PRIMARY TRAINING

Silvia C. Dubovoy, Ph.D., Director of Primary Training
Dr. Dubovoy is a teacher trainer, lecturer, consultant, and examiner for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) worldwide. She has been involved in Montessori education since 1965 as a parent, board member, and coordinator of her children’s school. Dr. Dubovoy holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Barcelona as well as the AMI Assistants to Infancy, Primary, and Special Education diplomas. She was a board member of AMI, headquartered in Amsterdam, from 1982 until 2010 and currently serves on the AMI Research Committee and as an alternate AMI representative to the United Nations. Dr. Dubovoy has anchored Montessori graduate programs at the University of San Diego, Loyola University Maryland, and Universitat de Vic in Spain, and she created the AMI Inclusive Education Course.  Her training style is heavily influenced by her work with Dr. Carl Rogers in the field of humanistic psychology.  When not at work, she adores reading and discussing books with her eleven grandchildren.

Cristina A. De León M., Primary Trainer
Ms. De Leon has more than 20 years of experience with young children in Mexico and the United States, and she is bilingual in English and Spanish. She holds a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior in Tijuana, Mexico, a Masters in Pedagogy from State University of Pedagogy Studies and an M.Ed. from Loyola University Maryland, in addition to AMI Primary and Elementary diplomas. Prior to joining MISD, she worked for five years as a Primary guide at Scripps Montessori School. Ms. De Leon also serves as an AMI examiner and Director of Training at the Primary level in Costa Rica and Argentina, and her work has recently taken her to Spain and Taiwan. She enjoys art museums, acting, and musical theater.

Liliana Diaz, Primary Assistant
Ms. Diaz holds the AMI primary diploma. She has worked as a Spanish speaking guide at MISD since 2007. She is a mother of two and her daughter is an MISD Children’s House alumnus. She enjoys cooking and loves spending time with her family and is in the process of completing her B.A. in preschool studies at Universidad de Querretaro.

ASSISTANTS TO INFANCY TRAINING

Silvia C. Dubovoy, Ph.D., Assistants to Infancy Director of Training
Dr. Dubovoy is a teacher trainer, lecturer, consultant, and examiner for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) worldwide. She has been involved in Montessori education since 1965 as a parent, board member and coordinator of her children’s school. Dr. Dubovoy has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Barcelona as well as the AMI Assistants to Infancy, Primary and Special Education diplomas. She was a board member of AMI, headquartered in Amsterdam, from 1982 until 2010 and currently serves on the AMI Research Committee and as one of the AMI representatives to the United Nations. Dr. Dubovoy’s training style is heavily influenced by her work with Dr. Carl Rogers in the field of humanistic psychology. When not at work, she adores reading and discussing books with her eleven grandchildren.

Vivian Yeung, Assistants to Infancy Course Assistant
Ms. Vivian Yeung holds a B.A. in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley, and the AMI 0-3 diploma from MISD. She gained an understanding of Dr. Montessori’s philosophy of freedom and discipline; and how to nurture and enhance the child’s quest for further independence. She also learned how to help children succeed through their own actions and choice.  Vivian has worked as a Montessori assistant and a toddler guide for years in a private Montessori school in San Diego. She is fluent in Chinese and English. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling.

Meagan Ledendecker, Assistants to Infancy Course Assistant
Meagan (she/her) grew up in a Montessori school with two Montessori teachers and administrators as parents. She has an M.S. in Environmental Education and a B.A. in Women’s Studies and American Studies, with a minor in Peace Studies. Meagan has Montessori training that spans from birth through adolescence: AMI Assistants to Infancy (0-3), AMI Primary (3-6), AMI Elementary (6-12), and the inaugural AMI Adolescent course (12-18). She is the co-founder and Director of Education of The Montessori School of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, has three children (one in the fourth plane, one in the third plane, and one in the second plane), and misses the first plane years! Meagan spends her spare time cycling, running, and swimming to prepare for triathlons.

