Faculty & Staff

Alissa Stolz

Head of School

With EBM Since 2009

Alissa has been with EBM for 16 years and has experience working with children for over 35 years. She earned her BA in German Studies attending the University of Heidelberg during her studies and also earned a Masters in Education. Alissa holds a Montessori Administration credential and an AMS credential for Secondary 1 (middle school) and Secondary 2 (high school), which led her to become the founding Middle School teacher of EBM before moving to the Head of School position.

Alissa has presented about Montessori education nationally and internationally, most recently at the International Montessori Congress in Thailand. She also extends her knowledge to prospective teachers as a trainer for Secondary teachers and is a Montessori United Nations Teacher Coordinator.

Mother of two East Bay Montessori alums (’13, ’15), Alissa likes to host meals and board games at her house and tend to the growing collection of animals who have strayed in the back gate.

Ben Petrofsky

Upper Elementary Lead Teacher

With EBM Since 2022

Ben has been a teacher for 15 years and is a member of the EBM community for the past 3 years. He graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BS in Psychology and from Saint Mary’s College Kalmanovitz School of Education with a Credential (AMS) in Montessori Education for 6 – 12 year-olds. In continuing his education, Ben graduated from CSU Monterey with a California Multiple Subject teaching credential.

You can often find Ben hiking and biking with friends during his free time.

Caroline Hamel

Site Administrator and Communications Director

With EBM Since 2011

Caroline has been with EBM for 13 years and has been working with children for the last 30 years (as early as 9 years old, she was a ballet assistant teacher for preschoolers!). She holds a BA in Linguistics from UC Berkeley and has taken Association Montessori Internationale introductory courses to support our program. Caroline is also certified in Positive Discipline.

Aside from spending time with friends and loved ones, reading, dancing, and riding an electric bicycle, her number one hobby is buying slightly too much produce from all the various unmatched markets of the East Bay… and eating it, of course!

Dylan McCrystal

Site Director

With EBM Since 2015

Dylan has been working with EBM for the past 8 years and has 8 years working professionally with children. He holds a BA in Modern Literature (Russian emphasis) from UC Santa Cruz. Dylan has Montessori Lower Elementary training from MTEC, and he was one of our LE teachers before becoming the EBM Site Director.

When Dylan isn’t at work, he loves spending time with his family, reading books of all genres, swimming, and breathing the fresh mountain air while camping in the Sierra Nevada.

Emily Howard

Upper Elementary Teacher

With EBM Since 2015

Emily holds seventeen years of teaching knowledge and is celebrating her tenth year as a teacher at EBM! She earned her BA in English from Grinnell College and has a Montessori Upper Elementary Credential from the Center for Montessori Teacher Education in New York.

Emily lives in a consensus-based co-op in Oakland with her family, where she can also be found writing fiction, playing games, and inciting sing-alongs.

Griffin Bertucco

Middle School Assistant Teacher

With EBM Since 2023

Griffin Bertucco graduated from the East Bay Montessori Middle School program in 2015. He volunteered at EBM and tutored students one-on-one through high school, and officially joined the substitute list in 2020 after graduating. Griffin has earned a BA in Linguistics from UC Santa Cruz. In 2023 Griffin joined the EBM staff as the Afterschool Assistant, and this year he steps back into the Middle School classroom as the Middle School Assistant.

Griffin is excited to bring his alumnus experience back to the program, and add his energetic contributions to the program and the school.

Janelle Ledesma

Lower Elementary Lead Teacher

With EBM Since 2023

Janelle is embarking on her second year with us at EBM and has 9 years of teaching experience. She earned her BS in Human and Family Development with a minor in Sociology of Education from Arizona State University. Janelle is also AMI certified with an Elementary 6-12 Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego.

Janelle comes from a large family so she spends a lot of time with them in her free time. When she's not with them, she's enjoying CrossFit, hiking, traveling, and trying out new recipes.

Kathleen Flanagan

Middle School Lead Teacher

With EBM Since 2018

Kathleen has been an educator of children for more than 30 years, and has been a part of EBM's faculty for 10 years (a permanent teacher since 2018 and a Substitute Teacher years prior). She earned her BS in Computer Science from CSU Chico and holds a Montessori Secondary I-II credential, a Montessori Elementary I-II credential, a California State Special Education credential, and has completed coursework for a California State Multiple Subjects credential.

When Kathleen is not playing horn with one of several community wind ensembles, she can be found hiking in the hills with her dog.

Madison Hazen

Lower Elementary Teacher

With EBM Since 2021

Madison is rejoining EBM after a year in Italy earning her AMI 6-12 Elementary Diploma from the Fondazione Centro Internazionale Studi Montessori in Bergamo, Italy. She has three years of teaching experience on top and several years behind her of working with children as a camp counselor or assisting in schools during the summer months. Madison holds a BA from CalPoly Humboldt with a double major in Anthropology and Religious Studies and additional coursework in Celtic Studies and Folklore from University College Cork in Ireland.

