Southlake montessori FAculty, staff and board

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Lead Primary Guide, Magnolia Classroom

With a deep commitment to authentic Montessori practice, Elin Chang makes an incredible contribution to the lives of the children she so earnestly serves at Southlake Montessori. She embodies a gentle disposition and is naturally suited to meet the needs of young children. Elin graduated as a Certified Advanced Interpreter from the Simon Fraser University in April 2003 and with her Bachelor of Arts also from Simon Fraser University in June 2002. She holds her Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Primary diploma from the Montessori Institute of North Texas. Elin also has a wealth of practical experience working with children in a variety of settings. She has resided on four continents and is conversational in Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Taiwanese, and Spanish. Elin’s impeccable work ethic and joyful demeanor are valued among her Southlake Montessori team members and school community. 

Elin resides in Lewisville with her husband. She enjoys calligraphy, playing the piano, singing, and she has a love of giraffes!

Lead Primary Guide, Willow Classroom

Nathan Hwang holds his Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Primary diploma from the Montessori Institute of North Texas. Montessori’s philosophy of love towards an individual child and his/her independence powerfully grasped Nathan’s heart, which led him to pursue his Montessori diploma. Nathan grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to the United States when he was fifteen years old with his family. He finished his bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering at Pennsylvania State University, in which he worked in the field for 7 years in various companies. Nathan dedicated a portion of his life in Haiti as a short-term missionary where he spent little more than a year serving Haitians by teaching English, computer and the Bible. He moved back to his home country, South Korea, to teach children from four to ten years of age as a volunteer. He also served as a children’s pastor at a church near Boston while obtaining his master’s degree in Divinity at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. He believes that every child is a precious jewel and he/she is to be loved unconditionally, and his composed and caring demeanor has been the foundation to exhibit such love. 

Nathan lives in Flower Mound, Texas with his wife, Michelle, and two young sons. Nathan loves to play soccer and to watch movies with his wife.

Lead Elementary Guide, Sequoia Classroom

Breanna earned her AMI Elementary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of North Texas. She also has her Bachelor’s in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University. She has worked with children in various settings: public school, charter schools, after school programs, and early childhood education. She is an individual who is excited to learn new things and open to feedback from children and families. Breanna is an active animal caregiver;  in her home she has three fish tanks, one land snail tank as well as a family of yorkies that she has raised with her husband. 

Breanna lives in Fort Worth with her husband, two sons and four yorkie dogs. She enjoys needlework, reading books, camping with her family and enjoying a game night with family members often. 

Primary Assistant, Magnolia Classroom

Dipti discovered Montessori through her children.  She received her AMI Primary Diploma from Montessori Institute of North Texas in May 2023, and she is excited to join and serve the Southlake Montessori community. 

Dipti lives in Grapevine with her husband and two boys.  During her free time, she enjoys traveling, playing the piano, writing, and finding any excuse to host a tea party.  

Founding Board Member, Board Secretary

Bonnie Hamilton was first introduced to Montessori education as a parent.  Both of her children have attended an AMI Montessori school since the beginning of their educations, and Bonnie assisted in a Lower Elementary Montessori classroom for two years.  She has seen firsthand what a Montessori environment can do to foster the love of learning as well as a sense of community in a child.  Bonnie has a BBA in International Business and Business Broadcasting from the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University.  In addition to her time as  Montessori Assistant, Bonnie has spent most of her career in the financial services industry.  Bonnie is very proud to be a Founding Board Member for Southlake Montessori. ​

Founding Board Vice-President & Head of School 

Debby Riordan is one of four women who founded Southlake Montessori in 2014 and served as the Founding Head of School through the 2017-2018 school year and returning to that position this year after serving as the Director of Pedagogy last school year.  She also is the current Vice-President of the Board.   Debby also is the Founding Director of Montessori360 supporting parents, faculty and administrators. Prior to this work, Debby worked diligently with the Association Montessori Internationale of the United States (AMI/USA) first as a board member and then as the Executive Director.  Debby has a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology, a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, her AMI Montessori Elementary diploma and, most importantly, has witnessed the gift of Montessori education in her four children.

Founding Board Member, Board President

Cristina Scott has been a longtime proponent of the Montessori philosophy both as a parent and a Board Member.  Her daughter was a Montessori child for seven years and Cristina served as a Board Member of that school prior to helping found Southlake Montessori in 2014.  Cristina worked for 24 years at Sabre, based in Southlake, and now works for an Association based in the Washington, D.C. area.  Her philanthropic work includes initiatives for Amnesty International, responsible and sustainable business practices, and anti-human trafficking work.  Cristina is honored to have been a founding Board Member at Southlake Montessori and is proud to be part of this important work which has such a profoundly positive impact on the children and families in our community.  

Board Member

Sean Yan is a passionate advocate of the Montessori curriculum and a dedicated supporter of education. In addition to his role as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Canoo Technologies Inc., an automotive manufacturing company based in Dallas, Texas, Sean has served on multiple non-profit boards including Family Promise of East Bell County, a United Way partner serving Central Texas families facing homelessness and home insecurity. As a proud parent of two Southlake Montessori students, Sean understands the importance of a quality education and is committed to helping young children reach their full potential. He holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University as well as undergraduate business and language degrees from Baylor University. Join Sean in supporting our mission to provide a nurturing and empowering learning environment for children in our community.