About
Our Team of Educators
Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth | Head of School
Anna Rita was raised speaking Spanish and Italian. Her linguistic and cultural background, coupled with her language interests as an adult, allows her to bring a unique perspective to language acquisition. Anna Rita is a firm believer that being able to communicate in more than one language opens windows to understanding the idiosyncrasies of people's histories, cultures, and everyday lives.
She believes that a Montessori classroom is an ideal place to encourage the learning of a new language because children are allowed to work at their own pace, are encouraged to learn from their mistakes, and are embraced for their differences in who they are and how they learn. She believes that this allows children to build the necessary sense of security required to take risks, especially linguistic ones.
Anna Rita joined Battery Park Montessori – a Green Ivy International School – from Del Mar Academy, an independent, bilingual Montessori and International Baccalaureate school located in Nosara, Costa Rica. While there, she taught, consulted, and served as its Head of School. Her journey with Green Ivy Schools began as a result of her search for her first child’s elementary education. Her son is now a 5th grader in the Mandarin language track at Green Ivy’s Pine Street School, while her now two-year-old son attends trilingual Battery Park Montessori.
Anna Rita has a B.A. in Russian Studies and Sociology/Anthropology from Middlebury College, an American Montessori Society administrator’s credential from West Side Montessori School’s Teacher Education Program, and an Ed.M. in Educational Leadership Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University.
When she is not working, Anna Rita enjoys traveling and spending time with her sons, husband, extended family, and friends.
Katelin Benini | Parent Liaison & Executive Assistant
Kate was immersed in the world of learning and education when she was adopted from China, at the age of two. She attended school with her mother, a music educator, before moving to rural Vermont for her middle and high school years. Experiencing education in contrasting environments allowed her to form her own teaching philosophy which includes the importance of creating a healthy learning environment where everyone feels welcomed along with a sense of belonging.
During her time at university, Kate was elected to serve on the campus-wide Undergraduate Association (UA) Executive Board as the VP of Campus Programming and led the Campus Activities Board (CAB). She was responsible for selecting, training, and supporting Chairs with their roles as well as focusing on membership ensuring there was recruitment, recognition, and retention. Her role as part of the UA Executive Board enabled others to use her as a resource for CAB Chairs and all other student organizations regarding programming and event management.
Emily Thomas | Casa Coordinator
Emily has a B.A. in Psychology, a B.A. in Theatre from Converse College, and her Montessori certification for children ages 3-6. She's been working with Primary-aged children since moving to New York in 2015.
A Montessori child herself from ages 2-12, she brings a deep understanding to her career by teaching the philosophy that was so instrumental in shaping her as a person. She believes all students can become joyful, self-actualized learners under the guidance of skilled teachers who present opportunities for challenging, engaging work, that will spark their curiosity and seed a life-long love of learning.
Originally from South Carolina, Emily loves to create art, spend time in nature, and explore the cultural treasures of New York City with her students. She feels a deep responsibility not only for their physical development but also for the development of their minds, hearts, and values.
Maria Horsford | Infant/Toddler Coordinator & I-DEA Coordinator
Maria has a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, Montessori certifications for children ages 0-3 and 3-6 and a New York State Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education (birth-2nd grade).
Before joining Battery Park Montessori, Maria was a longstanding member of one of NYC's most respected Montessori schools – West Side Montessori. Maria has been teaching in Montessori education for nearly a decade. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. When she is not teaching she loves to read, go to the park and visit museums. Maria's favorite food is oil down, which is the national dish of her homeland, Grenada!
Ayna Achilova | Infant/Toddlers English Teacher
Ayna was born and raised in Turkmenistan. Her mother tongue is Turkmenish and Russian, while Turkish is her second language. In 2010 and 2011 she went to Germany and Austria as an Au-pair and learned to speak German. This is where she started her journey with children.
She is a graduate of Kharkiv National University of Economics in Ukraine, where she majored in Accounting and Auditing.
Ayna discovered Montessori education in Turkey and joined the Montessori Coop, a school she helped to establish as a founding faculty/staff member. She started as an assistant in 2014 and in 2016 she took a Montessori Assistant course. Later, she attended MİTE, a Montessori teacher education program in Istanbul, Turkey to complete her AMS Montessori credential from 3 to 6 years old - Early Childhood.
Ayna recently has moved to the USA and is enrolled at West Side Montessori’s Teacher Education Program to complete her infant/toddler credential. She enjoys continuing her Montessori journey with infants/toddlers at Battery Park Montessori!
She loves to sew, make hand-crafted materials for children, and discover the world together with them.
