our team
Going further by going together
Every member of the Montessori Bright Academy Team feels like a part of a fulfilling and meaningful endeavor, ready to lead, to inspire and to keep learning. Dedicated to authentic Montessori education and to making a difference in the lives of children and families, the teachers and staff at MBA are optimistic, talented and experienced. They are MBA’s greatest asset.
Fabienne Mikou
Founder and School Director
Mother of two little Montessorians aged almost 6 and 5, Fabienne began cultivating an interest for Montessori Philosophy during her studies. After earning a Psychology degree with a specialization in Behavioral Sciences from McGill University, she continued on to become a trained lawyer and started her practice as a defense attorney. Her profound interest for the human psyche and years of legal practice representing young offenders led her to a clear passion for children and their development. As she sought relentlessly to understand how children become who they are, she became convinced that education in the deepest respect of the child, their potentialities and their vocation to become the future, could change their destiny.
Selecting a Montessori education for her own children was therefore a natural choice. As Fabienne witnessed them flourish and become their own in an healthy and stimulating learning environment, she decided to become part of the change and to get a formal Montessori education herself. After her training as an AMI Montessori Guide completed, she embarked on a journey to build Montessori Bright Academy, bringing under the same roof a team of unique individuals that seeks to offer a holistic approach to the development of the child…and vows to always put the child’s authentic self first!
Caitie McKinley
AMI Primary Montessori Guide and Pedagogical Director
Caitie is an experienced Montessori teacher who has been meeting the individuals needs of children and families for the last 8 years. She has significant experience in establishing entirely new Montessori environments and has developed excellent classroom management and observation skills.
In addition to her AMI Montessori Diploma, Caitie holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Anthropology and a Master of Education with a Montessori concentration. She is also a classically trained singer and her classroom often sounds like a remake of “The Sound of Music”.
Caitie is an American citizen with an outgoing and positive personality; she loves working with both children and parents and enjoys communicating her deep knowledge of Montessori in a very articulate yet relatable way.
Caitie is a driving force in any situation and a valued founding member of the MBA community.
Mark Tabern
AMI Primary Montessori Guide and Forest School Leader
Mark is an enthusiastic and dedicated educator with 8 years of experience. He started his career in traditional schools, but soon found his way to a Montessori school and never looked back. He has guided children in both well established and entirely new classrooms, drawing valuable insights from the different dynamics and teaching opportunities.
In addition to his AMI Montessori Diploma, Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. He is a British citizen with a great love for outdoor education. Since completing a permaculture design course, he has created numerous gardens and outside classrooms for children to evolve in nature and grow aware and respectful of their environment. He is currently undertaking a Forest School certification.
Patient and team-oriented, Mark is a role model for both children and adults. MBA is proud to have him as a founding member of its team and community.
Tiffany Rygaloff
AMI TODDLER GUIDE OR ASSISTANT TO INFANCY
Tiffany is an Assistant to Infancy, or Toddler Guide, with three years of experience working with toddlers. She strives to help families understand their young ones and how to support them best in their journey of independence. She gets a lot of joy from seeing children become confident explorers.
In addition to her AMI Diploma, Tiffany holds a Bachelor in International Management and Spanish from the University of Bath, UK and studied International Development at Master level at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands.
A French citizen, Tiffany was born in Japan, has lived in 9 different countries and is passionate about building bridges between people and cultures. She is also a Birth and Postpartum Doula and believes that lovingly and peacefully raising children can change the world.
Tiffany loves to sing and dance. MBA is privileged to have her as part of the founding members of its team.
Barbara Claustre
PRIMARY MONTESSORI GUIDE AND PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE SPECIALIST
Barbara is a Montessori educator with experience working in Lisbon and London, in both well established and new Montessori schools. In addition to her MCI training as a Montessori Primary Guide, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a Master’s degree in Photography. She is a Portuguese and French citizen fluent in Portuguese, English and French.
Her own learning experience in traditional educational systems of different countries led her to research different pedagogical approaches. It was in Montessori that she found a true respect for each child’s needs and interests, allowing the development of the great potentialities of each caring individual as a citizen of the world. Barbara is a mother of a one year old toddler, who has been enjoying exploring in a prepared environment since birth.
Currently, Barbara is researching more about Montessori education at Elementary level and has completed her AMI Elementary Assistant course. She is passionate about the outdoors and all forms of creative expression.
Marie-Louise Bordaz
Head Child Psychologist
Marie-Louise’s career as a Psychologist spanned over 35 years. She started her career as a child therapist, counseling children and their families. She developed an expertise with special needs children and ones evolving in challenging contexts. For 20 years, she dedicated herself to this cause as the Head Psychologist of a state institution specializing in the fostering and care of children overcoming life difficulties. She was in charge of a large team of psychologists, educators and other health professionals working with children from 0 to 17 years old. Since her retirement, she has been consulting with day care centers, pre-schools and other child-related initiatives, often being a part of the founding team.
Marie-Louise is an avid reader who names Françoise Dolto — renowned French pediatrician and psychoanalyst — as one of her favorite author. Her four children have vivid memories of Dolto’s books laying around the house with highlighters next to them….it is no coincidence that Dolto was fascinated by Montessori education, and that her work and writings strongly echo the ones of Maria Montessori.
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Victor Ranély Vergé Dépré
Head Pediatrician and Nutritionist
Victor is a physician who has been working with children for over 40 years now. After spending a couple of years working in hospitals, he founded his own clinic in order to offer the best individualized care to his patients. During the course of his career, Victor undertook further medical training, specializing in homeopathy and nutritherapy / micronutrition, in order to focus his practice on treating the various underlying causes of a disease rather than on the symptoms only. His daily experience alongside patients and other health professionals convinced him to embrace a more holistic approach to his medical practice, and to consider the individual as a whole, addressing all aspects of that individual’s life…and especially the way they eat.
The training of the teacher is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit.
— Dr Maria Montessori