Our Team
Meet the dedicated team that makes The Mosaic Field School so special. We're here to guide, support, and learn alongside your children every step of the way.
In a Montessori environment, we often speak of adults as “Guides,” rather than “Teachers.” Guides use their life experiences to help others navigate their own. Guiding brings an attitude of respectful humility to the work of learning.
At The Mosaic Field School, our guides work alongside the students, whether they are sharing stories, planting in the gardens, preparing for a theater production, conversing in a Socratic seminar, or making a meal over a campfire; but they also know when to step back and watch the magic of students learning and growing on their own. The Mosaic Field School’s staff includes dynamic guides who are excited about being on this learning adventure with our students.
Kelli Jones
Bridges/Adolescent Community Guide and Head of School
Hello, I’m Kelli, the founder of The Mosaic Field School. For the 2026-2027 academic year, I will be working with The Mosaic Adolescent Community and our Bridges Community. During my youth, I tried on many hats to figure out my adult vocation. Before I was 20 years old, I had worked in retail, in research for a law firm, in sales and manufacturing for a foreign language software developer, and in corporate training. I worked as a summer camp counselor and as a waitress. I lived on a small farm, where I helped build a barn, cared for my family’s sheep, and helped the neighbors plant their crops. I earned money by babysitting, mowing lawns, and ironing dress shirts. I know firsthand how interesting, valuable, and motivating it can be for adolescents to have real, meaningful work that connects practically with their studies –remember the barn I mentioned; someone had to calculate the angles for the correct pitch of the roof! As an adult, I have worked in business and technology consulting at Deloitte, as a certified Myers-Briggs© consultant, and as a freelance educator for hybrid learning programs. I hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting and two master’s degrees, graduating with highest honors in each of my degrees and valedictorian of my master’s class at Emory University, so I am no stranger to the rigors of academic study. While traveling extensively, I’ve found some hidden gems for us to visit, and I’ve made some great connections with experts and mentors to share with our students. One of my favorite moments in my work is hearing a teen’s triumphant, “I did it!” after completing a challenge or solving a problem they didn’t think they could manage.
Kelli is a member of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). She holds AMI certificates in Montessori Administration and in Adolescent Orientation. She holds an AMI Adolescent Diploma.
Ginger Kleiber
Elementary Guide and Suwanee Station Program Developer
I was raised as a Montessori child, raised my own Montessori child, and I have taught well over 200 children as a Montessori teacher over the past 20 years and counting. My holistic approach supports children’s natural development by incorporating the social, emotional and educational needs of each child.
After receiving a BA in psychology from Smith College, I spent my first years teaching in the traditional public-school sector. During this experience, my understanding and love of Maria Montessori’s scientific-driven teaching method resurfaced, and I saw Montessori education in a new light. I received my Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori Elementary Certification with a master’s degree in education from Loyola University in 2004. I am now an AMI Elementary Consultant and hold a position on the AMI Elementary Alumni Association (EAA) Board, an international organization dedicated to supporting credentialed elementary Montessorians around the globe.
My life’s purpose is to provide an optimal Montessori education, fulfilling the purest visions of Dr. Maria Montessori. I am excited to be working with The Mosaic Adolescent Community this year while also serving in the role of Lower School Program Developer to help bring AMI Montessori across the developmental planes to the Suwanee community.
Ginger holds an AMI Montessori Elementary Diploma Certification, and she has her AMI Administrator’s Certificate. She is a member of AMI Elementary Alumni Association (EAA) Board and is serving on the leadership team of that organization.
Diana Perez-Diaz
Suwanee Station Assistant
Hi! I’m Diana. Born and raised in the charming community of Sugar Hill, Georgia, I have always been surrounded by a tapestry of creativity and inspiration. My love for crafts blossomed at a young age, as I found joy in transforming simple materials into expressions of art. Whether it was painting, quilling, or creating handmade gifts for friends and family, I embraced the joy of making something beautiful with my own hands. This passion for crafts has not only been a creative outlet for me but also a way to connect with others, sharing my enthusiasm and ideas along the way.