Stephy Guo | Infant/Toddler Mandarin Teacher
Stephy was born and raised in Suzhou, China. As a native Mandarin speaker, she also has a rich experience of studying abroad – she studied and worked in Canada for eight years. While there, she obtained an Associate Degree and subsequent licensure in Early Childhood Education, with a concentration in infant/toddlers and special needs. She has been working with children since 2013. Stephy recently moved to New York and achieved her American Montessori Society credential in Infant to Toddler Development. She will join us as the Lead Mandarin Toddler Teacher.
In her spare time, Stephy enjoys cooking, baking, and traveling with her family. She considers herself a “kind, understanding, and easygoing person” and looks forward to being a part of the Battery Park Montessori team.
Wei Guo | Infant/Toddler Mandarin Teacher
Wei was born and raised in Wuxi, China. where she received her Bachelor’s in Chinese Language and Literature. While there, she was a Chinese language teacher for 6-10 year old students for twelve years. She then learned about the Montessori philosophy and decided to change her path in education. Wei went on to work towards a 3-6yo Montessori credential.
Wei recently moved to New York and is now working towards her infant/toddler credential at West Side Montessori School’s Teacher Education Program.
In her spare time, Wei enjoys camping, badminton, and traveling with her family. She also likes to go to Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall to enjoy music. She looks forward to being a part of the Battery Park Montessori team.
Maria Horsford | Infant/Toddler English Teacher
Maria has a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, Montessori certifications for children ages 0-3 and 3-6 and a New York State Teaching Certification in Early Childhood Education (birth-2nd grade).
Before joining Battery Park Montessori, Maria was a longstanding member of one of NYC's most respected Montessori schools – West Side Montessori. Maria has been teaching in Montessori education for nearly a decade. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. When she is not teaching she loves to read, go to the park and visit museums. Maria's favorite food is oil down, which is the national dish of her homeland, Grenada!
Claire Huang | Casa Mandarin Teacher
Claire was born and raised in Taiwan where she received her Bachelor's degrees in Chinese Literature and Foreign Languages and Literatures. Claire developed an interest in teaching young children while working at an after-school program as a second-grade teacher while in college. Subsequently, in 2017, Claire graduated with a Master’s in General Education from Elmira College, where she also taught Mandarin courses to undergraduate students for two years.
After graduation, Claire moved to NYC and started working with children between the ages of 2-12 in an immersed Mandarin school for several years. She always found it rewarding to see how a child grows and was proud to be a part of the child’s life journey.Claire received her 3-6 yo Montessori credential at West Side Montessori School’s Teacher Education Program.
Being fond of music and arts, Claire applies her teaching skills to creative activities – she believes these forms of engagement are the key to optimizing learning.
Claire enjoys spending her leisure time playing the ukulele and the piano, wheel throwing, skiing, cooking, learning new languages (She took Japanese beginner level in College and self-taught Korean beginner level), and occasionally doing oil painting.
Sandra King | Infant/Toddler English Teacher
Sandra is a born and raised New Yorker but developed an affinity for Vermont while completing her B.A in early childhood education and an M.Ed in early childhood special education at the University of Vermont. She is in the process of becoming a NYS dually licensed educator.
Sandra knew from an early age that teaching is not only her passion but her calling. She identifies as a lifelong learner and loves to share the joy that can be found through learning with every child and family she interacts with. In the past ten years, Sandra has worked with children in a wide variety of settings from camps and schools to being in the home as a nanny. Her experiences in a variety of homes inspired her love of working with the whole family to support a child’s learning. Sandra is very excited to join Battery Park Montessori this fall and work with our families!
When Sandra is not teaching, she enjoys going to yoga and pilates, learning new recipes, and traveling. Sandra also enjoys treating herself and her friends to self-care days by making fresh hair and face masks.
Marien Martinez | Infant/Toddler Spanish Teacher
Marien is a native Spanish speaker who was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, from Cuban and Ecuadorian parents. She's lived in Rotterdam, London, Mexico City, and New York City with her family during the past 20 years.
Marien earned her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Universidad Católica Andres Bello, in Caracas. She holds a Spanish teacher Certification from Instituto Cervantes-London and a Montessori Certification for infants and toddlers from the North American Montessori Center. Marien also holds a 3-6yo Montessori credential from West Side Montessori School’s Teacher Education Program.
She has more than ten years of experience in her hometown with children between the ages of 2 and 8 years old, and this will be her fifth year working with the Green Ivy family.
In her spare time, Marien enjoys reading, crocheting, and traveling with her family.
Gilma Mejia | Infant/Toddlers Spanish Teacher
As a native Spanish speaker from Colombia with a background in childhood education and extensive teaching experience, Gilma has dedicated her life to providing children with a positive and enriching learning experience.
