Discover the Joys of Nature Based Education with Gilbert Nature School!

Clarissa is a second-generation Montessori student and grew up living and breathing the Montessori philosophy.  She was named a National Merit Scholar and received two Presidential Service Awards for outstanding volunteer service while in high school and went on to attend University on a full-ride academic merit scholarship.

She is a mother of two children and a trained and certified Montessori educator. Clarissa is an RYT 500 yoga instructor, Suzuki music teacher, and Maricopa County Master Gardener. 

Clarissa is committed to creating a welcoming, nurturing, and positive learning environment for her students that serve the whole child-- mind, body, and spirit. She has always believed that nature is the ultimate learning environment and is thrilled to be offering this educational opportunity to her community. 

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Verónica grew up bilingual and spent many of her days in nature with her family. From hiking adventures in a rainforest, camping by the beach, weekends on a farm, and after-school gardening and cooking lessons with her grandparents she was given a nature-based, Montessori education without knowing it had a name. Her curiosity about science, inspired her to pursue a career in Chemistry and obtain her PhD from the University of Minnesota. 

Her growing passion for education led her to become a Corps Member for Teach for America in Oklahoma where she was trained as a Culturally Responsive teacher. She taught 4th and 5th grade Science using hands-on experiences and following a child-led approach. She was the recipient of the Golden Apple Award and 1 of 5 finalists for Teacher of the Year in Tulsa Public Schools for her exemplary skills in the classroom.

Verónica is a mom of a bilingual, Montessori-educated preschooler and her family enjoys their free time hiking, biking, grilling, traveling, and swimming.

Sasha was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She grew up spending her summers outside at overnight camp and her winters skiing. She was a lifeguard and swim instructor through high school and university. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Laurentian University she spent a year at The University at the West of Scotland completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Primary Education.

Her love of educating children and learning new cultures led her to teach at an international school in Myanmar and then on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. Sasha has now lived in Arizona for the past six years and loves the beauty of the desert. 

Sasha is the mother of a toddler and in her free time enjoys hiking, swimming, and baking sourdough bread. 

Jamison considers herself a lifelong student and is passionate about nurturing children’s connection to Mother Nature. Montessori philosophy resonates deeply with her and she is thrilled to be co-creating a loving and Earth-minded learning environment in her own community. 

Jamison has been privileged to reside in the Arizona desert for over 20 years and enjoys meditation, gardening, hiking and taking trips with her husband Jacob and their two dogs.

Sarah was born and raised in Arizona and embodies a deep-rooted love for exploration and education. She is currently in graduate school, pursuing a Master of Arts in Education, and is working towards her teaching license. She is fueled by an unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and nurturing learning environment for all ages. When Sarah  is not with students you can find her hiking with her two dogs or enjoying a good book.

Rachel Pollack attended Montessori schools from childhood through high school and has been a state-certified elementary teacher since 2004, with licenses in Montana and Arizona. She is most passionate about helping children become expert readers and enthusiastic mathematicians. She uses phonics-based, proven methods of reading instruction and a hands-on, physical approach to math. 

She has experience with a range of all academic abilities—gifted students, students who might find sitting still a challenge, and students who have dyslexia or dyscalculia.

Above all, Iya Affo is a wife, mother and grandmother. Professionally, she is a Culturalist and Historical Trauma Specialist. Iya is the Director of Training and Development for the Arizona Adverse Childhood Experiences Consortium, serves as a member of the Arizona State University Disparities in the Justice System Advisory Board, and was recently appointed to the Gilbert Community Engagement Task Force. 

She is the founder of Heal Historical Trauma Culture and Indigenous Wellness Academy and the International Historical Trauma Association. Iya is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Arizona Trauma Institute, the author of the trauma-informed curriculum for educators in Maricopa County schools. 

Through educating about culture,

trauma and subsequent neurological dysregulation, Iya strives to transcend tolerance through cultivating love and respect for people all over the world.

Rob Spiro is an entrepreneur currently co-founding many companies in parallel via his startup studio Imagination Machine, focused on startups with positive social and environmental impact.

Rob is a believer in the power of entrepreneurship to reshape our world, the power of idealism and inspiring missions, and a seeker of harmony.

He previously founded Aardvark (acquired by Google), product managed at Google, and founded & served as first CEO of Good Eggs.

Sally Uhlmann considers herself a citizen of the world, currently retired and residing in Italy and Florida. The mother of 4 grown children, her professional career has included founding Salaminder, a designer clothing company; Ariat, a boot and clothing company, raising 3-Day event horses, and being a real estate agent for a Christie’s affiliate in Bozeman, Montana. 

She has served on numerous boards focused on community and the arts, and believes the future resides in nurturing children to appreciate the world and nature’s balance. She is an avid gardener, cook, and traveler.

Our Montessori pedagogy advisor, Karen is the Program Director at Authentic Institute of Montessori.  An expert in Montessori education, Karen has served as the Level Coordinator for Early Childhood teacher trainings, Internship Coordinator, and Residency Instructor.  Before that, she owned & taught at her own Montessori school in rural Montana. Karen has her Bachelor of Music in Music Education, a Montessori Early Childhood certificate, and holds a Master's of Education in Advanced Montessori. Karen is newly certified in American Sign Language. 

Andres Fortino leads his own company, Fortino Global Education, providing education and training consulting services. He is an adjunct faculty member at the NYU School of Professional Studies, where he teaches Business Analytics, Data Mining, Data Visualization, and Innovation.

The author of eight books, Dr. Fortino has practiced the application of information technology and business analytics to solving business problems for the over 40 years. Dr. Fortino has received many honors, including IBM’s First Invention Level Award for his work in semiconductor research. He holds three US patents and ten invention disclosures.