Catherine Montgomery
Co-Lead Teacher
Catherine holds a BFA in Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. Her early teaching experiences were for art programs in museum and community settings. Like many, she discovered Montessori when looking for a quality preschool for her own children. After many years as an Assistant in a Montessori classroom, she began serving as Lead Teacher as she completed her Montessori Primary Certification at Chestnut Hill College.
Catherine is excited to welcome children and their families into the new Ginkgo classroom and Clementine School environments. She is thankful to be part of the Clementine community and for the opportunity to help it grow into its new space, together. Catherine is eager to guide children in their discovery through exploration of Montessori works. She is honored to foster a love of learning, a curiosity about the world, and a sense of community, kindness, and inclusion.
Alena Lin
Co-Lead Teacher
Alena was born in the States and grew up in Taiwan. Her journey in education began in 2014, leading her to earn a BS in Child and Family Studies from Fu Jen Catholic University in 2017, along with a Taiwanese teaching certification. Her interest in the Montessori method brought her back to the States, where she pursued a Master’s in Early Childhood Education. She graduated in 2023 from Chestnut Hill College and became an AMS certified Montessori teacher.
Alena has experience teaching in both countries and has worked in both Chinese and English-speaking Montessori schools. Her teaching adventures in various cultural settings have helped her create learning environments where children from diverse backgrounds feel safe and happy to thrive. Prior to joining Clementine, Alena worked as a co-lead Montessori teacher at a Chinese immersion school and as an assistant at another Montessori school in the area. She is thrilled to work with the Ginkgo children and families!
Alena loves art and yoga. She enjoys making and exploring food from different cultures and can often be spotted in the city hunting for new restaurants to try!
