Our School 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. She is currently working on her 0-3 Infant/Toddler Certification through CGMS.

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

Ms. Tessie serves our Community Room Guide 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 is Bella's Lead Outdoor Environment Guide and our Marketing Director.

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.

Ms. Mary is one of the Primary Co-lead Guides at Bella. 

Mary is originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, she moved to Arizona with her parents and

younger brother when she was a senior in high school. She grew up spending time in

Montessori classrooms with her mother who is also a Montessori teacher and the reason she

was introduced to and fell in love with Montessori. After high school Mary attended CMTE

Montessori Primary 3-6 Training and then later competed her Infant/Toddler training. 

Mary lives

in Chandler with her Arizona native husband and has two grown sons Keegan and Liam. When

she is not in the classroom she loves camping with her family, snorkeling all around the world,

trying out different cuisine and reading everything she can get her hands on.

Ms. Austyn is our Lead Primary Guide. 

She was born and raised on a ranch in rural Oregon. She moved to Arizona in 2023 for a fresh start and to try something new. 

She currently lives in Tempe with her best friend and cat. 

She has always been passionate about early childhood education and discovered Montessori in 2022. She instantly felt like she found her place and completed her Montessori training through Authentic Institute of Montessori (AIM).

Outside of the classroom, you can find Austyn at the lake. She loves being outside, thrifting and spending time with her friends. 

Miss Angela is an Arizona native, and she’s thrilled to be joining Bella for her first year! With eight years of experience in education, Angela is passionate about working with children and fostering a love of learning. After welcoming her son in July 2024, she discovered the Montessori philosophy and felt immediately drawn to its respectful, child-centered approach.

Angela is currently pursuing her Montessori certification and is honored to be interning with Miss Mary in the lower elementary classroom.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys hiking Arizona’s beautiful trails with her family, going on road trips, lifting weights, and spending time relaxing by the beach.

Ms. Naomi has been a part of the Bella Community since 2024. She serves all of the Bella Community as an Infant assistant and Primary aftercare guide. She fell in love with seeing babies everyday and has since explored every classroom, loving every second of it. 

She was born and raised in Williams, Arizona. Naomi enjoys working with children after growing up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters at home. When she is not working at Bella she spends her time hiking, shopping, and driving home to spend time with family.