Lisa Dieso is the Executive Director and TEP Program Director at CRA. She has worked in Montessori Schools and Teacher Education Programs since 1999.  She has taught in Montessori Schools in New York, Ohio, Kentucky, and Maryland. Lisa has her Bachelor’s Degree in Montessori Education and holds an American Montessori Society Early Childhood Teaching Credential. She also has a Master’s Degree in Education Administration, and has worked in school administration for over 10 years. Lisa is also mom to a son and daughter who attend a Montessori school.  She is passionate about the method and looks forward to working closely with families and adult learners as they start their Montessori Journey.

Crystal Dahlmeier received a BS in Biology from Marietta College and a M.Ed. in Montessori Education at Xavier University. She was lead teacher/principal at Xavier University Montessori Lab School for 17 years, where she also taught both graduate and undergraduate classes in Montessori and Early Childhood Education. Crystal is a National Board Certified Teacher and a PITC Certified Infant/Toddler Trainer. She has served as the Teacher Section Chair for the American Montessori Society and has taught in Montessori Programs in Perth, Western Australia, England, and Seoul, S.Korea. Currently, she is a Field Consultant and teaches Philosophy & Sensorial.

Tina Evans is the Director and Head Teacher at Family Montessori of Lebanon, in Lebanon, Ohio.  She is a credentialed Early Childhood Montessori teacher, with a B.A. in Telecommunications and an M.B.A. and M.A. in Non-profit Administration. She has been teaching children since 2011 after receiving her Montessori early childhood credential.  Tina has blended her years of education, years of parenting 3 children, and her love of Montessori to create the ideal job!  Her love for Montessori has grown from roots of being a Montessori student, through following her mom’s career as a Montessori teacher, to becoming an enthusiastic life-long learner of the Montessori philosophy and method.  Tina lives in Mason, Ohio with her husband, John, and enjoys playing tennis, reading, creative work, and spending time with family.  Currently, Tina is the Math Instructor in the CRA Early Childhood program.

Stephanie Hicks received her AMS 0-3 Montessori credential in 2006 from the Columbus Montessori Education Center. Since then, she has been working with infants and toddlers in a variety of schools and settings. She currently teaches in a Montessori toddler classroom at The Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Stephanie has her bachelors degree in Human Development from the University of Massachusetts. She lives on the west side of Cincinnati with her husband and two children. Stephanie joined the faculty at CRA in 2015 and remains the Academic Coordinator for the Infant/Toddler program. She is also a core I&T Instructor.

 After spending 15 years in a toddler learning environment, Becky Spooner is currently the Admissions Director at The Montessori School of Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama.   She obtained her AMS Infant/Toddler credential in July 2017.  Since obtaining her credential she has mentored the adult learners at CRA through the online platform.   Her favorite Montessori quote is, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”

Jen Sauer holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Infant/Toddler Montessori Education. Upon finishing her practicum in Hawaii, she moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1996 to teach at Gloria Dei Montessori for her mentor, Virginia Varga. She has recently transitioned out of the classroom as a Toddler guide and manages the office and admissions program at Montessori School of Dayton. She really enjoys working with new parents as they learn about the Montessori Philosophy. Jen has been teaching in the GCCME Infant/Toddler training program for four years as an instructor, as the practicum coordinator, and as a field consultant. She lives with her husband and two sons, who attended Montessori School of Dayton from 3-6 through 8th grade. Jen’s passion was creating a Montessori environment in her home for her sons as infants and toddlers, and she loves watching them continue to live out their Montessori roots in all areas of their lives.