Verónica Toro-Ruiz, Assistants to Infancy Course Assistant
Verónica holds AMI diplomas for 0-3 and 3-6 fro MISD, she is a Full Spectrum Doula, translator and storyteller who currently lives in Puerto Rico. After working in Montessori schools for 15 years in Massachusetts and Rosario, Argentina, Verónica returned to her hometown in 2017 to support community transformations through art, ecology and stories creating self-learning prepared environments.  Veronica has a BA in Public Communications, a MA in translation, and she is currently writing her thesis on Mythology, Eco pedagogy and Children, towards a PhD in Caribbean Literature.

Dr. Miguel Paciuc Beja, Medical Advisor

Dr. Paciuc is a Doctor of Medicine from the National Autonomous University in Mexico City (1973-1979), specializing in Pediatric Ophthalmology. Dr. Paciuc was invited to work as a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, and at the Denver Health Main Campus in 2010. He was affiliated with Denver Health Medical Center until his retirement in the United States. He was chief resident in Ophthalmology, a Pediatric Ophthalmologist and professor at the Association to Prevent Blindness in Mexico City, Pediatric Ophthalmologist at the ABC Medical Center in Mexico City, and Past President of the Mexican Down’s Syndrome Association. He has also worked in altruistic campaigns in many rural areas of Mexico throughout his career. Dr. Paciuc continues his practice in Mexico through monthly visits.

He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, winning many Education awards from this institution. Dr. Paciuc has more than 50 publications in medical journals. He is a Reviewer and Editor of Journals for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Editor of the Ocular Trauma Chapter for KTEF of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Pediatric Ophthalmology Trauma Chapter, and Editor of the Spanish edition of the Academy Ophthalmology Journal.  Additionally, he is a member of the Editorial Board of Advances in Ophthalmology and Visual System, among other memberships.

ELEMENTARY TRAINING

Greg MacDonald, Director of Elementary Training
Greg MacDonald is a seasoned Elementary trainer who has led courses in the United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Mexico for the past 20 years. He holds AMI 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas, a teaching diploma from his native Australia, and an M.Ed. from Loyola University Maryland, where he worked as an AMI Elementary trainer with Dr. Kay Baker from 1998-2008. He is also an AMI-USA consultant and a regular speaker at Montessori workshops, parent evenings and conferences. Greg is known for his hands-on, practical approach to training, focusing on the specific skills, techniques, and systems that support success in a Montessori elementary environment. His work is informed by 19 years of teaching experience as a public school elementary teacher, AMI primary and elementary teacher, and principal of both mainstream and Montessori schools.

Kathy MacDonald, Elementary Course Assistant
Kathy MacDonald earned her AMI Primary (3-6) diploma at Washington Montessori Institute. She has worked as a primary guide for many years in both public and private Montessori schools, and has also served as an assistant, substitute teacher, and educational specialist. She has two daughters and a new grandchild.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TRAINING

Silvia C. Dubovoy, Ph.D., Director of Inclusive Education
Dr. Dubovoy is a teacher trainer, lecturer, consultant, and examiner for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) worldwide. She has been involved in Montessori education since 1965 as a parent, board member and coordinator of her children’s school. Dr. Dubovoy has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Barcelona as well as the AMI Assistants to Infancy, Primary and Special Education diplomas. She was a board member of AMI, headquartered in Amsterdam, from 1982 until 2010 and currently serves on the AMI Research Committee and as one of the AMI representatives to the United Nations. Dr. Dubovoy’s training style is heavily influenced by her work with Dr. Carl Rogers in the field of humanistic psychology. When not at work, she adores reading and discussing books with her eleven grandchildren.

