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Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/dreamteam daily 0.75 2026-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/1eb56d66-e9ae-413b-882b-948342df2a42/Laurie_pic.webp Our Team LAURIE TORRES: FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laurie completed her BBA in International Management with a minor in Spanish from Pace University. She completed her Montessori Leadership training from Montessori Teachers College in April 2025. She is presently pursing her M.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education Teacher (Birth - Grade 2) at Brooklyn College. Laurie was the owner of Baby Be Safe 2005-2023. She has over 25 years of experience as a 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 young adults) 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. 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/5a209cdf-0245-439d-8e22-6a38166d903f/DSC_1305-Enhanced-NR-Edit+%281%29+%281%29.jpg Our Team RIA RUA: DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Ria joined in June 2025, bringing nearly a decade of experience leading teams, organizing complex systems, and solving tough problems at companies like Meta, Squarespace, and PepsiCo. She moved to the US from Trinidad to attend Yale, where she studied chemical engineering and later earned her MBA. However, her proudest role by far is being Nadia’s mom (and servant). Over 2024, Ria worked closely with the school through a time of transition, supporting behind the scenes as a committed parent and volunteer. That experience deepened her belief in the community, Elite Minds' mission and the importance of strong, steady operations. She’s excited to bring her logistics brain, calm energy, and love for building trust into this new role—supporting the teachers, helping families feel grounded, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/9f2884f0-f880-435d-92ab-7510f4c92cfb/IMG_0853.JPG Our Team MARIAH MAISONET ADORANDO: EDUCATION DIRECTOR, PRESCHOOL GROUP GUIDE (DAFFODILS) & DANCE GUIDE Mariah received her BA in Childhood Education and MA in Dance Education at CUNY Hunter College. She is a NYS Certified Teacher and for the past 3 years she has been teaching in the Department of Education public schools in Brooklyn and has experience working with children in 3k through 5th grade. Mariah is currently a member of Danza Fiesta: Baile y Teatro Puertorriqueño, a non-profit Puerto Rican folk dance group. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/fa3cfd74-e7e0-4093-a752-f6ea70722903/IMG_3021+%281%29.JPG Our Team MELISSA NAVA GARCIA: EDUCATION DIRECTOR & INFANT / TODDLER GUIDE Melissa graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor's degree in Childhood Education 1-6. Melissa was born and raised in Brooklyn. She is the oldest and only daughter. Melissa has two younger siblings whom she helped raise since they were babies. Melissa realized her passion for teaching while she was working at CFL, an after-school program that provides academic support and fun recreational activities. Melissa is always eager to learn and continuously refine her skills. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Bilingual Education at Brooklyn College. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/a483271f-a51c-4889-9a33-7247f4b6161c/Katie+pic.webp Our Team KATELYN RIVERA: TODDLER (DAISIES) MONTESSORI GUIDE Katie holds a degree in Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Spanish from the College of Staten Island and completed her Montessori Teacher Education Program at West Side Montessori. For the past seven years, she’s been a dedicated part of the Elite Minds Montessori family. A former competitive cheerleader, Ms. Katie brings energy, enthusiasm, and a spark of imagination to everything she does. She’s known for her creative lessons, love of food prep, and the way children naturally gravitate toward her warmth and guidance. Whether she’s leading an activity or dreaming up new ways to inspire her students, Ms. Katie makes learning joyful and memorable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/02253c2e-7d1d-4cf7-99b5-3a1e1372c49c/IMG_0865.JPG Our Team ARIANA MUNIZ: GROUP TEACHER & GUIDE Ariana has been part of our school family for four years and is truly the bomb dot com! With a degree in Psychology and Children/Youth Studies from Brooklyn College, she brings both knowledge and heart to her work every day. Before joining us, she worked 1:1 with children on the autism spectrum, supporting them in building fine motor, communication, and social skills while also implementing ABA principles for behavior support. At school, Ariana was our very first Daisies teacher and just recently completed the Montessori Accelerated Assistant program. Beyond the classroom, she’s known for her quick wit, love of baking, and ability to make both kids and adults smile. We’re lucky to have her leading with laughter, warmth, and dedication. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/8acacda7-9067-41f1-8a87-4f3d98db6c07/Screenshot+2026-01-20+142345.png Our Team EMILY BROCHIN: ASSISTANT GUIDE & MANDARIN GUIDE Emily joins us as an assistant in all rooms, with a special place in her heart for the Buttercups (12 - 18 months). She has just moved back to Brooklyn from Vermont after two years of being a preschool teacher and bookseller. In her free time she loves to read and write short stories and cuddle with her tiny dog. She currently also leads Mandarin enrichment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/31f879f2-4ca9-4414-b42a-6d0d11f37a2b/IMG_3012+%281%29.JPG Our Team - Make it stand out GIANNA RHODIUS: ASSISTANT GUIDE Gia started with us as a summer camp substitute in 2025. She is a Brooklynite who is three years into her Psychology degree at Marymount Manhattan College. Her past work experience includes tutoring, dog and cat sitting, babysitting and working YMCA camps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/fef2388a-9998-41f1-8041-05655cc45fe9/Johanna+pic.webp Our Team JOHANNA RODRIGUEZ RAMOS: ASSISTANT GUIDE & PERFORMING ARTS GUIDE Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jo has spent over 14 years working with children in New York and beyond. Her career began in the arts, performing and puppeteering with Teatro S.E.A. and teaching Spanish through music with Bilingual Birdies, before serving as Lead Spanish Immersion Preschool Teacher at Reade Street Prep for ten years. Introduced to Montessori three years ago, Jo blends its philosophy with her love of music, often incorporating original songs into daily routines. She holds a B.A. in Speech Communications and Linguistics with a minor in Theatre from the University of Puerto Rico and is a proud mom to her son, Céu. Jo is currently a floater across all classrooms, and leads our performing arts curriculum (Music Classes & Puppeteering / Drama classes). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/9b773db3-1f96-49d0-a672-1075213c8906/Luz+pic.webp Our Team LUZ VEGA: ASSISTANT GUIDE Born and raised in Brooklyn, Luz is a proud mom of three grown children and a lifelong caregiver who speaks fluent Spanish. She’s spent her career working with little ones as a nanny, CPR instructor, and now as our beloved baby teacher. Creative at heart, Ms. Luz brings artistry, joy, and plenty of birthday party magic into the classroom, always making sure every child gets to experience a true, joy-filled childhood. With a background as a home health aide and personal care assistant, she brings a deep sense of care, patience, and safety to everything she does. Simply put: babies are her world, and it shows in every smile, cuddle, and moment she shares with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/08a1099b-0b00-4f3d-b505-6112fae96bff/IMG_3025+%281%29.JPG Our Team - Make it stand out YANETH LILILANA PORRAS GUTIERREZ (LILI): ASSISTANT MONTESSORI GUIDE Ms Lili joins us in the Lilies and Buttercups classroom as an Assistant Montessori Guide, completing her practicum (similar to Ms. Ara!). She is currently completing her education at West Side Montessori. Ms. Lili will primarily be in the Infant / Toddler areas, but you will see her rotating as she learns about our school, students and other teachers. In her own words: I have experience working with infants, toddlers, and young children in nurturing and developmentally supportive environments. I hold a bachelor's degree and a postgraduate degree from Colombia, which have strengthened my academic background and global perspective in working with children and families. I also have over four years of experience working with children in a church community, including supporting children with special needs, which has deepened my commitment to inclusion, patience, and individualized care. I am passionate about supporting each child’s unique development and fostering meaningful learning experiences. I am bilingual in English and Spanish and value cultural inclusivity, striving to build strong communication with families from diverse backgrounds. Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities and creative expression, which continue to inspire my work with children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/8b5a9ea3-2004-4da6-bed2-e7a6f3393c57/IMG_0838.JPG Our Team - Make it stand out NATALIA (NAT) DONIS: ASSISTANT GUIDE Nati joins us as an assistant teacher in all rooms. She is currently in school for mental health and human services at Kingsborough Community College. She is also a full time big sister which I genuinely enjoy. Her goal is to become a social worker or a child therapist, so she will be spending some time at Elite Minds as she digs deeper into her studies. She believes that children deserved to feel seen and heard, no matter the age, especially younger ones, who are frequently overlooked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/02b01f9d-1dba-434e-8100-b231ff49e083/IMG_2521+%281%29.jpeg Our Team - Make it stand out KRISTY: ART GUIDE Kristy Butler (she/they) is originally from Buffalo, New York and brings her love of learning and self expression to her teaching practice. A creative person with a range of interests, Kristy is a former professional dancer and textile studio manager. These varied experiences allow Kristy to approach teaching children with openness and curiosity. Kristy has an AAS in Illustration from Fashion Institute of Technology and her art practice is focused on using traditional media in a fun and playful way. Kristy has been working with children for over 15 years, through work as a nanny, ballet teacher, preschool teacher, and teaching artist. Kristy prides themselves on providing a nurturing, safe, and collaborative presence in the classroom and is interested in approaching art-making as a process-focused activity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/fd4b3d34-193e-4d5a-98ed-95f364db1872/school_40895946-3583-4606-b8b0-4cded1309dca_58dc66b2-1d56-4472-a03d-48afd05cdc72_IMG_0046.jpeg Our Team - Make it stand out EVELYN LEANA MORAN: ASSISTANT GUIDE Evelyn is currently a student majoring in early childhood education in New York. She is passionate about working with children and helping to create an engaging and caring space for them each day. She is excited to supplement her classroom experience and study plans with the flowers at EMM. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/6ac3eef3-6793-41c2-8532-98b4e40259a5/Screenshot+2026-07-09+at+12.46.05%E2%80%AFPM.png Our Team - Make it stand out DYLAN TORRES; ASSISTANT GUIDE & SPORTS GUIDE Dylan is currently a college student at Sacred Heart University studying Exercise Science with the goal of becoming a physical therapist. He is CPR certified and in 2026 went through the NY State Teacher clearance process to join the EMM team. He is passionate about helping others through education, health and positive support and has taken on the mantle of planning all of our sports programming during summer camp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/35489a8f-4695-4464-a335-dcfebe2da5f2/IMG_0848.JPG Our Team - Make it stand out AYDAN TORRES; SUBSTITUTE GUIDE Aydan is Ms. Laurie’s oldest son currently in school to become a pediatric physical therapist. He is fully cleared by NYC, so will step in from time to time as a substitute with our Daffodils classroom. https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/2026tuition daily 0.75 2026-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/4c4f14e5-baf6-4138-abf8-d1b78d2afa7f/Screenshot+2026-05-15+at+2.58.50%E2%80%AFPM.png 2026 Tuition - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/96fcd9b7-1f61-49f9-adc8-9d164cc5f838/Screenshot+2026-05-15+at+3.02.53%E2%80%AFPM.png 2026 Tuition - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/new-page-3 daily 0.75 2026-03-17 https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/new-page-5 daily 0.75 2026-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/ac62e7f7-2f8c-4ac9-9c60-890451475ebd/logo.png Greater Brooklyn & NYC Involvement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58bef2fd44024341e962e343/8dbb8f09-027a-492e-955b-fa2aef9dd087/Brooklyn_Bridge_Manhattan.jpg Greater Brooklyn & NYC Involvement https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/application-fee daily 0.75 2017-05-09 https://www.elitemindsmontessori.com/application-fee/application-fee monthly 0.5 2025-08-12