I am dedicated to helping individuals succeed, whether it’s through mentoring, volunteering, or simply lending a listening ear. I believe that kindness and generosity can make a profound impact, and I strive to embody these values in everything I do. Life is a beautiful journey, and I am committed to spreading positivity and support to those I meet along the way. With a heart full of compassion and a passion for creativity, I look forward to continuing to inspire, uplift, and make a difference in the lives of others, one beautiful experience at a time.
Kristin Glaser
Brides Community Guide
Hello, I’m Kristin, and I’m excited to continue my journey at The Mosaic Field School as one of the Bridges guides. After beginning my career as an elementary school teacher with a love of messy science experiments, classroom cooking, and hilarious read-aloud voices (or so said the 10-year-olds), my focus shifted to my own children who loved many of those same activities. As a mother, I wore many hats: homeschool mom, Girl Scout leader, swim team organizer, school library volunteer, PTA Co-President, and countless other experiences that allowed me to continue to experience the joy of watching children learn and grow. My work as a founder and mentor for a local community robotics team for teens brought me in touch with Kelli and The Mosaic Field School, and being a part of this exceptional community is the perfect next stage in my service to children. I can’t wait to explore, create, learn, and hopefully get a little messy together.
Kristin holds an AMI Adolescent Orientation Certificate and is working towards her AMI Elementary Diploma through Montessori Northwest and a dual Master’s Degree.
Ryan Jones
The Mosaic Adolescent Community Guide
Hello, my name is Ryan Jones, and I serve as an Adolescent Guide at The Mosaic Field School. My educational journey began in a Montessori Primary classroom and eventually led me to earn a master’s degree in Computer Science. The result of this journey has provided me with a holistic picture of mathematics education, viewing it not as blocks chopped into annual chunks labeled "Algebra" or "Geometry," but as a beautiful web of connected topics. Ask me how the Montessori checkerboard material relates to secure online banking or how the coordinate plane relates to image classification!
At Mosaic, I am passionate about helping adolescents develop their mathematical minds. I find great joy in walking alongside students as they discover mathematics as the language of modern society and the natural world.
I enjoy sharing real-world applications of mathematics, drawing from experiences such as my time leading a team to develop flight software for a microsatellite researching the degradation of photovoltaic cells while at Rhodes College or researching and designing decentralized, distributed machine learning algorithms in graduate school. Beyond this, my goal is to help students develop the abilities required to walk their own paths into the edge of supranature and beyond.
Ryan is working on his AMI Adolescent Diploma.
Suzanne Cook
The Mosaic Adolescent Community Guide
Hello, I’m Suzanne. I am happy to be sharing my experience from my career that spans a variety of creative roles in the arts field. I hold a bachelor’s of fine arts degree specializing in graphic design from the University of Georgia and earned my AMI adolescent 12-18 certification in 2023.
I learned at an early age how creating art in any media is food for your soul. I sought out all types of creative jobs; from painting hot air balloons to moving to NYC for a studio artist position at an advertising agency. My husband and I ran a successful design firm for 20 years before I left the grind of agency work to find something more fulfilling.
Our daughter received a Montessori education through her adolescence. Dr. Montessori’s approach helped me understand education in a whole new way. I began a new career as a Montessori art guide for elementary and adolescent students in 2012. Over the years, my love of the adolescent age helped me focus my energies to seek out a position where I could teach what I’m most passionate about - being creative.
Adolescents require a safe space to create and make mistakes, and the freedom to discover their own style as they begin to contribute to the outer world. I find joy every day working with them simply because of their energy, enthusiasm and their unwavering drive to find out “who they are”.
Suzanne holds an AMI Adolescent Orientation Certificate.
Jay Austin
The Mosaic Adolescent Community Guide
Hi, I'm Jay Austin. I have been working in a Montessori adolescent program for the past seven years. Like many parents, I first came to Montessori through my child. As my daughter attended Montessori schools throughout her childhood and adolescence, I had the opportunity to observe and learn about Montessori philosophy firsthand. The guiding principles of Montessori education—grounded in careful observation of human development and the thoughtful preparation of environments that support natural growth toward adulthood—resonated deeply with me. This scientific approach to understanding how children learn was especially compelling given my background as a geologist.
