Meet our team

Doug Sikkema, PhD is an associate professor of English and the Core program at Redeemer University (Ontario, Canada).  With his wife Vanessa and a group of parents, Doug helped start Oak Hill Academy, a classical Christian school - inspired by Charlotte Mason. Doug is author of For the World's Sake: Charlotte Mason's Enduring Wisdom for the Anthropocene and an editor of the forthcoming critical editions of Charlotte Mason's six volumes. His current research continues to explore the intersections of ecology, faith, and the humanities. Doug is also an associate editor of Comment magazine. Doug and his family live just outside of Hamilton on a small acreage where they enjoy gardening, reading, and beekeeping.

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Min Jung Hwang spends her days spreading a Charlotte Mason feast at home with 3 of her children (one has already flown off to college!) and, as a pastor’s wife, complementing her husband’s pastoral ministry at Pascack Bible Church in New Jersey. You can also find her podcasting at “Charlotte Mason For All” and “Charlotte Mason Volumes,” and bringing the feast to the children of her church as the Co-Director of Children’s Ministry.

When her eldest was a toddler, Min “met” Miss Mason and immediately scoured online used bookstores for the unicorn “pinks,” which were the only hardcopies discoverable then. Subsequently, she was swept off her feet by this Gospel-centric educational philosophy and methods. With fire in her bones, she immediately began working to bring Mason’s principles to every community God would place her in. This included her work overseas in higher education, serving international students and faculty families from over 60 nations. Then later, as the Founder and Executive Director of a nonprofit rescuing pregnant women from forced abortion, sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking.

Like a missionary, Min is always concocting some sort of opportunity to bring Mason to families who have yet to hear her timeless Gospel-rooted philosophy. From planning conferences, such as the “Gospel Vision For Children” Christian parenting conference. to gathering Mason-nourished mompreneurs at Proverbs 31 Together Club, to training moms by amalgamating Mason’s habit formation methods with discipleship and spiritual formation at Life-giving Motherhood, she serves with her whole heart. Yet as an introvert, her favorite pastimes are trying new foods with her husband, having a “writing date” with her son, or painting with her teens in their “secret garden”. You can connect with Min at MinJungHwang.com or on Instagram @min.j.hwang.

Min brings to the CMI Board her experience in Nursing (BSN, RN) and law (JD and former AL bar); 26+ years as a speaker and educator in church, university, private school, hospital, conference, and nonprofit settings; familiarity with cultivating multicultural synergy within an organization; and her passion to bring Mason to families around the world.

LeAnn Burkholder is the Director of Wellspring Academy in Salisbury, North Carolina, and serves on the board of directors of the Charlotte Mason Institute. She discovered Charlotte Mason nearly two decades ago, and Mason’s philosophy has shaped the way she thinks about children, education, work, and life ever since.

Her experience includes home education, learning differences, teacher development, and the work of building a Charlotte Mason community where philosophy is lived out in daily practice. At Wellspring, she leads a four-day learning community using the Alveary curriculum.

Outside of education, LeAnn and her husband, Duane, have spent many years building and leading businesses together, experience that continues to shape the way she thinks about leadership, organizations, and the practical work of bringing ideas to life.

She is drawn to good books, thoughtful questions, meaningful work, and the challenge of building things that matter.

Deani Van Pelt, an Ontario Certified Teacher, is President of Edvance Christian Schools Association in Ontario, Canada. Previously Associate Professor of Education and Director of Teacher Education at Redeemer University College, and formerly a teacher in both Christian and public high schools, she holds a B.Commerce (McMaster University), B.Ed. (University of Toronto), and Master’s and Ph.D. in Education (Western University). She was awarded a medal for excellence in graduate studies for her master thesis on Charlotte Mason’s Design for Education, and her article For a Great Door is Opened: The Legacy of Charlotte Mason draws on her studies during that period. She led an exciting international research collaboration, funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, at the Armitt Museum and Library that resulted in the Charlotte Mason Digital Collection, available worldwide through Redeemer University College and recently received CMI’s Charlotte Mason Tribute award for doing so. Van Pelt, a Cardus Senior Fellow and a Fraser Institute Senior Fellow, has researched and published frequently on aspects of school choice in Canada (including home schooling, charter schools, religious schools, and independent schools) and on education spending and school sector enrollments. She has served as an expert witness, presented at numerous academic and education conferences across North America, and her work has been regularly featured in Canadian print and broadcast media. She and her husband, Michael, raised their three children near Toronto, Canada and both are thankful to have “met” Charlotte Mason early in their parenting years.

