Board of Directors
Saloni Mathur, President
Saloni’s talent in building new alliances and cementing old bonds aligns with the role NJMAC has played in the lives of New Jersey Montessorians since its inception.
She is a Board Director of the American Montessori Society, AMS. She also serves as an Executive Board Member of the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children, NJAEYC, and previously worked on Long Hill Township School District’s Preschool Advisory Committee. Saloni is the state lead for the Montessori Public Policy Initiative, MPPI New Jersey advocacy team, working to strengthen the role of Montessori institutions in our state. She completed the 2020-21 AMS Emerging Leaders Fellowship Program and is AMS credentialed for Early Childhood. She holds a B.S. in Child and Adolescent Development and a B.S. in Life Sciences. Saloni enjoys sharing her Montessori wins with the world and has authored NAIS and Montessori Life publication articles. She has presented workshops at AMS, NJAEYC and other University conferences. Her Action Research paper, Montessori and Beyond: Successful Transition to a Traditional Public School in First Grade, was published in the AMS Journal for Montessori Research.
Saloni’s mission to strengthen every effort that empowers children is guided by the vision of Dr. Montessori and this quote by RBG; “Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Email: salonipcs@hotmail.com
Amanda Fink, Vice President
Amanda is the Head of School at The Westmont Montessori School located in Mendham, New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in education from St. Catherine’s University, as well as her Early Childhood Montessori credential. She is a Board Certified Inclusive Education Specialist and has completed her training in the Orton-Gillingham method. She has served on school re-accreditation visits, as well as presented her thesis at the AMS annual convention research poster session. She brings nearly 20 years of education experience in public and private Montessori schools. She has led her school through accreditation with both Middle States and AMS. She has also led her school to the quality rating improvement process with Grow NJ Kids, making Westmont the first Montessori school in the state to be rated with this system. Amanda is a driven advocate for Montessori education. She is a voice for change in the Grow NJ Kids rating process, as well as a part of the New Jersey team working for change with MPPI. She believes that together we can make Montessori accessible to more children and change the educational system for the better. In her own words: I am looking forward to the rebirth of NJMAC as a place for Montessori educators to rekindle their passion, reunite with old friends and remain true to the Montessori philosophy. I enjoyed the past conferences as a time to meet up with old friends and colleagues, and as a reminder that I am part of something larger than my own school.
Email: afink@westmontmontessori.org
Michelle Blake, Secretary
Michelle is the founding Member and President of Montessori Blooming LLC in Hunterdon County, NJ, through which she provides consultancy, education, and professional development to Montessorians. She is an Instructor to Adult Learners at the Princeton Center for Teacher Education (PCTE) and a Field Consultant for PCTE and West Side Montessori Teacher Education Program (WSMS-TEP). Michelle is an AMS Emerging Leadership Fellow and a graduate of the AMS Instructor Academy. She is I/T certified with over five years of experience as a lead teacher and holds a BFA.
Email: njmacsecretary@gmail.com
Kristina Brusco, Interim Treasurer
Mrs. Brusco’s first experience with the Montessori method was when her own child went through the primary program. Watching her grow and flourish into the young woman she is today solidified her love of Montessori, and inspired her to come work at Diamond Hill in 2017. She then completed her Montessori Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education through the North American Montessori Center, and also holds a Bachelors degree in Marketing from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. . She is a faithful advocate for Montessori education and actively volunteers with NJMAC, New Jersey’s Montessori Association Corporation and NJAEYC, the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children. She has spearheaded partnerships with countless local community groups, which echoes its dedication to modeling community service for its young citizens while providing essential resources to those in need.
Kristina’s contributions extend far beyond the walls of Diamond Hill. She is an active member of the Berkeley Heights Women’s Club, a board member of the Berkeley Heights Business & Civic as well as a valued participant in the Berkeley Heights public schools and is always willing to lend a helping hand where needed. Through her dedication to education, advocacy, outreach and autonomy, she has left an indelible mark on our community, with so many more big plans yet to come.
She and her husband, Michael, live in Berkeley Heights with their school-aged daughter. Kristina is a born and raised Jersey girl and enjoys spending as much time as she can down the shore with her family.
Email: kristina.brusco@diamondhillmontessori.com
Myani Lawson, Member at Large
Myani graduated from Lincoln University, cum laude, with a B.A. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She also holds an M.Ed. in Reading Education from Howard University. Ms. Lawson received her formal introduction to The Montessori Method at Princeton Center for Teacher Education. She has worked in the field of education for over 20 years. During her career, she has held the positions of the classroom teacher, academic enrichment program director, elementary instructional coach, adult education instructor, university adjunct instructor, educational consultant, and curriculum coordinator. Ms. Lawson is a passionate and dedicated educator whose varied background and hands-on approach ensure Bergen-Lafayette Montessori School's offerings exceed the standards.
Email: njmacmembership@gmail.com