I earned my PhD in geology from the University of Georgia in 2012 and was working as a postdoctoral research assistant at Duke University when my daughter attended The Duluth Montessori School. With a flexible schedule and a lifelong love of camping and outdoor work, I often volunteered on student outings and trips. Through those experiences, I discovered an unexpected joy in working with adolescents and supporting their growth and independence.
When a teaching position opened in the adolescent program at The Duluth Montessori School, I stepped into the role and began studying Montessori more deeply, including completing the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Orientation to Adolescents course.
For the past five years, I have led the adolescent program at the Montessori School at Emory. I am excited to join The Mosaic Field School community and contribute to strengthening an authentic Montessori experience for adolescents. I am currently completing my AMI Adolescent Diploma and continue to collaborate with Montessori adolescent practitioners across the United States to share ideas and deepen my practice. I also bring my experience as a working scientist and a wide network of scientists and field experts from many disciplines, helping students connect their learning to the broader world.
Tandy Krajec
The Children’s Garden Guide
I am proud to say my first job was as a manager at Build-A-Bear Workshop. I learned so much about guiding people and connecting with children while working in a sometimes unpredictable retail environment. My time stuffing bears was replaced by working with four year olds in a GA Pre-K classroom. Despite thinking I wanted to be a middle school art teacher, I fell in love with being with younger students all day long. I soon realized my next step was to find a way to make that a part of my future so I started Montessori training. I obtained my Montessori Primary diploma through the International Montessori Training Institute and completed a Master's of Education in Montessori from Loyola Univeristy (Baltimore) in the same year. My Montessori journey has included time as a Lead guide in Primary environments in Gwinnett County and Savannah as well as time in administration of two different Montessori schools. I am currently an instructor with the Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta.
With art as my first love (I have a BFA in Art Education with a concentration in sculpture from Georgia State University) I bring an additional level of hands-on learning to the Primary environment as I firmly believe there is no such thing as too much self-expression. I make sure to take time in my personal life to create art as often as I can and enjoy taking classes that extend my knowledge and experience within the arts.
The most important thing to me is the relationship I have with the children in my care; it is only through this connection that learning and growth blossoms. I love sharing in their "aha" moments and seeing their sense of accomplishment as they realize what all they can do on their own. The second most important set of relationships I have is with the families of the children in my class. I love partnering with caregivers to provide a strong foundation for their children both at home and at school. I enjoy facilitating classes through the Positive Discipline Association for parents and Early Childhood educators.
Tandy has an AMI Primary Diploma.
Our Certifications & Memberships
Our guides work collaboratively with The Mosaic Field School community to help meet the developmental needs of the students. As a team, they lead with joy and with a spirit of gratitude for the great privilege of working with our children, teens, and families.
Tandy has an AMI Primary Diploma.
Ginger holds an AMI Montessori Elementary Diploma Certification, and she has her AMI Administrator’s Certificate. She is a member of AMI Elementary Alumni Association (EAA) Board and is serving on the leadership team of that organization.
Kristin holds an AMI Adolescent Orientation Certificate and is working towards her AMI Elementary Diploma through Montessori Northwest and a dual Master’s Degree.
Ryan is working on his AMI Adolescent Diploma.
Kelli is a member of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). She holds AMI certificates in Montessori Administration and in Adolescent Orientation. She holds an AMI Adolescent Diploma.
Suzanne holds an AMI Adolescent Orientation Certificate.
Jay has an AMI Adolescent Orientation Certificate and is working on his AMI Adolescent Diploma.
All TMFS staff are members of AMI and AMS.
The Mosaic Field School is the culmination of years of dreaming and planning to introduce a more holistic, natural way of learning that respects and nurtures the beautiful potential in each student. We can’t wait to meet you and share the possibilities!