Her studies in general childhood education and her Bachelors degree in Childhood Education with a Specialization in the Development of Reflective, Critical and Creative Thinking, have equipped her with a deep understanding of the developmental stages of children and the importance of creating a safe and supportive learning environment. As a self-described lifelong learner, Gilma is currently pursuing her Infant/Toddler Montessori credential at West Side Montessori's Teacher Education Program.
Her favorite hobbies are photography and home décor projects. Photography allows her to capture the beauty of the world and freeze moments in time. On the other hand, home décor
projects provide her with a creative outlet to transform the look and feel of her living space. She enjoys sourcing inspiration from various design styles, and then bringing that vision to life with the help of DIY projects and home décor items. Overall, spending time with her family means the world to her.
Naysia Phifer | Infant/Toddler English Teacher
Naysia was born and raised in Maryland and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. She has received her master's degree in Early Childhood Education (Birth-2nd grade) from Relay Graduate School of Education. Naysia is in the process of receiving her Montessori Certification for infants and toddlers from West Side Montessori School Teacher’s Program.
Before joining Battery Park Montessori, Naysia started in education as a paraprofessional for children between the ages of 6-10 years old then began working with infants and toddlers once she moved to New York.
When Naysia is not teaching, she loves to go to coffee shops and bookstores and spend time with family and friends.
Marielis Rosado | Casa Spanish Teacher
Marielis was born and raised in Puerto Rico until the age of ten. She is fluent in English and Spanish. During her childhood she enjoyed exploring nature through hands-on experiences and realized her affinity for education. Supporting children to grow and expand in their learning while she learned more about herself and the world along the way, felt fulfilling to her. She observed how people learn best through concrete means and desired to have the opportunity to offer children the opportunity to learn through nature and didactic materials.
Marielis’ goal is to encourage children to become natural leaders, to be curious, and to let their minds grow. The Montessori Method has become a big part of Marielis’ educational approach and personal philosophy. She believes that a Montessori classroom provides children with the opportunity to be self-directed, compassionate, and problem-solvers.
Marielis holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently pursuing a degree in Psychology. Marielis has been in the field of education for over nine years as both an assistant and lead teacher. Each position has provided Marielis with a learning opportunity to grow and learn in her career and has taught her invaluable experiences that she now will bring to Battery Park Montessori and our team.
When she is not teaching, Marielis enjoys spending quality time with her son. Marielis and her son love going to the zoo, aquariums, and museums. Marielis also enjoys exploring the city and visiting different areas in order to expand upon her appreciation for different cultures and diversity.
Kasia Ruszkowska | Casa English Teacher
Kasia was born in Warsaw, Poland, where she received her bachelor's degree in documentary film production. While still in school, she simultaneously worked as an English language teacher in both public and private school settings. She moved to NYC over 15 years ago to pursue a career in film and TV production, which she did for many years.
After becoming a parent, she became interested in early childhood education, and through osmosis—her son attended Montessori schools—she fell in love with the Montessori philosophy. She is currently enrolled at West Side Montessori School's Teacher Education Program, working towards her 3-6 yo Montessori certification.
She brings her love for nature and environmental education to Battery Park Montessori. When not teaching, Kasia is busy building an off-grid cabin in the Catskills with her family, mushroom hunting (she is a certified wild mushroom forager), and pursuing both architectural and portrait photography.
Karen Sanchez | Casa Spanish Teacher
Born in Xalapa-Enriquez, Mexico - the city of the flowers - Karen earned two bachelor’s degrees from Universidad Veracruzana. She has one in Spanish Linguistics and Literature, and another in English Language. To obtain her degrees, she did a didactic monograph and a thesis research paper respectively titled, “Teaching the pragmatic concept of Spanish verbal politeness to Adult Japanese and Chinese students of Spanish as a Foreign Language” (2014) and “Appropriateness of using students’ mother tongue in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Young Learners’ Classroom” (2013). Furthermore, Karen completed a 315-hour certification in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language at Universidad Veracruzana.
Karen has taught language and literacy for children and adults in a variety of classroom settings since 2012. She is a language learner enthusiast herself. She started learning English when she was 11 and, in her adult life, she has taken basic French, Portuguese, Japanese, and lately, Italian classes. She believes that cultures can be better understood by acquiring new languages and enjoys discovering different ways to perceive and experience the world.
During the pandemic, Karen led a Montessori Learning Pod and later worked as an Assistant Teacher at independent Montessori schools in New York. In 2023, she completed her Early Childhood certification at West Side Montessori School.