Annabeth Jensen, M.Ed., Course Assistant
Annabeth Jensen holds a B.A. in psychology from Reed College, an M.Ed. from Loyola University Maryland, and the AMI Elementary Diploma from Washington Montessori Institute. In 2015, she completed the AMI Inclusive Education Pilot Course here at MISD and distinguished herself for outstanding contributions to the classroom dynamic. Annabeth has worked as a Montessori elementary teacher for over 24 years, 18 of those at the upper elementary level. During her career, she grew two school programs from one class to 120-180 students, served as the president of the Oregon Montessori Association, and received the Susie Huston Memorial Award for dedication in teaching. She is currently a consultant for AMI USA.

Adele Diamond, Ph.D., Lecturer
Dr. Adele Diamond is one of the founders of the field of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and holds the Canada Research Chair Tier 1 Professorship in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia.  She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.  As one of the world’s leading researchers on executive functions, the cognitive processes that enable us to plan, pay attention, solve problems, reason, and switch between tasks, Dr. Diamond has been featured on NPR’s “On Being” with Krista Tippett, PBS’s “Scientific American Frontiers”, and The New York Times.

ADMINISTRATION

Sharon Dubovoy Fastlicht, Executive Director
Ms. Fastlicht is a Montessori child, a mother of four Montessori children and the Executive Director of The Montessori Institute of San Diego. She holds the AMI Montessori Assistants to Infancy (0-3) diploma and the Primary (3-6) diploma from MISD. She also holds a B.A. in restaurant and hotel management from Universidad Iberamericana in Mexico City and an M.Ed. from Loyola University Maryland. Ms. Fastlicht assisted her mother, Dr. Silvia Dubovoy, in opening the Children’s House in 2002 and returned in 2010 to continue her work with the school and its affiliated Montessori teacher training center.

Silvia C. Dubovoy, Ph.D., Director of Training
Dr. Dubovoy is a teacher trainer, lecturer, consultant, and examiner for the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) worldwide. She has been involved in Montessori education since 1965 as a parent, board member, and coordinator of her children’s school. Dr. Dubovoy holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Barcelona as well as the AMI Assistants to Infancy, Primary, and Special Education diplomas. She was a board member of AMI, headquartered in Amsterdam, from 1982 until 2010. Dr. Dubovoy has anchored Montessori graduate programs at the University of San Diego, Loyola University Maryland, and Universitat de Vic in Spain, and she recently created the AMI Inclusive Education Course.  Her training style is heavily influenced by her work with Dr. Carl Rogers in the field of humanistic psychology.  When not at work, she adores reading and discussing books with her eleven grandchildren.

Vivian Dubovoy Perlo, Pedagogical Coordinator and Instructional Design
Ms. Vivian was born in Mexico City and raised according to Montessori philosophy and practices. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and primarily focused on creating educational enrichment materials for children 18 months to 6 years. She has worked at different schools sharing her eye for design and photography, which she combines with her passion for children. Ms. Vivian holds the AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma as well as the AMI Primary Diploma and has served at MISD as our Pedagogical Coordinator since 2010.  Ms. Vivian enjoys working with the children while creating beautiful art pieces, gardening and cooking as well as offering parent education and support to the school.

Amy Rhodes, Student Services and Information Coordinator

Amy serves as the training center’s Student Services and Information Coordinator.  Her love of traveling and learning about new cultures led her to study in London, work on a Mayan excavation in Belize, and teach English in Korea.  She is excited to be in her home city of San Diego where she continues to help students follow their dreams at the Montessori Institute San Diego.  She holds a B.A. from UCSD in Anthropology. In her spare time she loves to hike, play golf, and crochet.

Fernando Castillo, Controller 
Mr. Castillo started his accounting career in Zurich, Switzerland, where he worked in the banking industry. While in Zurich, he married a San Diego native, and later moved to the United States and finished a bachelor’s degree in accounting at City University in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Castillo brings to MISD extensive experience in management, communication and analytics, including planning, budgeting, reporting, training and controlling. His main focus is to influence organizational growth and bottom line profitability. Mr. Castillo is originally from Chile and has two children who have been raised with the Montessori philosophy.