Our Staff

Lilyan Diaz

Lylian has worked in education for the past 5 years. She has worked both in front office and development and in the classroom. She is excited to utilize her exeriences as the Floater for MSC. Lilyan is a new resident to Charlottesville. She moved to the area with her sister who is completing her residency at UVA in Pyschiatry. She has six pets: Daisy, Pierre, Cowboy, Maxwell, Willow and Rosemary!

Tijay Richardson

Tijay Richardson is from Charlottesville area and went the Charlottesville City Schools. He attended Hocking college in Ohio and has experience working as a teaching aid at Venable Elementary School. He is thrilled for the opportunity to work with the children in the Butterfly Room this fall.

Vrinda Abhyankar

Vrinda was born and grew up in India. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education from SNDT University in Mumbai, India and her Montessori training at VCMS, Richmond VA. Prior to joining MSC, she worked with COER (Center for Opportunities in Education and Rehabilitation) where she worked with typically developing children and those with special needs, a rare experience as mainstreaming in India. Vrinda served as the Rainbow Room assistant in the fall of 2011 and took over the lead teacher position in the fall of 2018. Outside of the school she likes to cook and go on hikes with her family.

Shipra Biswas

Shipra was born and raised in Bangladesh. She finished her BS (biology major) at the National University. Before moving to the US she worked as a lab tech in the department of Biochemistry and molecular genetics at the Kobe University School of Medicine in Japan. She taught Bangladesh culture and history to Japanese elementary students. After moving to the USA she worked at the Child Development Center at UVA. She completed here Child Development Associate courses while working at CDC. She joined our staff in 2012 as an assistant in the Dragonfly Class and now works in the Rainbow Room.

Gloria Boesenberg

Gloria grew up in Indiana, where she received a B.A. in Psychology from Earlham College. Besides working with children, she has also enjoyed working as a nursing assistant with the elderly and as a house parent for adults with developmental disabilities. Gloria joined our community as an assistant in 2014, and she completed her Early Childhood teacher training with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies in 2018. She finished her M.A. in Montessori Education and Leadership at St. Catherine University in 2023. In her free time, Gloria spends time crafting, reading, wandering outside, and appreciating her family.

AYsha Khan

Aysha came to MSC as a parent. Her child went through the star room before she decided to start working with us as a Substitute Teacher. She is now the assistant teacher in the Star Room and is thrilled to be working with the same group of children daily.

Aysha has a love of learning and is passionate and energized to learn more about Montessori Education.

Maggie Banks

Maggie was born and raised in Batesville, VA. She graduated from Western Albemarle in 2013 as a top athlete in the state. After graduation she received a track and field scholarship to Radford University where she competed at the Division One level as a pentathlete and javelin thrower. 

Maggie has worked extensively with children over the years. She has a particular love of the toddler age group as they explore language and socialization. She is a product of a Montessori education where she gained a strong sense of independence and confidence in her abilities. She is incredibly excited to join the MSC community. 

Outside of school she enjoys spending time with her family, watching football with her husband Tre, yoga, and playing with her daughter Leilani and her 80lbs lap dog, Bella. 

Kadija Mohamud

Kadija was born in Kenya. Her family moved to Charlottesville in January of 2004 when she was 6. She played soccer and was on the swim team and started Junior Coaching the 5 and Unders when she was 13-16. She also did an internship with Charlottesville Public Works. Kadija began her work with children at Parks and Rec Summer Camps leading arts and crafts and playing with the children.

Kadija is a valued member of the Star Room and works as an assitstant teacher with Gloria.

Steph Gist

Steph's (she/her) Montessori journey began in 2009 when searching for quality education for her child Cal.  From her first observation in a Montessori classroom she was hooked.  She started as an assistant that year, first in Toddler and then Children's House classrooms.  In 2013 received her Early Childhood credential from Virginia Center for Montessori studies.  In 2018 Steph attended trainings in anti-bias and anti-racist education, and is on a journey to understand these practices and bring them to the classroom. Prior to teaching Montessori Steph was a respite care counselor for adults with developmental needs, and taught  dance and movement classes for children and teens.  She also spent 7 years in adult education in Richmond as a VHDA certified housing counselor.  Steph has a BS in Psychology from VCU, where her partner Chris also graduated and now their child Cal attends. In her free time Steph likes paddleboarding, hiking, watching Netflix with Chris (and their dog Keefa), learning Spanish and planning many exotic vacations. 

