OUR TEAM
Elite Minds Montessori is a women owned and operated preschool. We are local moms with a total of 6 children. Our backgrounds include decades in the field of education, healthcare and entrepreneurship. Our mission of an early and purposeful education is near and dear to our hearts, as we believe the greatest weapon towards peace that we can give our future is through an early education. We are deeply committed to providing a strong foundation and developing a love of learning as part of a natural process. The Montessori philosophy strongly focuses on mutual respect and independent learning. Elite Minds combines this method with a strong focus on the arts and mindfulness. We believe our children are fully equipped to enter elementary schools with a balanced passion for academics and creativity after graduating our program.
“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.’”
Laurie Torres (Executive Director/Founder) is a Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Provider, CPR and First Aid Instructor for American Heart Association. Laurie completed her BBA in International Management with a minor in Spanish from Pace University in 1992.
Laurie was the owner of Baby Be Safe 2005- 2023. She has over 25 years of experience as an Director in the health care field working for hospitals, wound care centers, and home care. Laurie was determined to be a stay home mom and nurture her premature twins (who are now teenagers) so they could thrive to be healthy children while maintaining a flexible work schedule. Today Laurie and husband Ralph are proud parents of 4 boys (Ethan, Aydan, Dylan and Brandon).
Laurie was PTA President and chaired the 5th grade committee at PS 230. She was also part of the School Leadership Team (SLT). As a parent, Laurie feels that providing education, support and resources to parents will strengthen the village it takes to raise our children.
Sandrine Asmani - Allen (French /Yoga/Mindfulness Guide)
Sandrine was raised in Paris by her German mother and Algerian father, where she enjoyed being immersed in both cultures. After completing her diploma in painting and photography at Ecole d’art Nationale de Cergy Pontoise, Sandrine decided to move to New York City in 2000 to challenge herself. As a mother, she shared her painting skills with her son. Later, she assisted art teachers in a French school for six years. She helped Pre-K, kindergarten, and first-grade teachers. Meanwhile, she studied Energy healing, Mindfulness, and Meditation. While working at Smith Street Maternelle, she realized the positive impact of yoga and mindfulness on children. As a result, she focused on teaching these practices twice a week.
Sandrine, Natania, and Laurie met in the summer, shared a passion for introducing spiritual practices to children, and decided to work together.
Sandrine is opening her Energy healing practice at Elite Minds Montessori with Natania and Laurie’s outstanding support while still teaching the children French, yoga, and mindfulness.
Sandrine is a Quantum-Touch® certified practitioner and certified Usui Reiki Master.
Natania Blumenkehl - Cortijo (Educational Director/Founder) has worked with children since 1998 as a classroom teacher and tutor. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University in 2000 and a M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Adelphi University in 2004 with a dual certification in early education.
When Natania's daughter was born in 2004, she started researching different approaches to early childhood education and was intrigued by the Montessori method. She visited almost every Montessori school she could find in Brooklyn and at 2 1/2 years old enrolled her daughter in Midwood Montessori. There her passion for a Montessori education evolved. She volunteered and observed and continued teaching with the NYC DOE and applied her knowledge of Montessori.
Since 2011, Natania has operated an after-school learning center in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn and left her full time teaching job to dedicate more time to her new business.
Both her children attend(ed) school (elementary/middle school) in Carroll Gardens and so Natania has become very connected to the community, specifically families with children.
Familiar with both the classroom benefits of a Montessori education and the Carroll Gardens community, Natania has a mission to increase options with quality education for our future generations.
Araceli (Ara) del Carmen Vazquez (Infant/Toddler Guide) Ara Vazquez (she/her) was born in Mexico where she received her Bachelor's in Business Administration. She came to New York as an Au Pair, where she fell in love with children's development and bilingual education. She became interested in the Montessori philosophy after hearing it from peers and friends who attended Montessori schools.
Ara is the owner of a Spanish language school in New York City, was a Teaching Volunteer at Angolpalanta Montessori Kindergarten in Fót, Hungary, and is currently attending the West Side Montessori Infant/Toddler Teacher Education Program.
Reina Figueroa (Montessori Infant/Toddler Guide and Spanish Head Guide) was born in El Salvador where she graduated in Bilingual business education. She has 2 adult children who also were born and raised in Carroll Gardens and attended schools there as well.
She lived in the US for nearly 40 years and since have worked in preschools and with 2 year olds most of her teaching years.
She discovered the Montessori style of teaching while working at a school on the Upper East Side. Reina received her Infant/Toddler training at Center for Montessori Training Education at College of New Rochelle.
She is passionate about the Montessori method of education and respectful of each child’s natural curiosity and eagerness for knowledge.
Cesar Hernandez (Montessori-in-training Infant/toddler Assistant Guide)
Cesar worked as Assistant Manager at the Bay Ridge Kumon Center. He presently works part-time at the Kumon Center in Carroll Gardens.
He is now attending the West Side Montessori infant/toddler Teacher Education Program. Cesar is an Assistant Teacher at Elite Minds Montessori and helps with our Spanish Program.
Ariana Muniz (Infant/Toddler Head Guide)
Ariana is currently a Psychology and Children/Youth Studies major at Brooklyn College set to graduate on May 2024. In the past, she has worked 1:1 with children under the autism spectrum implementing behavior reductions based upon the principle of ABA. While also helping children improve their fine motor skills, and communication/vocal skills.
Katelyn Rivera (Primary Montessori Head Guide) is a recent college graduate who majored in Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Spanish from the College of Staten Island. She completed her Montessori Teacher Education Program at West Side Montessori. She has been working at Elite Minds Montessori for 7 years.
Johanna Rodriguez Ramos (Primary Assistant Guide)
Johanna’s teaching journey began over 14 year ago, when she moved from her native San Juan, Puerto Rico, to New York City. She quickly joined Teatro S.E.A. (Society of Educational Arts), and began performing and puppeteering in children’s plays and musicals all over the city and in PR. Johanna also taught Spanish through music all over NY, with Bilingual Birdies, and performed at various children’s events in NYC. She later worked as Lead Spanish Immersion pre school teacher at Reade Street Prep in Manhattan for a decade.
Johanna states that having worked with children has definitely taught her how to cater to each individual and unique mind. She was introduced to the Montessori style of teaching two years ago, and with Natania and Laurie’s support, has furthered her knowledge of the method, and believes that it is the most natural way to allow children to grow and thrive. Johanna often incorporates music into daily activities and routines with her original songs and says that most important of all, having fun is what ties everything together for everyone involved.
Johanna is proud Mom to son, Céu, who attends elementary school in Carroll Gardens, and they have enjoyed being part of the community for four years, and are looking forward to many more. Johanna has a B.A. in Speech Communications and Linguistics, and a minor in Theatre from the University of Puerto Rico.