Amber O’Neal Johnston fell in love with the principles of Charlotte Mason when her oldest was a preschooler. After wholeheartedly committing to follow Mason’s philosophy, she became disheartened when months went by with little mention, if any, of the stories and accomplishments of Black people in her school room. The literary quality of the books was better, but she found that the cultural emptiness she experienced as a schoolgirl was being perpetuated within the walls of her own home.

Committed to bridging the gap for her four children, Amber has embarked on a journey of uniquely merging living books with a culturally-rich atmosphere to ensure that their education is not merely a legalistic Charlotte Mason venture but an honest experience that honors the Truth while helping her children to see beauty in themselves and others. Amber shares her observations on home education, diverse books, worldschooling, and more at www.HeritageMom.com, and when asked about her path she likes to smile and say, “In my house, Charlotte Mason has an afro.”

In addition to her experience as a Charlotte Mason practitioner, speaker, and writer, Amber runs a non-profit organization focused on promoting and supporting home education among Black families in her community. She holds an MBA from Florida A&M University and brings over twenty years of combined corporate and entrepreneurial marketing, brand management, and business experience to her perspectives on the Board.

Kerri Forney, like many, was introduced to the life-giving principles of Charlotte Mason through reading For the Children’s Sake. She and her husband, Scott, live in Wake Forest, NC, and are continuing to grow in their ability to live out Mason's principles. She has graduated four children and the last is a senior in high school. Leader of a monthly CM study group in North Raleigh, Kerri enjoys rescuing used books, researching and writing about Charlotte Mason, and mentoring and growing with fellow educators. She holds a B. A. in Sociology and Bible from Wheaton College and has completed additional coursework in biblical counseling. Kerri has presented at numerous conferences, in the US and the UK, and has led workshops on topics such as teaching learning at the high school level, exams and assessment, parenting, teaching history, and narration. She also authored an article in Awakening the Whole Child: A Charlotte Mason Philosophy of Education for the 21st Century, a recent collection of essays on Charlotte Mason. Kerri, an Alveary curriculum team member from its inception, has provided leadership as a CMI board director and as a Vela and Templeton grant recipient. She is passionate about Charlotte Mason's life-giving principles for education and gifted in the work of bringing them into the 21st century. Beginning in the fall of 2024, Kerri began serving the Charlotte Mason Institute as Executive Director.

Kathryn Avery was introduced to Charlotte Mason by immersion in her elementary years and began learning about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and methods in high school through some of the earliest CMI conferences. She continues to find Mason’s ideas relevant to many areas and seasons of life, including her experience as an international student in China, serving as a youth leader at her church, and working for several years as an academic writing consultant for undergrad and graduate students. Kathryn holds a degree in English and works in operations for CMI and as part of the Alveary curriculum team for Music, Literature, and English. She lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband and baby girl and, in her “free time,” enjoys ultimate frisbee or volleyball, gardening, reading, and traveling with her family.

Kelli Wick and her husband have three young adult children whom she homeschooled. Having been raised in a family of pastors, Kelli has always been interested in how our theology affects our daily lives. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute and later received her Masters in Bible and Theology from DTS (Dallas Theological Seminary). Her family recently moved to Northwest Indiana, but before that, she was on staff at her church in Illinois with a focus on helping coordinate their marriage program for engaged couples. She also taught piano and has done freelance editing and social media work. Kelli is an avid reader but also enjoys playing the piano, following the Cubs, trying new things, and taking a good walk in the Indiana Dunes. She serves the Alveary team with her research skills and editing expertise.

Sarah first learned about Charlotte Mason’s life-giving ideas from Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s book For the Children’s Sake. Since then she has tried “however imperfectly” to carry out Mason’s principles in her home which she shares with her husband, Max, and three school-aged children. She has co-led Charlotte Mason reading groups, organized a weekly co-op, and hosted mother culture events. Sarah is passionate about championing moms in their role as home educators. She enjoys learning alongside her children, hiking, and going on family adventures, large or small. Now serving as Marketing Coordinator, Sarah has also served on the CMI Volunteer team and has been enjoying the Alveary since 2018.

