of these subjects into the Montessori environment and introducing them to young learners. Owen has two adult sons, Milo and Damian, who live in California, and a very special cat named Dolly.

Veronica was born and raised in Juneau and has has worked in multiple fields since graduating from Juneau Douglas High School, including working in restaurants, with animals, and at a car dealership. She has always loved children, and she is excited to be at Juneau Montessori School, which is her first experience working with children in a school setting. She is learning more about Montessori every day and loves to watch the children grow. Veronica has two daughters and loves to spend time camping and fishing with her family.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Juneau, where she graduated from Juneau Douglas High School. She worked at a Head Start preschool program for seven years, where she earned her Child Development Associate credential. After the birth of her son in 2021, she took some time off, then joined Juneau Montessori in 2022 to work in the Young Children's Community. She has now expanded her family to include a baby daughter, and she is a proud single mother of her two young children. During her free time, she loves spending time with her family, her children, and her dog Rayne.

Emily moved to Juneau in 2004 where she quickly found herself drawn to Juneau Montessori School. She worked as an assistant in the Young Children's Community until 2008, when she moved to Portland, OR to pursue her AMI credential at Montessori Institute Northwest. In 2009, she returned to Juneau Montessori School as a lead guide. After two years of teaching while pursuing her undergraduate degree at University of Alaska Southeast, she made the difficult decision to leave her teaching position and focus on her studies. In 2013, Emily welcomed the birth of her son, Alexander, and in 2014 she returned to Juneau Montessori, son in tow, to work as an assistant in the classroom she once called her own. Upon completing her BLA in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2017, Emily immediately transitioned back into being the lead guide for the Downstairs Children’s House. Since then, she has gone on to earn her Master of Arts in Montessori Education and Leadership at St. Catherine's University in 2022. Emily has a passion for Montessori pedagogy and she looks forward to many more years of leading young children to greatness! In her personal time, she enjoys camping, painting, word puzzles, hiking, traveling and exercising.

Miranda was born and raised in Juneau, a place she is happy to call home. She has been working with children for nine years, and she loves how much children make her laugh. Her experiences have helped her discover that she wants to pursue a career in early childhood education, and she is excited to work on her dreams at Juneau Montessori School! In her free time, Miranda loves cooking, fishing, helping her mom run her jewelry business, and spending time with her family in Hoonah. After three years as the Raven's Roost lead assistant, Miranda is now serving as a part-time float staff and substitute.

Alex was born in Vancouver, Washington and moved to Juneau when she was 8 years old, where she has lived ever since. She began working with children in 2021 and found that she loved nurturing them and helping them grow. She started working at Juneau Montessori in 2024 and became the lead assistant in the downstairs primary classroom in Fall of 2025. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her dogs outdoors.

Kat grew up on the North Carolina coast before moving to Juneau in 2023. She is currently enrolled as a Fisheries and Ocean Science student at UAF and is enjoying her first classroom experience and learning how to support young learners. She hopes to inspire and connect children with their surroundings by sharing her knowledge of the water and its inhabitants. In her free time, Kat loves exploring the outdoors, reading, crafting, and spending time with her cat, Kermit.

Giselle is a certified K-12 Art educator with a focus in ceramics, school-wide art installation, and an additional background in music. She was born and raised in Juneau and after music travel, seasonal living and a period of time working in Haines, she chose to come back to Juneau to give her daughter the same Alaskan childhood experience she got to have and become a part of the local Montessori community. Giselle has worked as an art educator in many different classroom settings, including rural artist residencies, private community classes, and full-time public education. She is currently enrolled in the AMI Primary Diploma program at the Southwest Institute of Montessori Studies and is very much looking forward to learning alongside the JMS students this upcoming year. Her other life passions (after spending time with her family) are wheel working, ceramic sculpture, open water swimming, hiking to the tops of mountains and sailing on the water.

Aubree was born and raised in Juneau, where she earned her high school diploma through the Transitions Program at Juneau Douglas High School. She has been working with young children ever since: babysitting, taking care of her little sister, and working at three different daycares before landing at Juneau Montessori School in 2016. In her ten years here she has worked in all three classrooms. Aubree is an active community member and plays on many sports teams including bowling, volleyball, and softball. She enjoys going to the movies, shopping, singing, and visiting her family in Seattle. She loves to see the children smile, and she has a beautiful singing voice that she often shares with the children.

Cindy was born and raised in Juneau. After leaving during her young adulthood, she moved back in 2014 to help to care for her mother, and at that time she applied for a job at Juneau Montessori School. During her time working as an assistant, she learned all she could about Montessori pedagogy and began looking into training to become a lead guide. After three summers of rigorous work, she completed her training in July 2019. In addition to her Montessori credential, Cindy has an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development and many years of experience working with children in various settings. Cindy has three wonderful children and two grandchildren. She loves Juneau’s beauty and enjoys fishing, biking, and beachcombing.

Sarah is a lifelong Juneauite. She joined Juneau Montessori School in summer of 2023. Working in a school setting for the first time, Sarah has learned to love the Montessori Method, appreciating the curiosity and growth in independence it fosters in children. When not in the Black Bear Den she can often be found enjoying the outdoors with her dog Poppy, thrifting, crafting, camping, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family.

Jan grew up on the sunny island of Saipan, a U.S. territory in the Pacific, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Management Accounting from the University of San Jose-Recoletos in the Philippines. Throughout her career, she gained valuable experience managing her family’s small fish business while building over seven years of customer service expertise in various industries. Her journey into Montessori education began in August 2023 when she became a teacher’s aide for 9- to 12-year-olds and quickly developed a deep appreciation for Dr. Maria Montessori’s method. In December 2024, she and her husband moved back to the United States and made the adventurous drive to Juneau from Tennessee, eager to put down roots and contribute to the community. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family, cooking, reading, singing (loudly, for her own amusement), hiking at a leisurely pace, and soaking up the sun (when it’s around). She’s excited to be part of the Juneau Montessori family and looks forward to supporting its mission.

Laura was born in Rochester, New York and earned her Bachelor's degree at Washington University in St. Louis, where she studied cognitive development in young children. After spending a few years researching public school funding and education policy, she moved to Juneau in 2020 and quickly came to love its tight community and the unique landscape of Southeast Alaska. During her six years at Juneau Montessori School, Laura has earned her Montessori Administrator's Credential and is currently continuing her professional growth through the two-year Whole School Leadership Institute course for Montessori administrators. She is passionate about fostering a thriving school community and supporting children, families and staff. In her free time, Laura enjoys exploring Juneau's trails, forests and waterways with her husband Charlie and their dog Cardi.