Montessori Mastermind

Dr. Ashley Morris is the Executive Director of Montessori Mastermind as well as MTEI of Atlanta. Ashley holds degrees from the College of William and Mary in neuroscience (B.S.) and Kennesaw State University in early childhood education (ME,D, Ed.S, Ed.D), as well as Montessori AMS and PAMS early childhood credentials. She serves on board of the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) and enjoys working with Georgia’s Montessori advocacy group, Montessori Administrators of Georgia. She also serves on Grow Montessori's board as Vice Chair and The Suzuki Schools' executive committee. Before teacher training, she worked as a Montessori primary teacher and then moved into administration as curriculum director at the Suzuki School in Atlanta.

Paula is a dynamic, driven, and compassionate Montessori educator and leader with extensive experience serving the Montessori communities for 18 years. She completed her Master's in Education with a concentration in Montessori through Xavier University. Thereafter, she founded Little Saints Montessori, a company whose mission is to empower families, schools, and educators through consulting and mentorship services. Paula also opens her time for volunteer opportunities that bring together her Montessori expertise and the Catholic faith. She welcomes connections with Catholic leaders seeking Montessori resources for school and church programs. Paula also had the opportunity to help build Atlanta Montessori International School - Druid Hills and serve as the Head of the School. She was awarded by the company as the “Legendary Leader,” recognizing the hard work and positivity she demonstrated in building the school through the global pandemic. Paula has been serving at MTEI of Atlanta since 2016, where she develops and facilitates courses and serves as a field consultant. She has been a dedicated team member and is honored to move full-time and fulfill her role as the Director of Programs. Paula is also one of the MACTE (the only accreditation agency for Montessori teacher education programs) on-site verifiers, serving with highly qualified Montessori leaders in evaluating Montessori Teacher Education Programs and completing their accreditation process. She looks forward to continuing her commitment to guiding educators and leaders and sharing her passion for Montessori Education.

Cathy Durand-Horne is the Director of Professional Development at Montessori Mastermind and MTEI of Atlanta. She is an Advanced level, state-approved Child Development Associate trainer with an AMS Infant and Toddler Montessori teaching credential and a BA in Psychology and Economics from Denison University. Cathy has over 20+ years of experience in the field of early childhood education, teaching, developing curriculum, consulting, and providing professional development for teachers. She is very passionate about empowering teachers in Montessori and traditional Early Learning environments. In addition to being an instructor and field consultant for the training institute, Cathy is also the founder of Intentional Logic Group, LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on improving the quality of learning environments intentionally by providing teacher mentorship, classroom consultation, and providing equitable solutions centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Cathy brings a wealth of information and experience and loves to share her knowledge with the students.