Dr. Shannon Whiteside is the Program Director for the Alveary. She lives in northwest Indiana with her husband, Mark, and their three children. Before homeschooling her children, she was an elementary teacher and board member at a Christian school. Over 15 years ago, she discovered the life-giving principles of Charlotte Mason when searching the internet for alternative educational philosophies. This discovery inspired her to pursue a PhD in Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her dissertation research focused on the storytelling aspects of narration and how Mason’s educational theories compare to the classical model of education. In her spare time, Shannon enjoys reading, trying new recipes, and hiking in the Indiana Dunes.

Melissa Ferguson stumbled across the name Charlotte Mason while exploring home education options when her oldest child was a preschooler. She soon found a Charlotte Mason group within driving distance and knew right away she had found “her people.” She, her husband Floyd, and their two teenagers live in Northwest Missouri where they (mostly) enjoy living surrounded by woods and experiencing all four seasons. Her favorite pastimes are hunting for living books to add to their ever-expanding library and planning their next family travels. Melissa serves on our team as CMI’s Director of Operations. She holds an M.B.A. and has spent over 25 years working in higher education administration and non-profit management.

Olga Robbins is the CMI Teacher Training Coordinator. Olga lives in Stonington, Connecticut, right by the border with Rhode Island, with her husband, Jason, and two children (ages 12 and 15), who are homeschooled. Her oldest daughter is a freshman in Gordon College. Olga discovered the lifegiving principles of Charlotte Mason when her oldest was a toddler, and she has been using them in homeschool and in the classroom ever since. In her professional life, Olga spent 16 years teaching ESOL and 10 years in private Christian school teaching. In her last job, Olga had the privilege of leading workshops for teachers in CM principles. In her spare time, Olga likes to go on long walks on the beach, which is only 10 minutes away, spend time with her family, read, travel, sing in a community choir, and volunteer with a local puppet theater group.

Desiree Salcido lives in Colorado Springs, CO with her husband, her two daughters, and their border collie Mia. She has been homeschooling since her oldest was in kindergarten and discovered Charlotte Mason right before her oldest started 1st grade, which changed her approach to homeschooling at the perfect time. The first thing that drew her to the Charlotte Mason philosophy was the term "living books". As an avid reader, she knew this was worth exploring and as she learned more about Charlotte Mason's principles she knew this approach was just what her family needed. Desiree is the Support Specialist for the Charlotte Mason Institute. She has a background in customer service and user experience. She is also an Alveary member and is looking forward to serving in multiple capacities within the organization. In her free time, she can be found snuggling up to a good book, camping, hiking, baking bread, or crocheting.

Sage Hernandez is the Administrative Assistant for the Charlotte Mason Institute. She lives in lovely Lilburn, GA, with her husband and two kids. Sage found Charlotte Mason early on in her homeschooling journey and stumbled upon the Alveary curriculum a few years ago. The Alveary helps her provide a Charlotte Mason education to her family while working full time. Before joining the CMI team, she worked in a large public school, first as an English teacher and then as a program coordinator, where she learned to juggle the demands of multiple program initiatives and the importance of a detailed task list. She enjoys putting her time management skills, attention to detail, and passion for a Charlotte Mason education to good use in her role at CMI. When she is not working or homeschooling, you can find Sage traveling, reading a book, doing yoga, or quilting. 

Ashley Meyers currently lives in North Texas with her husband who is activity duty Air Force and two children. Almost from the moment her first son was born she knew she wanted to homeschool. Then when her son was a toddler, a friend introduced her to Charlotte Mason. She read For the Children's Sake and then dove into Mason's volumes soon after.  Ever since then, she has tried to implement Charlotte Mason's methods and philosophy in her home as best as possible.  Ashley has served as an Alveary mentor and volunteer for several years and is now on the Alveary team as an editor. In her spare time she enjoys baking, thrift shopping (especially for books), and going on family adventures with her husband Jeremy and their two children.

Kimberly was introduced to Charlotte Mason by a dear friend in 2015 at the beginning of her homeschooling journey, and she has enjoyed getting to know her ever since. Kimberly earned a Bachelor's of Arts in Sociology from Saint Anselm College and has worked in the instructional systems design and mental health fields.  She brings eight years of experience coordinating events in the nonprofit sector to the team and is thrilled to serve as CMI's Event Coordinator.  She is a military spouse and homeschooling mother of five, and passionate about spending time appreciating nature and exploring with her family.  In her spare time, you might find her hiding somewhere reading a book, organizing books, or talking about books.