As a teacher, Karen believes in the importance of attending to children’s uniqueness and guiding them while they achieve their full potential. Besides her love of children, Karen also has a passion for yoga and meditation, reading, cooking, and taking long walks.
Emily Thomas | Casa English Teacher
Emily has a B.A. in Psychology, a B.A. in Theatre from Converse College, and her Montessori certification for children ages 3-6. She's been working with Primary-aged children since moving to New York in 2015.
A Montessori child herself from ages 2-12, she brings a deep understanding to her career by teaching the philosophy that was so instrumental in shaping her as a person. She believes all students can become joyful, self-actualized learners under the guidance of skilled teachers who present opportunities for challenging, engaging work, that will spark their curiosity and seed a life-long love of learning.
Originally from South Carolina, Emily loves to create art, spend time in nature, and explore the cultural treasures of New York City with her students. She feels a deep responsibility not only for their physical development but also for the development of their minds, hearts, and values.
Cyndi Wang | Casa Mandarin Teacher
Cyndi comes from Shaanxi, China, and has been in New York for six years. She has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and holds a New York State teaching certification (birth to 2nd grade). Additionally, she will complete her Montessori credential in early childhood in 2022.
Cyndi grew up in a family-owned preschool in her hometown. She naturally loves being with children and believes meaningful play is the best way for children to learn and develop. She likes to make creative artwork and crafts with children to guide them to learn Mandarin.
In her leisure time, Cyndi enjoys cooking, baking, and exploring different kinds of restaurants. She loves to cook for herself and her friends. She thinks it’s the best way to relax after a long day!
Dr. Jennifer Jones | Founder
Dr. Jennifer Jones is the founder and visionary behind New York City's Green Ivy Schools network and a lifelong entrepreneur and advocate for evolved learning experiences for children from birth to high school and beyond.
She has developed 24 schools and draws from a rich background as school developer, international policy consultant, and teacher. She has advised boards and governments at regional, state, national and international levels, served as a university professor and authored a successful book on child development.
Her career is defined by pioneering efforts to break through economic and social barriers to ensure that young people from every walk of life achieve maximum potential through engaged, relevant and cutting edge approaches to education.
Her specializations include educational technology, transglobal education, bilingual education, literacy, and economic development.
Erin Miller | Chief Financial Officer
Erin received undergraduate and graduate degrees in Anthropology from Emory University and the University of Chicago, respectively. After leaving academia, she pursued an MBA at UCLA and has been working in Operations and Finance ever since, in a variety of industries ranging from dotcoms, to after-school programs, to independent schools.
Gary Mouton | HR Manager
Gary Mouton joins the Green Ivy Team with 15 years of experience in the education sector. In that time, he's served in the roles of Teacher, Office Manager, HR Generalist, and HR Manager. His goal is to provide the best HR services to all Green Ivy employees so they can focus on being the best in their role.
Rosa Núñez | Admissions Director
Rosa leads Green Ivy School's Nursery Ones to 7th Grade Admissions, building the community by sharing our unique and forward-thinking programming. Prior to Green Ivy, she worked at the Chinese Cultural Studies Program for Children at Columbia University as their Admissions and Operations Lead. Before that, she served for four years as a parent volunteer on the admissions team at The Spence School.
Rosa is passionate about STEAM and language learning and sits on the boards of two NYC children's organizations, Robofun and Vision Education Inc. She is also passionate about equity, identity, and courageous conversations that foster meaningful understanding.
Rosa is a native New Yorker who has lived abroad for many years as an ex-pat in Shanghai, China, and Hong Kong and returns whenever she can to her beloved Dominican Republic. She is a native Spanish speaker and speaks some Mandarin and Portuguese.
Carina Szabo | Director of International Admissions
Carina relocated to New York 15 years ago from England. She has a BA.HONS in Education and a PGCE in Primary Education.
Through her passion for travel, she has been lucky enough to teach elementary students in England, Budapest, as well as New York City. It was in New York City that Carina advanced her career and entered the admissions field. This led to her becoming Admissions Director; a gratifying role where she enjoyed building relations with many different families.
Carina is thrilled to be part of the Green Ivy team. She could not be more excited to support the school’s international families' transition to New York City and have them join the warm, supportive and diverse community at Green Ivy. Carina is a huge advocate for the development and well being of the whole child and is available to support families every step of the way.
During her spare time, Carina enjoys spending quality time with her family, playing tennis, pickleball, and immersing herself in the great outdoors with friends.
