Amanda Wolf

*she/her*

**Co-Director**
**Upper Elementary Co-Teacher**
amanda@peacerose.org
Amanda is originally from Seattle and opened Peace Rose when she moved to Wilmington in 2011. Amanda has her BA and Montessori Primary Credential from Belmont University her Upper Elementary credential through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Amanda is currently pursuing her Masters in Montessori Education and Leadership with St. Catherine University. She is the board secretary for the local social justice theater company Mouth of Babes (MoB) Theatre. She is passionate about international education, community development, entrepreneurship, and the arts. Her eldest, one of the founding Peace Rose students, is now enrolled in high school. Her two younger children are enrolled in the Primary program at Peace Rose.

Julie Small
*she/her*

**Co-Director**
**Head of School**
julie@peacerose.org
Julie, a Wilmington native, has been with Peace Rose since 2014. Julie has her BA in Psychology from NCSU, her Montessori Early Childhood credential from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, and her Masters in Montessori Leadership from Sarasota University. Julie volunteers as a court advocate through the Guardians ad Litem program. Julie is an adjunct faculty member at Sarasota University, a Montessori University. She lives in Wilmington with her husband and children, two of whom are Peace Rose graduates. Julie has served families in many different ways and is passionate about supporting children and their families through their educational journey.

Elena Rosemond
she/her

Co-Director

Primary Co-Teacher

elena@peacerose.org

Elena, originally from Durham, has been in Wilmington and with Peace Rose since 2012. Elena has her BFA in Photography from MICA, her Early Childhood Montessori credential, and her Masters in Montessori Leadership from Sarasota University. Elena is a member of the MANC Education Committee and chair of the LGBTQ Center for the Cape Fear Coast board. Elena is an adjunct faculty member at Sarasota University, a Montessori University. She lives in the Peace Rose neighborhood with her family. Elena enjoys floating in the ocean, running, and reading. She is joined at Peace Rose by her two children, one in Lower Elementary and one in the Primary class.

Robin Raim

*she/her*

**Infant/Toddler Team Lead**
robin@peacerose.org
Robin, originally from Minnesota, has been with Peace Rose since 2015. She has an associate’s degree from CFCC and her Infant/Toddler Montessori credential from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Robin lives in Wilmington with her family and spends her time painting, creating, singing, and enjoying the natural wonders of our beautiful town. Her middle child is a Peace Rose graduate and her youngest is currently enrolled in the Primary class.

Mae Severt
*they/them*

**Toddler Co-Teacher**
mae@peacerose.org
Mae, originally from the Charlotte area, has been in Wilmington since 2019 and with Peace Rose since 2023. With a career background in the behavioral health field, working with both children and adults, they are currently enrolled at CFCC in a UNCW transfer program to obtain their BA in Social Work. They will soon be enrolled in classes with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies to further their role as a Montessori guide. Mae lives in Wilmington with their two children, their dog and two ferrets. They spend their free time immersed in fiber arts, writing and playing music or going on adventures with their children. Mae is joined at PRM by their two children in Secondary and the Toddler Classroom.

Catherine Brewer
*she/her*

**Toddler Co-Teacher**
catherine@peacerose.org
Catherine grew up in Winston-Salem, attended Meredith College in Raleigh and was a scientist at Wake Forest Medical Center for 20 years. After moving to Pennsylvania in 2013 she decided to start teaching and fell in love with it immediately. Working as a teacher and camp coordinator at both the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, Pa. and the School in Rose Valley, Catherine was able to experience the joy of working with young people in a growth and learning centered environment. Returning to her native North Carolina, Catherine lives in downtown Wilmington with her husband. She has two grown sons and two granddaughters. Catherine loves art, fun, science and working with young people. She also loves live music, and you can often find her watching her sons play music around the Wilmington area.

Amelia Girard-Reed

*she/her*

**Toddler Co-Teacher**
amelia@peacerose.org
Amelia is from Annecy, a town in the French Alps. She discovered her love for teaching in Australia when studying abroad. After a year in a bilingual charter school in Atlanta, Georgia, she moved to Vancouver in Canada where she was teaching French in a bilingual Montessori preschool for 4 years. She and her husband have been in Wilmington since October 2024 and Amelia has been working at Peace Rose since January 2025.
Amelia has a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and her early childhood education assistant diploma.
Amelia enjoys reading and doing yoga. She also loves being outside, hiking, camping and traveling.
.