As a public school teacher it was never Kim’s intent to homeschool, but when the time came for her to send her oldest to school, her plans changed. She soon discovered Charlotte Mason and jumped in with both feet, reading every book on Mason available at the time and beginning the exciting journey of home education. Kim earned a Bachelor’s Degree in K-12 Music Education from Brigham Young University-Idaho and has taught in various public and private settings for 12 years. She is a charter Alveary member, having enjoyed the curriculum since its inception seven years ago, and has served as an Alveary mentor and volunteer for the past two years. Kim is the founder and director of the hybrid Charlotte Mason school, Plumfield House of Education in Augusta, GA, where she supports local families as they implement Mason’s educational philosophies and teaches the 7th- and 8th-graders in a variety of subjects. You can often find her crafting, singing, reading, hanging out with her kids at the park, or digging into a good research project. She is pleased to use her tech and research skills in her role as CMI’s Data Coordinator and is excited to see how she can help bring the beauty of Mason into a more digital-friendly format. 

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Dawan Hart lives in the Lexington, Kentucky area with her husband and two boys. She received her Bachelors degree in Accounting from Transylvania University and began her career with a local accounting firm where she worked on both personal and corporate accounts. For the last 23 years, she has been the owner and operator of an insurance agency in Lexington. She began her journey in homeschooling when her oldest was starting Kindergarten and was fortunate to be introduced to a Charlotte Mason education by friends who had been utilizing her methodology for several years.  After attending her first Charlotte Mason Institute conference in Virginia, she believed a CM education was what her family had been looking for!  In 2013, she was one of the founding members of Overstone School, a cooperative whose teaching is based on the Charlotte Mason Philosophy of Education. She currently serves Overstone as treasurer, board member, and as their high school mathematics instructor. She has also been blessed to serve as the Charlotte Mason Institute accounting manager since 2017.

When Amanda Rose was seeking more information about homeschooling, her research and values continually brought her back to Charlotte Mason. During this time, a seasoned homeschool mom mentored her and she read steadily through the volumes of Charlotte Mason's Home Education series and attended the Charlotte Mason Institute Conference. Amanda homeschooled exclusively for six years and now participates in a Charlotte Mason hybrid school where she teaches kindergarten and her husband teaches sixth grade. Amanda lives in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin with her husband and five children (14 - 3 years). They enjoy spending time in nature and playing music, and they are continually running out of shelf space for books and board games. She holds a Master of Arts in Music Composition and continues to compose and teach private music lessons. Amanda sings regularly with The Lutheran Ceili Orchestra whose focus is on a Celtic interpretation of Christian worship. She is honored to serve CMI in further cultivating the use and enjoyment of sol-fa in Alveary!

Angela Reed has been a student of lingua Latina and classical civilization for over twenty-five years. She started on the path to ancient Rome in high school when she took her first Latin class and, for extra credit, joined the Latin club. She’s been enthusiastically carrying a classical torch ever since. She graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in Classical Studies and M.A. in Latin, and holds a Florida Professional Teacher Certificate in English (6-12) and Latin (K-12). She and her husband enjoy sharing books, music, and outdoor adventures with their five children.

When she first encountered the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason in 2014, it was not long before she began to study how Latin fit within it. This research led to some surprising insights, experimentation in the classroom, and a new direction for her teaching: Living Latin Lessons—live online classes offering a Charlotte Mason approach to Latin. She is delighted to be joining the Alveary team, providing instruction and lesson plans for the study of Latin. In this effort, she hopes to make Latin accessible to more families, furthering Mason’s vision of “A Liberal Education for All.”  

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Angelica Kajiwara is a PhD student in Classical Education researching Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy with a focus on how her methods cultivate the very soft skills modern employers openly identify as essential yet increasingly rare. Her research examines how practices such as attention, narration, engagement with living books, and moral judgment form discernment, communication, adaptability, and self-governance in learners.

A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother, Angelica brings together classical education, Christian humanism, and contemporary workforce concerns. She is particularly interested in how Mason’s philosophy resists reductionist models of education while preparing students to think clearly, judge wisely, and act responsibly in both civic and professional life.

