Jennifer Shoemaker 

(Miss Jennifer)

Executive Director 

Email: jshoemaker@lehimontessori.com

Jennifer was born into a Montessori home and has been involved in Montessori her whole life. She has worked in several classrooms as a Montessori Aide over the years. Jennifer worked for Mesa Public Schools for many years running and maintaining their auditoriums, while also training students in theatre basics. Jennifer taught Drama and stagecraft classes at Heritage Academy for 16 years. During that time she trained students to run sound and lighting equipment as well as basic carpentry skills, costuming, time management, and cooperation. Jennifer's children have attended Lehi Montessori for the last 20 years and as a Mom, Jennifer has been heavily involved in this community since her children started going to school. You will frequently see all of her family (Caleb, Angie, Ruth, Vivian, and Sam) helping at school events. Jennifer continues her schooling in early childhood education and is actively engaged in the Arizona Montessori community. She considers the years involved in Montessori as a big part of what has shaped her love of learning. She is excited to be a part of Lehi Montessori's future.

Alyssa Durfee

(Miss Alyssa)

Administrative Assistant, Testing Coordinator, and Dance Teacher

Email: help@lehimontessori.com

Alyssa has been a part of  the Lehi Montessori community for over three years. She has an extensive background in administrative work and oversees front office operations. She also administers, records, and enters benchmark testing for Elementary students. She was a competitive athlete for over 10 years before transitioning into coaching 3- 18 year old athletes at KTR. She coached gymnastics, cheerleading, and tumbling for three years. She is looking forward to getting to work with the students this year as the Dance/Sports teacher.  

Seethalakshmi Subramaniam 

(Miss Seetha)

Upper Elementary Teacher

Email: missseetha@lehimontessori.com

My name is Seethalakshmi Subramaniam. I hold AMI diplomas for both the Primary and Elementary levels. My professional experience includes working in elementary classrooms in Chennai, India, and Mesa, Arizona. Additionally, I am a certified Yoga teacher with 500 hours of international certification in Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation. I am passionate about working with elementary-aged children between 6 and 12 years old. My personal interests include listening to music, reading, traveling, and learning about diverse cultures.

Larissa Spencer

(Miss Larissa)

Lower Elementary Teacher

Email: misslarissa@lehimontessori.com

Larissa Spencer is an Arizona Native who literally grew up with a Montessori classroom in her living room. In 1994 she started working as an assistant in a Montessori preschool/kindergarten program as she furthered her education to pursue her calling to teach. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in music from Northern Arizona University. Larissa did her student teaching for the Department of Defense schools in Germany at Wetzel Elementary School. She enjoyed traveling with fellow teachers every weekend and exploring new countries and cultures. She started teaching in the public schools when she returned in 2000. She spent time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity in her spare time to build housing near South Mountain for families in need. At the same time she started her Montessori training. Larissa is a certified Montessori teacher who started teaching in a Montessori classroom in 2001. She loves learning something new every day and sharing that love of learning.

Mr. and Mrs. Spencer live in Mesa with their four children. Larissa loves hiking, biking, reading, music and learning new things. 

Alissa Irish

(Miss Alissa)

Kindergarten and Preschool Teacher

Email: lehiprimary@lehimontessori.com

Hi! I’m Alissa Irish. I’m one of the teachers in the Primary classroom. I’ve spent the majority of my life

teaching and interacting with children as well as learning alongside them. I learn much from my little

friends and truly do enjoy being with them! They bring light and joy wherever they are! I believe we

learn best through playful interactions with people and the world around us. I am Montessori trained

and AMS certified for teaching in the Primary classroom and have a background in Early Childhood

and Elementary Education. This is my fourth year here at Lehi Montessori.

I’ve been married to my husband Paul for 26 years. We have four daughters and one son. Over the past couple of years we’ve added two sons-in-law and two grandchildren to our family- all of whom we enjoy spending time with!

Some of my favorite activities include arts and crafts, coloring, painting, and creating. I love children’s art, picture books, nature- (flowers, leaves, and trees), 60 degree weather, cookies, gum, googly eyes, and laughing.

Heather Budd

(Miss Heather)

Kindergarten and Preschool Teacher

Email: missheather@lehimontessori.com

My name is Heather Budd and I am excited to start at Lehi Montessori. I received my B.A. from Arizona State University. I have been teaching and working with students for over 25 years. My experience ranges from high school students to preschool aged students. 

We are an ASU family. I have been married to my college Sun Devil sweetheart for 27 years. Our two sons attend ASU and you might see us walking our two dogs in their ASU gear. We enjoy traveling, biking, hiking, and playing board games together. I especially like to swim, take pictures and read. 

