Faculty Instructors

Rita Nolan

Rita is the Executive Director of the Montessori Network, overseeing both the Montessori Residency of Chicago's Teacher Training program and the Montessori School of Englewood, a charter school in Chicago's southside community. Rita has over 30 years of experience in the field of education and holds AMI certification for both Elementary and Primary levels.  In 2019, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) awarded Rita the Dennis Shapiro award for Innovation in Teacher Education for her commitment, dedication, and passion for  quality Montessori education through strong teacher training programs. Rita is committed to the success in public Montessori schools, with a vested effort in empowering underserved communities.  Rita is the mother of 3 grown children, who all attended Montessori schools from toddlerhood through adolescence.

* Rita currently serves as MRC's Executive Director!

Reena Vohra Morgan

Reena has served MRC's Program Director since 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in the Montessori sector. She was a Primary teacher for 7 years, an Early Childhood Director for 13 years and now is the founder of Hive Educational Consulting and Parent Coaching.  Reena is a certified Montessori Coach and consults with Chicago area schools, offering coaching & mentorship to teachers and administrators. Reena is also a certified Parent Coach from the Jai Institute, supporting parents in their journeys. Reena has both her AMS and AMI Primary Certifications, and holds a Masters Degree in Child Development from the Erikson Institute in Chicago. Reena's best teachers are her own children, who currently attend a public, urban Montessori school in Chicago. 

* Reena will be teaching Montessori Theory/Foundations; Montessori 101; & the Prepared Adult this summer! Reena serves as MRC's Program Director.

Anne Matern Bergen

Anne has over 30 years of experience working in education.  Anne is AMI Elementary trained (ages 6-12) and has received numerous trainings and certifications in leadership and curriculum development. Anne is passionate about elevating her expertise in teaching Literacy and Math through innovative and engaging practices.Anne has taught at both the 6-9 &  9-12 level and has been in administration for nearly 20 years,  sharing her decades worth of knowledge and experience with teachers. Her experience inside and outside of the classroom allows her to look at situations from a variety of perspectives which always benefit the child and parents.  As a skillful communicator, Anne effectively shares insight to a variety of audiences. Anne is passionate about the optimal education of children and has a wealth of knowledge, earned through decades of service, that she enjoys sharing with others. Anne is a wife, mother to three children (all successful adults who attended Montessori), and a “dog grandma.” She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and gardening in her free time

* Anne will be teaching Montessori Theory, Foundations & History; Elementary Sciences, & Prepared Adult this summer. Anne serves as MRC's Program Coordinator.

Lydia Lewis-Brandt

Following her science degree in psychology and her diploma in education, Lydia discovered the brilliance of Maria Montessori’s work, sought training, and has spent the 30+ years since as a passionate Montessori guide in the classroom. She has deepened her practice along the way with ongoing professional development, with particular interest in meeting the needs of diverse learners. She is animated by the great work for peace, in society and in the class community. She also loves the science and the art of nurturing each child to their full potential, through joyful engagement with the precise and beautiful Montessori materials. Lydia’s two grown sons attended Montessori school from in utero through eighth grade, and she credits their common sense and deep interests to that experience. Lydia loves to be active outdoors, to travel, to read, and currently to extend her Covid project: learning German!

* Lydia will be teaching Early Childhood Practical Life this summer!

Nour El-Youssef

Nour graduated from Haverford College with a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a Concentration in Africana studies. She was first exposed to Montessori pedagogy as an assistant teacher in lower and upper elementary classrooms at Alcuin Montessori School in 2017, and hasn't looked back since. She is entering into her seventh year as a teacher at the Montessori School of Englewood. She obtained her Montessori Certification at the Montessori Residency of Chicago and recently completed a Masters of Arts in Teaching at National Louis University. She holds an Illinois Professional Educator License and is endorsed to teach ELL and Bilingual Education. Nour grew up as a bilingual learner herself and is excited to teach a diverse bilingual classroom at MSE. She speaks French, Spanish, and Portuguese fluently and has spent time traveling, living, and teaching abroad in numerous countries, including but not limited to, Brazil (through Fulbright scholarship), Nicaragua, Mexico, Cuba, Syria, Lebanon, and Ghana. In her spare time she enjoys reading fiction, biking along the lakeshore, and attending Latin dance events in Chicago. 
* Nour will be teaching Elementary Geometry again this summer!

 Clare Heath

Sonja Fauske-Smith

Frances (Fran) Buckingham

As a Montessori child, Ms. Buckingham fell in love with the Montessori philosophy and environment. Today, she is a Montessori teacher, and her passion is to follow each child as an individual. Nature has also had an enormous influence on her everyday life. She spends a lot of time exploring the outdoors and nature has become a part of the day to day curriculum in her classroom. The cultural area of the curriculum supports her passion for life science and nature. Currently, she has a beautiful public Montessori classroom in Chicago. She is Montessori credentialed in both Early Childhood and Elementary. Her love for the Montessori philosophy thrives every day as she continues her education and growth as a Montessori teacher.

* Ms. Buckingham is returning back to MRC this summer and will be teaching Early Childhood Language!

Norah O'Brien

April Jean-Baptiste

Jennifer Nilsen

Jennifer started her path in education many years ago when she decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Special Education. While working to pay for that degree, Jennifer was hired as an assistant in an elementary Montessori classroom. It was there she discovered how well Dr. Montessori's philosophy included all learning styles and focused on each individual child's needs. She paused her degree program to pursue Montessori Elementary training. She then led a lower elementary classroom for 23 years. Recently, she returned to school to earn her Special Educator's license.