She calls Lookout Mountain home, and lives on the mountain with her husband of 13 years, 3 kids, mom and two very fluffy dogs. Finding Charlotte changed her life, and she hopes to share that joy and the joy of the Lord with others. Angelica especially brings her passion for Plutarch to the Alveary.

Growing up at the foot of Virginia's Shenandoah Mountains, Anna learned a deep appreciation for the natural world and our relationship with it. During college, Anna worked with state and nonprofit partners to identify and document ecological communities across the Virginia Piedmont. That work informed her future projects and guided her approach to developing CMI's Nature History Clubs. Since then, Anna has worked with The Nature Conservancy on land and water rights in the West with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Minnesota on energy and environmental issues and spent time on regional watershed planning across Minnesota. Anna received a Charlotte Mason-based K-12 education, and she is thrilled to work with CMI on bringing Charlotte Mason's work into the 21st century to modern audiences. She administers the Nature History Club program and is a developer on the citizenship and government team. Anna practices law in Rappahannock County, Virginia, where she works with the community on land and water-based issues. In her free time, Anna enjoys reading poetry, working with native plants, and hiking with her basset hound, Georgia.

Cara first encountered Charlotte Mason as a teenage student at her home, where she was educated by her mom, Kelli Christenberry. She is passionate about inspiring a love of history in students through a multi-faceted approach to historical study that includes art and architecture, archaeology, religious studies, and literature. Her current research focuses on the history of ancient Iran. Cara currently lives with her husband Luke in northwestern Montana, where they are starting up a small farm in between skiing, hiking, and road-tripping.

When Cathy Barrington and her husband, Jim, were exploring educational possibilities for their young children, they were immediately drawn to CM’s ideas of short lessons, lots of outdoor hours, and living books. Their daughter’s love of nature, curiosity and creative bent were what taught them to adopt Charlotte Mason’s philosophy for their homeschool. In 2001, As a young mom of a then 4- and 1-year-old, Cathy began attending a monthly CM mom’s group. On her bedside table you could find copies of Home Education, Charlotte Mason Companion and For the Children’s Sake which she read often. Over the past 15 years, Cathy has served, taught and participated in homeschool, private schools, support groups and co-ops putting the CM philosophy into practice. She is currently a teacher at Crestwood Day School and a Lesson Plan Writer for CMI. Over the years, she has also volunteered her time as a weekly summer Camp Director, Children’s Choir teacher, library helper, and Women’s Ministry committee member. Cathy makes time for hiking, swimming, handicrafts, sketching, reading and weekly walks at the city gardens. Cathy has a B.S. degree from the University of Montevallo and lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Courtney Gunter grew up near Asheville, North Carolina where she began her dance training at age 3.  During her youth, she trained with private instructor and mentor Veronica Zink, Ballet Spartanburg, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet School.  While completing her BFA in Dance from Florida State University she studied with and performed works by Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Suzanne Farrell, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Alex Ketley, and Dan Wagoner.  While in Tallahassee, she taught dance at Wildwood Ballet and Tallahassee Ballet.  After relocating to Atlanta, Courtney danced professionally with contemporary dance company Staibdance and taught classes at Emory University and Perimeter Ballet. She founded the ministry, Westminster Ballet, and served as the Artistic Director from 2008-2022.  Courtney discovered Charlotte Mason after seeing children at her church who were noticeably different and was given Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s, For the Children’s Sake.  After attempting a boxed curriculum for her first year of homeschooling, she sought a more gentle approach adopting the Charlotte Mason philosophy, joined a Charlotte Mason co-op, and eventually began using the Charlotte Mason Institute’s Alveary curriculum.  The opportunity arose for Courtney to contribute physical education instruction for the Alveary in 2018 and it quickly expanded to the Historical Dance offering where she has been able to explore, research, and share many different styles of dance from the past.  Courtney is excited that her love of dance and Charlotte Mason have intersected beautifully and that the Charlotte Mason Institute provides an outlet for her.

Danielle completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (2000) at St. Francis University, Loretto and her Master of Science in Chemistry (2003) at the Pennsylvania State University.  After pursuing academic and pharmaceutical research for a number of years, she and her husband began looking for an educational alternative for their children. When she stumbled upon Home Education, Danielle found her theological training and her dearest educational experiences growing together into a beautiful garden, more deeply connected than she had previously understood.  Danielle is a certified educator in Universal Design for Learning, a writer and developer for the Alveary curriculum, and a cofounder of the Blue Orchard Bee, CMI’s initiative toward a relational education for neurodivergent persons.  She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and their 3 youngest children where her passion project is re-establishing a native wildlife habitat.  Danielle is a late-diagnosed autistic person that enjoys planning and designing projects, handicrafts, the symphony, and a good conversation with her cats.

