Board of Directors 2020

Berenice Hernandez

President, Parent
Berenice has been a parent at Eagle Peak Montessori for over 13 years. She has served on the CFEP, PTLG, and CCC committees. Berenice has also volunteered with classroom activities as well as helping to create the school memory book for the past several years.

 Jennifer Womble

Vice President, Parent Member

Rebecca Liskin

Secretary, Parent Member

Rebecca is a very proud parent to an Eagle Peak Graduate. With 13 years of experience having her 3 kids in Montessori education programs, she is a huge proponent of how the Montessori model enriches individuality, strong values, and a joy for learning. Rebecca is a Family Nurse Practitioner and loves working with children, teens, and their families to promote health and wellness.  This year she has helped schools, summer overnight camps, and day camps navigate the world of covid and how to keep our communities safe.  Rebecca is excited to continue to be able to contribute to this amazing community.

Koki Ichiroku

Treasurer, Parent 

My wife and I are the very proud parents of an Eagle Peak Upper Elementary student. It has been one of the greatest joys of our lives to see her blossom into an inquisitive, kind-hearted, independent learner under the guidance of the talented and caring Montessori educators in her life.

As for me, I’ve been the benficiary of California public educaiton from Kindergarten through Cal. I worked as a financial accoutning system controls auditor at a global public accounting firm for several years, then co-founded a finanical accounting systems consultancy in San Francisco to help companies implement financial accounting systems.

We are thrilled to be part of the EPMS community. We want to help the school to expand so that more students and families can experience Montessori education.

Michelle Hammons, Ed.D.

Director, Principal/Executive Director

This year will mark my 19th year as Principal of Eagle Peak. Prior to my time at EPMS, I served as Assistant Principal of Alief Montessori Charter School in Houston, Texas, and taught in the public Montessori program in Waco, Texas. All of my teaching and administrative experience has been dedicated to working in public Montessori school environments. I also served as a field consultant for the Houston Montessori Center, observing and evaluating intern teachers at various Montessori schools. I  served on the American Montessori Society’s Board of Directors and formerly served as chair of the Public Policy Committee for the American Montessori Society. For the past several years, I have also worked with the Charter School Development Center as a Team Leader for their Leadership Institute for new charter school administrators.

I earned my undergraduate degree in sociology from Baylor University, and returned to Baylor to earn a Post-Baccalaureate Elementary Education certification. I began my teaching career in the Waco, Texas public school system at J.H. Hines Montessori Magnet for Visual and Performing Arts. I then reconnected with my childhood Montessori roots while training at the Houston Montessori Center, where I received my Montessori Teaching Credential. I earned a Master’s in Educational Administration in 2002 from Baylor University and hold both Texas and California Administrative Credentials.  When I have time I love to travel, write poetry, read, and spend time with family.

Sibyl Buckner

Director, Staff 

I am a founding teacher of Eagle Peak Montessori School, and prior to having the privilege of helping start EPMS I worked alongside my mother to lay the foundation for private Montessori schools. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of EPMS and teach lower elementary. I hold an M.A. in education and four teaching credentials. I have been an instructor at St. Mary’s College School of Education for the past 15 years and was a past Advisory Board member at the university. I have taught in Montessori schools for the past 20 years, and also assisted in the founding of a Montessori teacher education program. Most recently I have been responsible for helping EPMS adopt the new Common Core standards in order to ease the transition to a new program and ensure there is no compromise in the quality of the education children receive at Eagle Peak.

Kelly Mannion

Director, Community Member

Kelly holds teaching credentials at the Montessori Primary and Elementary levels, a certification in administration, and degrees in Psychology and Education which provide a solid philosophical foundation for Montessori leadership. Involved in Montessori education for over three decades, hands-on experience with all aspects of a school and additional background and certifications in the business world developed Kelly’s uniquely positive perspective for collaboration and for bridging the gaps between education and industry. Kelly has enjoyed working as a consultant and partner to parents, teachers, schools, and companies serving our local and national Montessori and education communities, advocating for the child and a developmental approach to education.

After founding a non-profit training center, Kelly moved on to creating a family and she and her husband of 25 years, have two children through which to see Montessori, each developmental stage, and the world anew everyday as Montessori parents. This deepens a heartfelt commitment to establishing authentic public and diversely-populated Montessori programs as it is the larger picture of creating options and hope for all children that is most appealing. A staunch believer in the Montessori tenet of Education for Peace, Kelly maintains that if we provide an opportunity for all children to fulfill their individual potential, respect for self, others, and the environment will naturally follow. This respect ensures a high level of personal satisfaction and the strong sense of community and global responsibility so necessary for peace.

Laura Desautel

Director, CFEP President, Parent