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 served children and families in her community as a Curriculum Coordinator and Early Childhood Guide. She is an Executive Board Member of the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children, NJAEYC. She also serves on The American Montessori Society’s Regional Action Commission and on Long Hill Township School District’s Preschool Advisory Committee. Saloni works on the Montessori Public Policy Initiative, MPPI New Jersey advocacy team 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 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 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
Kathryn Imbrogno, Treasurer
Kathryn is currently the Head of School at Ridgewood Montessori in Paramus, NJ, a school for children ages 16 months through upper elementary. She proudly oversees a staff of 43 in a family-supportive atmosphere where everyone’s social, emotional, and academic needs are fulfilled.
Currently, Kathryn is serving a third term as Treasurer on the NJMAC Board. She has demonstrated she has the skills, knowledge, and systems to handle all the financial responsibilities of the organization, including tax preparation, while at the same time providing guidance where needed. She has all the fiduciary skills required to fulfill the job requirements, as well as all the systems in place to continue making appropriate financial decisions with the other board members.
In her own words: I love being a part of the NJMAC community. I would be honored to remain as your treasurer for another term. I am honest and eager to support my other team members, and will always have the best interest of the Montessori Community in mind.
Email: kimbrogno@ridgewoodmont.org
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