Gabriela Santiago | Admissions Events and Data Coordinator
Gabriela was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and is an alum of Prep for Prep, a leadership development program that provides promising students of color access to an education in New York independent schools. She speaks English, Spanish, and French and is currently learning Portuguese in her quest to become a polyglot. Gabriela received a Bachelor's in Sociology with a minor in Fine Art from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. Since graduating, she has earned a certification in Data Science and Analytics during her free time.
After supporting Green Ivy Schools as both a camp counselor at Green Ivy Summer Camp and teaching assistant for the Twos classes at Pine Street School, Gabriela joined Battery Park Montessori as the Assistant to the Head of School. She brought her unique creativity, experience with children, love of learning, and tech-savviness to help nurture Battery Park Montessori’s caring and growing community.
When not at work, Gaby can usually be found baking, making art, playing at the dog park, or speed reading through novels.
Rich Rodriguez | After School & Summer Camp Coordinator
With over a decade of youth development experience, Rich has a passion for helping kids reach their potential through performance, play, and sports. A New York native, he has worked in many of the city’s educational settings, including public, private, charter, and religious schools. Having originally started teaching after school programs for music and martial arts, Rich soon began developing his own curriculums for anti-bullying, redefining masculinity for young men, violence prevention, and social-emotional learning.
Rich attended both Dutchess Community College and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, where he studied vocal performance. During that time, he was also a registered athlete under USA Boxing, eventually competing in the 2018 Ring Masters tournament. While no longer an active competitor in boxing, he also runs Harlem Free Fight Academy, a nonprofit providing free boxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu classes to teens, as well as mentoring and college/career prep.
When out of school, Rich is usually spending time with his daughter, or at the gym where he trains as an active Brazilian jiu jitsu competitor.
Fela Wolski | Database Administrator & Compliance Manager
Fela is a Database Administrator and Compliance Manager for KSS Immersion Schools supporting East and West coast schools. She joined New York based Green Ivy Schools in 2018. With 18 years of experience working in the educational field, she specializes in admissions, administration, compliance and database systems for charter and private schools.
At Green Ivy, Fela is responsible for implementing, overseeing, and troubleshooting database systems as well as working with governing agencies on compliance and permitting of both Battery Park Montessori and Pine Street School. Fela is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her knowledge and tireless energy to resolve problems and ensure safety and compliance.
Fela was born and raised in Poland and moved to New York in 2002. Fela is inspired daily by her husband and two sons who attend Pine Street School. In her free time, Fela enjoys gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
David Castro | Director of Facilities and Purchasing
David is a seasoned Property/Facilities Manager. He loves the problem-solving and hands-on aspects of the field; each day is different and presents various opportunities to exercise his skill set. But most of all, he loves the fact that he's part of a great team that gets to see our future leaders learn and grow at the Green Ivy Schools.
Johnny Gutierrez | Purchasing Manager
Johnny joined the Pine Street School facilities Team in 2019. Johnny is very passionate at his job as the Pine Street Facility Coordinator. Johnny has a great deal of experience in customer service, asset protection and project management.
His youngest child, Melody, also comes to Pine Street every day, as an elementary school student!
Malik LeTellier | Facilities Crew Member
Malik LeTellier is a native New Yorker, raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was born on a military base, which would set the foundation for his professional life.
Malik enlisted in the U.S. Army straight out of high school. He trained at The US Army Signal Training Command in battlefield communication. His tours of duty included South Korea and Ft. Gordon, GA. His experiences included: maintaining communication for the US Army Command on the DMZ in Korea, providing medical care for Marine and Naval personnel, combat training, base security, fire safety and CPR.
Malik worked in corporate security with Allied Universal at the World Trade Center. During this time Malik began working at the Browning School and now he's happy to be part of the Pine Street School team!
Eddie Burgess | Facilities Crew Member
Eddie joined GI Facilities in 2019 as a member of the security team and handyman. When he is not keeping the schools beautiful, he is doing beautiful things. For the past 25 years, Eddie has supported people with disabilities, working with groups such as AHRC and The Lighthouse Guild. An avid biker, shopper and shoe lover, Eddie always has a smile and a vegan recipe to share.
Wendy Quero | Facilities Crew Member
Wendy was born and raised in the Dominican Republic before moving to Puerto Rico for 17 years. She currently lives in the Bronx where she raised 4 beautiful children who grew up and is now a grandmother to 3 cute grandchildren.
She previously worked for a cleaning company before coming to Pine Street School. After a few years, it was time for a new change and transferred over to Battery Park Montessori. She has been part of the BPM team for 3 years now and proves to be an essential member ensuring BPM is running safely. She has a passion for learning and is currently in school to become a beautician.
When she is not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, especially at the beach.