Dominique Cazako

(Miss Dominique)

Special Education

Email: sped@lehimontessori.com

Hello my name is Dominique I moved to Arizona from the midwest. I have worked with all age groups in special education for over 9 years. I started as a preschool teacher in 2017. I then moved on to work for Saint Louis county special school district as a resource teacher working with High school students. In 2021 I started working for City Garden Montessori school, working half the day with lower elementary students and the afternoons with upper school students. It was there that I really received training on the Montessori way of teaching and I fell in love with the concepts. I love learning so that I can apply the new concepts into my classroom.

I’m a pretty simple and straightforward person. I love visiting and hanging with my large family. I love to travel and spend time at home with my rabbit Zoe. Two interesting things about me is that I grew up on a small Island and went to school in Europe from 1st-4th grade. I love animals, especially sloths.

Samantha Johnson

(Miss Sami)

Elementary Aide

My name is Samantha Johnson and I love working here at Montessori! I graduated from Heritage Academy in May 2023, as well as Rio Salado College with an Associate in Arts. I am on track to earn my Bachelor’s Degree in Family Studies in 2028. I appreciated many opportunities I had to be a teacher’s assistant during high school, which led to the path I’m on now. In the summertime, I spend my time teaching lifeguard skills to upcoming staff at City of Mesa, as well as teaching swim lessons. I also love reading (or audiobooks) and being with friends!

Delaney Johnson

(Miss Delaney)

Elementary Aide

Hi, my name is Delaney Johnson and I'm so excited to work at Lehi Montessori. I was born and raised in Mesa and I am a 2024 graduate of Mountain View High School. I'm the oldest of five kids who I share my love of reptiles with. I'm also very interested in psychology and sociology. I love sweater weather and winter rain.

I am currently going to Mesa Community College for early childhood education. I have always loved working with kids and look forward to getting to know the wonderful kids at Lehi. I've always been amazed by this school and the Montessori style of learning, and I'm very excited to now be a part of it.

Colette Judd

(Miss Colette)

Primary Aide

I’m Colette Judd, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Lehi Montessori family as a Teacher Aide!

I’m a proud graduate of Heritage Academy, I earned two associate degrees during high school as well. I also played volleyball and flag football which taught me teamwork and staying active. I attended Montessori from kindergarten through 6th grade, and those wonderful years made me want to come back. Now, I’m excited to be part of that same joyful learning environment again.

When I’m not in the classroom, I love thrifting, doing random crafts, and painting my nails. I’m so excited to support these young children as they explore and grow. Whether I’m helping in the classroom, assisting teachers, or partnering with families, my goal is to create a warm, encouraging environment where each child feels confident and valued.

I look forward to a wonderful year filled with curiosity, kindness, and lots of growth!

Kim Becker

(Miss Kim)

Spanish Teacher

Kimberly Becker is a native Spanish speaker and a proud member of the Lehi Montessori community. Born and raised in Arizona, Kimberly grew up in a bilingual household with a rich cultural background. Her father is from El Salvador and her mother is from Mexico, giving her a deep appreciation for the Spanish language and the diverse cultures it represents.

Kimberly earned her bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Grand Canyon University. While her professional background is in healthcare, her passion for teaching and working with children has always been a meaningful part of her life. During college, she worked as a nanny, where she discovered the joy of encouraging children’s growth, curiosity, and confidence.

As a mother of three boys who attend Lehi Montessori, Kimberly is excited to bring her love for language, culture, and learning into the classroom. She believes that learning Spanish opens doors to connection, communication, and a greater understanding of the world around us.

Angelique Huston

(Miss Angie)

Art Teacher

Angelique became a part of our Montessori community when she was three years old. As a student she loved the freedom to be creative and learn at her own pace. She has continued to be a part of our community as both a classroom aide and art teacher. She loves attending the talent fair every year to make balloon animals for our students. Angie graduated from Heritage Academy and recently earned her associates degree in graphic design. She is excited to be back for another year teaching art! She loves expressing her creativity through art, world building for cooperative play games, cooking, making/wearing interesting costumes, and spending time with her siblings working with them on various projects. Angie and her husband Zane live in Mesa so they can be close to family (which her family loves too).

Nichole Chocon

(Miss Nichole)

Yoga

My name is Nichole and I am the owner of Zen It Out. I am a certified kids yoga instructor and absolutely enjoy teaching mindfulness to children. Beyond that, I’m a Wife, mother of 2, sound healer, Girl Scout leader, and a huge animal lover! 🌿💖 Supporting my community and spreading love is at the heart of everything I do. Grateful for the journey and the incredible people around me. Let’s continue to uplift and inspire each other! 💕