Administrative team

Mary is the owner and Director of Bella Montessori. 

Mary began her journey at Bella in 2022 when she purchased the school from its amazing founder, Davina Goff.

Mary resides in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, four children and a zoo’s worth of pets. Mary is a lifelong learner and has earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Arizona State University, her Post Baccalaureate in Special Education from Rio Salado College, and her Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She holds Montessori 6-9 certification from Arizona Montessori Teacher Education Program and Montessori 6-12 certification from Houston Montessori Center.

Outside of Bella, Mary is a Montessori Teacher Trainer for the Center of Guided Montessori Studies and AMTEP.

Ms. Tessie serves at the Primary Lead Guide in the Morning Glory Room and Assistant Director to the school.  

She began in traditional early childhood education in 1991.  The route changed from traditional to Montessori in 1994, as an assistant in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (the Atrium) at her parish of St. Anne.  Tessie received her Montessori certificate in 2002 and has never stopped honing her craft!  

She is an Arizona native, born in Morenci, and the third of six.  She has lived in Tucson, Glendale, India and now Gilbert.  She has one daughter who is currently in residency at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.  Tessie enjoys spending time with her daughter, reading and volunteering behind the scenes for the Atrium.  Her favorite quote is “We can only do small things with great love” from Mother Teresa.

Ms. Mekenzie is one of the Toddler leads. She was first introduced to Montessori in 2018, just before graduating High School. She quickly fell in love with the Montessori Method and knew she wanted to go into Early Childhood Education. Ever since she's been working in Infant/Toddler environments. She spends her free time with her two dogs, hiking, paddle boarding, camping, or with family. One day Ms. Mekenzie hopes to start her own family and raise her children in a beautiful Montessori setting. 

Ms. Arianna was born and raised in Yuma, Arizona where she studied Studio Arts in college and later attended Cosmetology school. As a hairstylist, she grew a passion for working with her younger clients and from there sought out to pursue a career in early childhood education. In the Spring of 2021, she moved to Gilbert and was introduced to Montessori. She began as an assistant in a toddler class which is where her passion for the Montessori lifestyle began. She continued to grow and moved on to a lead role with her own class of students ages 1-3. She is currently continuing her Montessori certifications. She is so excited to be working with Bella Montessori and is looking forward to building relationships and growing within this community. On Ms. Arianna’s free time she enjoys reading, drawing, crafting, walking her dogs, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Ms. Tessie serves at the Primary Lead Guide in the Morning Glory Room and Assistant Director to the school.  

She began in traditional early childhood education in 1991.  The route changed from traditional to Montessori in 1994, as an assistant in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (the Atrium) at her parish of St. Anne.  Tessie received her Montessori certificate in 2002 and has never stopped honing her craft!  

She is an Arizona native, born in Morenci, and the third of six.  She has lived in Tucson, Glendale, India and now Gilbert.  She has one daughter who is currently in residency at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California.  Tessie enjoys spending time with her daughter, reading and volunteering behind the scenes for the Atrium.  Her favorite quote is “We can only do small things with great love” from Mother Teresa.

Ms. Corina joined Bella in June of 2022. She studied Early Childhood Development in college and has been working with children in a Montessori setting since 2017. In 2022, Ms. Corina completed her Primary Montessori training and earned her AMS 3-6 certification. When it comes to Montessori, Ms. Corina is passionate about material making and outdoor environment learning. Ms. Corina enjoys crafting, thrifting, gardening and exploring new coffee shops. Ms. Corina loves teaching and is happy to be a part of the Bella Community.

Nikki Black is out Lower Elementary Guide. She is a Military wife and mother of two children (ages 14 and 12).  She is from El Paso, TX, and has resided in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding areas) since 1998.  She received her Elementary training from Arizona Montessori Teacher Education Program (AMTEP).  She has been teaching in a Lower Elementary Montessori environment since 2014.  She likes to share her knowledge and experience with the community, and she loves to make connections with each child and family she serves.  When she has spare time, she likes to create art and crafts, read books, and spend quality time with her family.