In her down time, Madison can be found running, knitting, and playing music - unfortunately she has yet to find a way to do all three at once.

Maria Gonzalez-Flores

Accountant

With EBM Since 2020

Matilde Olvera

Spanish and Afterschool Teacher

With EBM Since 2021

Matilde has been working with children for more than 10 years, teaching for 5 years, and has been a part of EBM for 3 years now as our Spanish and Afterschool teacher. She earned a BS in Elementary Education from Utah State University, a California Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential, and an Early Childhood Education Certificate.

Matilde spends her time off enjoying nature, giving back to her community, staying physically active, and spending time with loved ones.

Micah McClain

Music Teacher

With EBM Since 2004

Micah has been a performing musician for over 30 years and has been teaching children percussion for 32 years. He is celebrating his 20th year with EBM as our talented Music Teacher! Micah holds his Level III Orff Schulwerk Certification and has presented for jazz workshops for SFJAZZ, California Association for Music Educators, Stanford Jazz Workshops, Guitar Workshop, and the California Association of Music Educators.

Micah has performed music on six continents, and lives with his wife Kim, two cats Solomon and Simon, and 26 house plants, all named Rit Maroni. 

Michael Wallace

Kindergarten Bridge Assistant

With EBM Since 2023

Michael is joining EBM for his 2nd year as the KB Assistant, and has been working with children for ten years. He holds multiple mental health certifications from his previous job as a youth counselor, including a Parenting Counselor Certification.

During Michael's free time, he can be found spending time with his partner, visiting museums, hiking, collecting musical instruments, and volunteering throughout the community.

Michelle Moll

Associate Teacher

With EBM Since 2024

Michelle is a new member of the EBM community and has spent 10 years working with neurodivergent students as an interventionist and a paraeducator. She is excited to build connections with all children at our school as our Floater Teacher. Michelle comes to us with a BA in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz.

When not teaching, she loves spending quality time with her children at the park, or enjoying some popcorn at the movies. She also loves to read and create art.

Missy Barrow

Kindergarten Bridge Lead Teacher

With EBM Since 2021

Missy has been a Montessori Guide for 28 years and has been a part of East Bay Montessori for three years. Missy has a B.A. in psychology and is certified by the American Montessori Society.

She enjoys spending time with her husband and child, Vaughan, who is in our EBM Middle School program, as well as crafting and writing poetry in her spare time.

Nathan Thompson

Afterschool Assistant

With EBM Since 2024

We welcome Nathan for his first year at EBM with his 10 years of experience working with children. Nathan has worked in a variety of educational settings, including public and charter schools, English as a Second Language classrooms, the UC Gill Tract Farm, and San Francisco SPCA’s youth programs. Nathan earned a BS in English from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a Master’s in Liberal Studies from Hamline University.



Originally from Minnesota, Nathan loves living in the East Bay where he does gardening and herbalism, hiking, biking, and enjoys watching and playing sports.

Rachel Kleinman

Admissions Director

With EBM Since 2022

Rachel is entering her 3rd year in admissions with EBM and was previously a teacher for 13 years, and a Preschool Co-Director for 2 years. Rachel holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She earned her Infant/Toddler Montessori Certification from the Mid-America Montessori Training Institute and an Early Childhood Montessori Certification from the North American Montessori Center. Rachel is CAEP certified by the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals to strive for excellence in our enrollment programs and practices.

In her free time Rachel can be found snuggling her fluffy puppy, traveling back to Phoenix to soak up the sun, and creating beautiful cards and art out of pretty paper.

Regina Hartmann

Learning Specialist

With EBM Since 1989

Regina is in her 33rd year with EBM and has 44 years experience working professionally with children. She has an Honors in Educational Philosophy from Ithaca College, a Master's Degree in Education from Holy Names University, and an Educational Therapy Certification. Regina earned her Early Childhood Montessori Credential from the Montessori Training Center of NY, which she implemented as a preschool and kindergarten teacher at EBM for several years. We are proud that she also supports our students with her professional certification through the Association of Educational Therapists.

Regina has proudly raised two adult children, Cameron and Grace, who both attended EBM. She loves her work and enjoys all of the cultural and natural wonders the Bay Area offers - from hiking in Tilden or Pt. Reyes during the day to attending performances at Zellerbach or SF Ballet.

Tracey Shababo

Art and Theater Teacher

With EBM Since 2023

Tracey is joining EBM for her 2nd year as our Art and Theater Teacher and has 10 years of experience working with children. She holds a Drama and Art History Double Major BFA from New York University and holds 24 years of knowledge in visual and performing arts. Tracey comes to us having worked at The School of Visual Arts, The New York City Ballet, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On her free time, Tracey enjoys live performances, museums and galleries, and spending time in nature.