Trisha Thompson-Willingham
Dual Citizenship: American and Canadian

Trisha is trained in Montessori education at three levels and has experience as a guide, coach, administrator, student support consultant, and board member. She also has a Master of Education with a concentration in Elementary Montessori Education. For 30 years, Trisha has lived and worked in the Montessori world. She is the Co-Founder of the Virginia Montessori Association and served on the Board of the Montessori Public Policy Initiative. She has consulted in classrooms at public and independent Montessori schools in the United States and is soon to be a published author.

Education and Training

Bachelor of Arts (French) University of Western Ontario (London, Canada) Graduated 1992
AMI Primary Diploma Foundation for Montessori Education, (Toronto, ON) Graduated 1993
AMI Elementary Diploma Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, (Milwaukee, WI) Graduated 1994
AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma Maria Montessori Training Organisation (London, UK)Graduated 1998
Orton - Gillingham Literacy Training (Vancouver, BC) Summer 2000
NAMTA Montessori Adolescent Orientation (Baltimore, MD) Summer 2002
Coaches Training National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (DC) Fall 2017 Foundations for Montessori Inclusion Montessori Medical Partnerships for Inclusion (Milwaukee, WI) Summer 2018
Coaches Continuation National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (DC) Fall 2019
CLASS Training - Certified 2008 Observer Pre-K - May 2023

Professional Experience--Teaching and Coaching 

Lower Elementary Guide, Phoenix Montessori School, Langley, BC (1994 -1997)
Lower Elementary Guide, Eagle Ridge Montessori, Coquitlam, BC (1997 - 2000) 1 Upper Elementary Guide, Eagle Ridge Montessori, Coquitlam, BC (2000 – 2001) Toddler Program Consultant, Montessori Community School, Charlottesville, VA (2007)
Upper Elementary Guide, Mountaintop Montessori, Charlottesville, VA (2009 - 2012)
Lower Elementary Guide, Mountaintop Montessori, Charlottesville, VA (2012 - 2015)
Student Support Coordinator, Mountaintop Montessori, Charlottesville, VA (2015 - 2021)
Elementary Program Consultant, Great River School, Saint Paul, MN (2018 - 2022) Toddler Program Consultant, Greenspring Montessori School, Timonium, MD (2022)

Professional Experience—Administrative

Principal, Eagle Ridge Montessori, Coquitlam, BC (1997 – 2001)
Director of Education,  Montessori Community School, Charlottesville, VA (2001 - 2002)

Non-Profit Educational Board Work
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Board Member, Mountaintop Montessori, Charlottesville, VA (2008 - 2021)
Co-Founder and President, Virginia Montessori Association (2015 - 2022)
Vice President, Virginia Montessori Association (2022 - 2023)
AMI-USA Appointed Board Member and Governance Chair, Montessori Public Policy Initiative (2019-2024)