Dr. Jen Spencer has been an educator, school administrator, and curriculum writer since 1997. With degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Curriculum & Instruction, she has served in public, private, and home schools across all ages, from preschool through high school. Jen discovered Charlotte Mason in 2001. Since then, she has led study groups, founded a school,  helped digitize the archive at the Armitt Museum, and created the Alveary, serving as program director for it's first 7 years. She was  appointed as a Visiting Research Fellow in Charlotte Mason Studies at the University of Cumbria, Ambleside. Jen and her husband Wes have two adult children, and their first grandchild is due any day. They live among the peach trees in Gaffney, South Carolina with their rescued English Pointer mix, Daisy Mae, who loves to go on nature walks.

Dr. Meredith Donaldson Clark is a scholar and a full-time homeschool educator.

Meredith’s academic training focused on English Renaissance literature. She completed three degrees in English: BA (Trinity College, University of Toronto), MA (Dalhousie University), and PhD (McGill University). Her doctoral dissertation and SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship explored English poetry in conversation with Renaissance ideas about classical literature, cartography, and history. Meredith taught at several Canadian universities and presented her research internationally. She has also worked as a Latin translator and as a freelance academic editor.

When she became a mother, Meredith decided to dedicate herself to educating her children through homeschooling. As she researched educational philosophies, she discovered Charlotte Mason—and was drawn to Mason’s love of literature, devotion to God, and respect for the dignity of children. The transition from scholarly work to homeschooling has been exciting, challenging, and rewarding; for the past nine years, Meredith has enjoyed learning alongside her children.

Meredith lives in a village in southwestern Ontario with her husband (a minister, military chaplain, and theologian) and their three delightful children. She enjoys reading, baking, gardening, playing the flute, exploring the Great Lakes, and cheering on the Toronto Blue Jays!

Erin C. Day is a child of God, wife, mom of four girls and an artist. She has been a student of art for almost thirty years and still has so much more to learn! Erin has been in the field of art education since 1999, holding a B.F.A. in Art Education with a concentration in Ceramics and Minor in Psychology. Erin has taught in settings from preschool through retirement centers. She works in all media from oils to printmaking to ceramics and enjoys them all immensely! Erin has been homeschooling and studying Charlotte Mason for 11 years.

George is a writer and instructional designer. While in college he ran a performing arts club before earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. His love for stage plays continued as a high school English teacher where he used interactive methods to teach Shakespearean and contemporary plays. While not raised with Mason's philosophy of curriculum, he loves teaching strategies that emphasizes the student as an active participant in their education. He and his wife are new parents to their beautiful daughter Maya. The three of them live in North Carolina. They love dogs, walks, coffee, and watching traveling shows!

Jenny Elias lives in Southern California. She and her husband happily parent their six children, who live with them and in other states: five young adults and a teenager. She has homeschooled for over 19 years and warmly welcomed the introduction to Charlotte Mason. In 2011, she started a CM discussion group, Learning Charlotte Mason, in Conejo and Simi Valleys, with other homeschooling mothers. This group grew into a weekly CM co-op community called the “Large Room” from 2012 to 2020, which she moderated gladly. Recently, you will find her knitting, nature journaling, and teaching CM-inspired classes at her local homeschool group, teen center, and online. Her belief in a CM education encouraged her to pursue and complete a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. Through dedication to her Christian faith and CM principles, she finds grace in daily life. Jenny brings her expertise to the Alveary team particularly in Alveary Spanish & Geography lessons

Jessica received her honours BA in French and history from McMaster University. She honed her French skills while working on a women’s health curriculum in West Africa. She currently lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her husband and two sons. She coordinates her church’s Sunday school program and is an active volunteer at her local classical/Charlotte Mason school. Jessica is often found exploring the Royal Botanical Gardens and frequenting the local library with her children. Jessica has contributed to Alveary's Canadian history lessons.

