Our Staff

Kelsy Hall ● Lead guide

Kelsy's journey with Montessori education began with an internship that left a lasting impression.  She has been a part of the MSC community since graduating in 2016 and over the years has filled various roles to gain a well-rounded perspective and a genuine love for each stage of development. Kelsy's heart ultimately led to bringing her joy and deep passion for Montessori education to her role as the Lead Guide in the Butterfly Room.

Outside of school, Kelsy enjoys a full and lively life with her husband, their three (soon to be four!) children, and a menagerie of animals. Family time is her greatest joy, whether it's exploring the outdoors or simply sharing a quiet moment together.

Julie Frandsen ● Classroom assistant

Julie is originally from Brazil, and a proud mom to one little girl (Livia) and two cats, (Pele and Marta). She has five years of experience working with children in a Montessori school, and a strong passion for Montessori philosophy with its ability to support children to become more independent, confident, and joyful learners. Julie loves working with children and creating a warm and caring environment for them to learn and grow. In her free time, she enjoys reading and taking pictures, especially capturing special moments and memories of her family.

Vrinda Abhyankar ● Lead guide

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 Center for Opportunities in Education and Rehabilitation 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 ● Classroom Assistant

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 as an assistant in 2012.

JAmes Taylor ● Lead guide

James is a Charlottesville native whose path to Montessori has been shaped by music, teaching, design, and fatherhood. He studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music, toured the country with an indie band, and spent over a decade at Apple, where he taught Today at Apple sessions, trained new team members, and led creative camps for children.

James is currently completing his Montessori Primary training through the Virginia Center for Montessori Studies and will begin his practicum year at MSC. After supporting the Star Room last spring, he’s grateful to return as its Lead Guide and looks forward to creating a classroom where every child feels at home. Outside of school, James enjoys playing piano and spending time with his family.

Kate Stutzman ● Classroom assistant

Kate hails from Denver, Colorado and recently graduated from Eastern Mennonite University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. She loves learning about big life and small life, and everything in between. Since then, she has made the plunge and moved to Charlottesville! Although she is new to MSC and Montessori philosophy, she is excited to grow and learn alongside the students in the Star Room!

Outside of school, she enjoys camping, hiking, eating good food (and drinking good coffee), going on aimless bike rides, making block prints and cards for the people she cares about, and listening to music she can sing along to. You’ll find her wherever the people are!

Maggie Banks ● Lead guide

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 and been with Montessori School of Charlottesville since 2022. She has a particular love of the toddler age group as they explore language and socialization. She herself is a product of a Montessori education, where she gained a strong sense of independence and confidence in her abilities.  

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 ● Classroom Assistant

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 has been a valuable part of the MSC community since 2019.

Gloria Boesenberg ● Lead guide

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 differences. 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 to lead the Star Room. She finished her M.A. in Montessori Education and Leadership at St. Catherine University in 2023. She stepped in as Program Director in 2024. In her free time, Gloria spends time crafting, reading, and enjoying nature

Cristy Foster ● Classroom Assistant

Cristy was born in Guatemala then in 2006. She was adopted and lived on the Eastern shore of Virginia until she and her family moved to Charlottesville in 2009 with our their many animals. Cristy then was a Girl Scout for four years then became a Girl Scout counselor for two years. She played Field hockey and lacrosse all through middle  and high school. Cristy attended CATEC for Culinary Education where she got her degree.

She developed a passion for working with students in an educational setting after becoming a TA for a first grade class at Mountain View elementary school. She then moved into a role as an Assistant Teacher at MSC. In her personal time she loves dance, anything related to the water, trying new restaurants/places , and watching TV/ reading.

Kadija Mohamud ● toddler Afternoon Program

In addition to her role as the morning assistant in the Moonbeam classroom, Kadija is also the Program Lead with the Extended Day Toddler Program.

Cristy Foster ● Primary Afternoon Program Assistant

In addition to her role as the morning assistant in the Bluebird classroom, Cristy is also the Program Lead with the Extended Day Primary Program

Ola Mansour ● floater

Ola lived in Syria for most of her life. While there, she tutored children although she is a trained engineer. When she came to America in 2016, she worked at the hospital for a year and took classes at PVCC. After joining MSC, she decided that’s what she wanted to continue with because teaching children is something that she’s always wanted to do. Ola has been working at MSC for almost 6 years now! In this time, she’s seen many children grow to be amazing people.

Ola loves traveling around, especially to go visit her homeland. She also loves being around her family and hanging out with them. Her family has always been very important to her.

Soren Jones ● Administrative Director

Soren is a Virginia native. He spent several years between Santa Cruz and Berkeley California where he got his undergraduate degree in History at UC Berkeley. Soren worked for the Oakland Unified School District as a teacher in Elementary Afterschool Programs. He worked on numerous research projects including an oral history of Appalachian traditional music and an archaeological dig in Greece in 2016.

Soren moved to Charlottesville in 2017 and started at MSC as an office manager. He completed his Montessori Leadership Credential in the Spring of 2024 through CGMS. After 7 years at MSC Soren is very excited to start his role as Administrative Director in the Summer of 2024.

Gloria Boesenberg ● Program Director

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 differences. 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 to lead the Star Room. She finished her M.A. in Montessori Education and Leadership at St. Catherine University in 2023. She stepped in as Program Director in 2024. In her free time, Gloria spends time crafting, reading, and enjoying nature.

Mahdia Yari ● Afternoon Program Coordinator

Mahdia is Afghan-born and has lived in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the United States, including Mississippi and Washington, D.C. She recently moved to Central Virginia. She holds a master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Mississippi, as well as a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Kabul University and an associate degree in English Language Teacher Training. Mahdia is passionate about advocacy, mentorship, and education. She currently teaches an online weekend course for ALPA Online College and enjoys supporting others in developing their skills, finding their voices, and building independence. She believes that meaningful change begins with small steps and that every individual can play an important role in creating positive change. Outside of work, Mahdia enjoys journaling, traveling, and experiencing different cultures, especially meeting people from diverse backgrounds and learning from their perspectives and stories. She approaches everything she does with passion and purpose and hopes to bring that same curiosity, openness, and sense of purpose to the Montessori community.