Hydeia Griffin

*she/her*

**Inant Co-Teacher**
hydeia@peacerose.org
Originally from Southport, NC, [Hydeia] pursued a passion for science that led her to Allen University, where she earned a degree in Biology. Building on this foundation, she is currently advancing her expertise by pursuing a Master’s in Molecular Medicine at Liberty University. In addition to her academic achievements, [Hydeia] is a Certified Nursing Assistant and holds a CPR/First Aid certification. Outside of their professional pursuits, she enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and relaxing at the beach.

Ermilia Stoops

*she/her*

**Infant Co-Teacher / Spanish Teacher**
ermilia@peacerose.org
Ermilia is from the border communities of San Diego, CA and Tijuana, BC Mexico, with roots in Zacatecas Mexico. She has been in Wilmington since 2013 and with Peace Rose since 2022. Ermilia has her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Diego State University, and Graduate studies in Public Health, where she researched Latino community health behavior. Shifted career to early childhood development in 2017, when her oldest child began preschool. Ermilia has a Montessori Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Credential from IMC International Montessori Council. During the summer breaks she works at the public library. She is passionate about improving our ecosystem through composting, gardening, mending and enjoys being active. She is joined at Peace Rose by Lower Elementary and Primary aged children.

Sarah VanCamp
*she/her*

**Primary Co-Teacher / Primary Lead**
sarah@peacerose.org
Sarah has been in Wilmington since 2006 and with Peace Rose since 2018. Sarah has her BA in Psychology with a concentration in Elementary Education from UNCW and her Early Childhood credential from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. She lives in the school neighborhood with her partner and their daughter. She is passionate about the environment and all things natural. She is joined at Peace Rose by her Upper Elementary aged child.

Tanasha Mcneil
*she/her*

**Primary Co-Teacher**
tanasha@peacerose.org
Tanasha, a native of Wilmignton, has been with Peace Rose since 2019. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Mt Olive University and will begin her Montessori Early Childhood training in spring 2024 with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies.

Ellie Garcia-Kieninger
*she/her*

**Primary Co-Teacher**
elenagk@peacerose.org
Ellie, a native of Las Vegas, has been in Wilmington since 2016 and with Peace Rose since 2021. She has enrolled in classes with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies to further her role as a Montessori guide. She lives in Wilmington with her husband and their dogs in Wilmington and enjoys spending her free time with her family, reading, and crafting.

Blake Carter
*she/her*

**Primary Co- Teacher / Theater Teacher**
blake@peacerose.org
Blake, originally from Georgia, has been with Peace Rose since 2019. Blake studied theater and children’s theater and continues to work in the local theater community. Blake has enrolled in classes with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies to further her role as a Montessori guide. She lives in Wilmington with her husband, their child, and her dog. She is a lover of nature, literature, music, and all creatures. She is joined at Peace Rose by her Primary aged child.

Natalie Potter
*she/her*

**Primary Co-Teacher / Spanish Teacher**
natalie@peacerose.org
Natalie has been with Peace Rose since 2023. She has her Bachelor's degree in Clinical Research from UNCW and her Montessori Early Childhood credential from the Center for Guided Montessori Studies. Her love of science grew into a love for teaching during her two years teaching abroad in Spain. She lives in Wilmington with her husband and their puppy. She loves going to the beach, reading and hiking.

Sue Hottel
*she/her*

**Lower Elementary Co- Teacher**
sue@peacerose.org
Sue, originally from Maryland, has been in Wilmington since 2016 and with Peace Rose since 2017. She is AMS certified in both Primary and Lower Elementary levels and has been guiding students for over 20 years. Sue lives with her husband, Chance and 11 year old daughter, Althea, a Peace Rose graduate. She enjoys reading, bike riding, seeing live music, being active, and exploring our beautiful state of North Carolina.