Leah Cocker

Hi my name is Leah! I’m originally from Forest, VA and I am currently in my third year studying Kinesiology at the University of Virginia. I love working with children and helping them to grow and also getting to witness the curiosity and wonder they have for the world! I’ve worked in a Montessori school once before and am looking forward to what this year holds. In my free time you can find me playing electric guitar, out on a run, or organizing and deep cleaning my apartment.

Jessica Conradt-eberlin

Jessica (she/her/hers) is a Virginia native and completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. She also recently completed her Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on teaching multilingual learners.

Jessica has worked in various educational settings in Virginia as a first grade as well as a private kindergarten and preschool teacher. After sometime she moved to China where she worked in various settings as an English as a Second Language Teacher for about eight years to preschool and early elementary school students. During her time in China, she had experience observing and learning about the Montessori way from her own children’s educational experiences and was amazed at the capabilities of her children. Her personal belief in educating is that there is joy to be found in learning and it is part of my role as an educator to help inspire it.

Outside of work, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family. They love being outside and finding new places to explore as well as enjoy. Her family lives a multicultural life blending Chinese and English language, food, and traditions to everyday life.

Catherine Muse

Catherine grew up in Charlottesville and began a long career in food service, starting with coffee shops and ending with bartending.  During this she discovered an interest in Early Childhood Development and Education.  She started substitute teaching for Head Start in early 2018 and after completing certifications for behavior management and trauma-informed child care she was promoted to Assistant Teacher.  In 2022, she transferred from teaching to family services and worked as a Family Support Coordinator, connecting families in the program to resources in the community and helping them set and achieve goals.  She is looking forward to getting back into the classroom and becoming a member of the Montessori community! 

Administration

Lindsey Munson 

Lindsey (she/her/hers) grew up in Staunton, VA. and graduated from UVA with a degree in Sociology in 1979. Lindsey came to the school as a parent of Caitlin and Jake in 1987 and worked with the original owner of the school.  She became the Administrator of the school in 1990 in partnership with Parames Adie, who became the Program Director.  She served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care in the community and is very interested in trauma informed care/teaching. Lindsey loves to travel and spending time with her parents in Staunton as they "age with grace".  She became a grandparent for the first time in the summer of 2017 and again in September 2019. Travelling to Carlisle, MA to spend time with Amelia and Lindy is such a joy. She and her husband James also enjoy exploring Virginia State Parks in their small RV and are now branching out to other states.

COREY LLOYD 

Corey (she/her/hers) was raised in Charlottesville and effectively grew up at our school. In 1994 she joined the staff of the Afternoon Program and found a long-time home the following year in the Butterfly Room as the toddler assistant. In 2002, Corey took her AMS Infant and Toddler training at The Center for Montessori Education under the guidance of Virginia Varga and took over the Butterfly Room as head teacher in 2004. After a lifetime of toddlers, she is moving into administration, trying to fill Parames Adie’s shoes as the Program Director.

Corey has also trained as a birth doula through The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators and as a postpartum doula through Nearby Baby. She is a founding member of PANTO, an organization of Montessori infant and toddler specialists that aims to support teachers in self and community care as well as deepening their Montessori practice.

When not at school, Corey is happy to show off her excessive number of cats.

Soren Jones

Soren is a Virginia native. He lived and attended college in Santa Cruz before moving to Berkeley, California to finish his bachelors in history at UC Berkeley. He worked as a teacher for several afterschool programs in the Oakland Unified School district. While at UC Berkeley, he worked on various funded research projects including an archaeological dig in Greece and an oral history project in rural Appalachia. Soren moved to Charlottesville in 2017. Soren’s son attended MSC on Gordon Ave before moving along to Venable Elementary. Soren joined our school as the Office Manager with an invested interest in learning more about Montessori education and school administration. He is now training with CGMS to learn more about Montessori Leadership.

When not in the office at Gordon Ave, Soren enjoys spending time with his son, Lio (usually revolving around soccer or legos) , taking weekend trips, or frequenting many of the wonderful restaurants central Virginia has to offer!

MAHASSA JONES 

Mahassa Jones is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia. She graduated from Albemarle High School in 2012 with high honors. She then went on to attend the illustrious North Carolina A&T State University, where she obtained a Bachelors of Arts in English and African-American Literature. She loves to spend to with her family, read books, and listen to music. She plans to go back to school to obtain her Masters in Nursing in hopes of becoming a Pediatric Nurse.