With over 15 years of experience in diverse educational settings, Joshua McIsaac has developed a dynamic teaching approach across disciplines, including music, English, math, science, social studies, and technology. He has a rich background in supporting students with learning differences, bringing passion and adaptability to his work. Now serving as Head of School at Harvest Christian Academy in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Joshua is passionate about nurturing intellectual and character growth in learners. He integrates the Charlotte Mason philosophy to cultivate curiosity and respect within a multi-age classroom, creating a learning environment where each student’s personhood is valued.

Dr. Max Stabenow was introduced to Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education through the book For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. Since then, he and his wife Sarah have strived to create an atmosphere of learning that encompasses all of life for their three school-aged children. Max is passionate about assisting parents with cultivating their own philosophy of education so they can confidently embrace their God-given responsibility to educate their children to obey the first and greatest commandment (Matt. 22:34-40). Max’s formal education includes a BA in Humanities, an M.Div. and Th.M. in Historical Theology, and an Ed.D. Max’s dissertation explored the educational philosophy of Francis Schaeffer (father of Susan Schaeffer Macaulay). Max spends his leisure time reading, hiking, shooting, and exploring God’s creation with his family.

Melissa earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in French and a Master of Arts degree in French from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a year abroad in Vichy, France, where she met her husband. She continued her learning with a Bachelor of Education degree from Brock University and became a K-12 teacher specializing in French and the Arts. She taught French to grades 4 through 8 before moving across Canada. She lives on Vancouver Island in beautiful British Columbia with her French husband and three children. She runs a bilingual French and English Montessori program and partially homeschools her children. She draws upon Dr. Montessori and Charlotte Mason for inspiration in her lessons and brings her expertise to French lessons for Alveary students.

Olivia Bennett lives in Colorful, Colorado. She loves to read, write, bake and hike. On top of those hobbies, she is passionate about studying history. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies and is currently pursuing her Masters of History of Christianity through Wheaton College. She is thrilled to contribute to an already amazing curriculum and to support a new generation in learning and falling in love with history.

Parke is the mother of five boys, all of whom she has home schooled. After graduating in 1995 with an education degree, she read For the Children’s Sake in 2002. She soon joined a CM study group and began to implement what she had been learning about with her growing family. Parke currently teaches at Crestwood Day School in Birmingham, Alabama. She has been known as the local ‘book lady’ for years, scouring thrift stores, library sales, and yard sales looking for living books, and passing them along to other CM moms. Parke regularly presents at CMI conferences and has contributed to Alveary Geography lessons.

Rachel earned her degree in French and Education in 2000. After serving as an “assitante étrangère” in the Normandy region of France, she moved to Florida to teach at a small high school. After leaving the classroom to stay home with her children, she now offers French classes for homeschool students. Rachel became acquainted with Charlotte Mason’s philosophy when she and her husband made the decision to homeschool. She is passionate about Mason’s principles, particularly as they apply to language study.

After encountering the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason through friends in Birmingham, Alabama, Sarah surprised herself and her husband by deciding to turn the sunny room at the front of the house into The School Room. Her two young daughters are thrilled about home school and are impatient to learn as much as they can. With a degree in Classics, Sarah has taught Latin to middle and high school students, and now creates the Latin content for the Alveary.

Stacie Satery, M.S.Ed, is a former classroom teacher with experience in both public and private school settings. As a new mother, she was introduced to Charlotte Mason's philosophy through Susan Schaeffer Macauley's book, For the Children's Sake. Diving deeply into Charlotte Mason's original volumes, Stacie embraced CM's philosophy as a model for lifelong learning. She not only chose to homeschool her children by the CM model, but she also applied that philosophy to the daily life of her children, from pre-school to college entry. She has taught in a CM co-op (both in-person and online) and currently leads a handful of local CM groups including a nature study group, a literature club and a mom's study group. She works with The Charlotte Mason Institute as a facilitator for their educator courses. Stacie is also a trained herbalist with a background in Ayurvedic, Western and Chinese herbs and healing systems and she is the founder of Intentional Health, LLC, where she draws on her knowledge of herbs as she shares her love of plants and their healing powers with those around her. She lives deep in the heart of Texas where she is currently raising four children, three still being educated by CM principles (currently in forms 3, 4 and 5); her oldest successfully completed all 6 forms and is now thriving in his college studies. Stacie brings her expertise particularly to Alveary's Health course.