Our Guides & Staff

Directress
Elementary Guide & Catechist
maggier@olgflc.com

Maggie Radzik has been an AMI Montessori certified teacher at the Assistant to Infancy (0-3), Primary (3-6), and Elementary (6-12) levels for over 30 years. She is also a Formation Leader with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and currently offers, as an adjunct professor at AMU, a Level I CGS course. Maggie has a great passion for the Montessori approach to human development. She and her husband Brian moved to Ave Maria in 2013 and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle that Ave has to offer.

Elementary Assistant
elizabethr@olgflc.com

Elizabeth Ramos has been working in education for 12 years. She holds a BA in Liberal Arts Studies from Portland State University and a Primary Certificate from American Montessori Society. Growing up in a large, Catholic homeschool family, Elizabeth has always been interested in learning and teaching. She moved to Florida in 2009 and began working in schools, discovering Montessori along the way. After Elizabeth moved to a farm in the Golden Gate Estates, she worked at Ave Maria Montessori for three years. For the past several years she has been homeschooling her own two children and involved with various nature/farm homeschool programs.

Elementary Catechist
MatthewI@olgflc.com

Matthew Irwin has been working in Catholic schools and parish ministry for seventeen years. He holds an MA in Pastoral Theology and serves as the Director of Faith Formation for St. Elizabeth Seton in Naples, FL. Matthew and his wife Camila first discovered the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd while serving as lay missionaries in Comayagua, Honduras. He has completed CGS formation for work with children from birth to age twelve. Matthew currently serves as the Vice Chair of the CGSUSA Board of Trustees.

Elementary Assistant

Chiara Alfarone, a 14 year old freshman, is the youngest out of 4 in her family and has lived in Ave for 12 years. Chiara attended the Montessori program here from the ages of 4-9 with her three older brothers. She enjoys working with children and is very excited to be an assistant again this year. She is looking forward to seeing the children grow in the Montessori environment.

Primary Guide
maggiem@olgflc.com

Maggie is a Trained Level I and Level II Catechist, and is AMI Montessori trained as well. She has been serving in the Atrium and Montessori Classroom here in Ave Maria for the past 2 years. Maggie discovered the Montessori philosophy through her training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She fell in love with the freedom that Montessori offered while still giving structure and boundaries the child needed. “Montessori, I believe gives the child the most value and respect as an educational and spiritual approach and I am honored to be able serve in this way. “

Primary Assistant
gabbym@olgflc.com

Gabby fell in love with the Montessori approach to human development in her exploration of alternatives to traditional education while in college. She has worked for many years with children and has seen that when given an environment tailored to their needs, children will flourish. “As an assistant in the Montessori environment, I have witnessed the little ones become empowered through the awareness of their own capabilities.”

Primary Assistant

Candelaria Forero, a sophomore in high school, is the second child of 7 and has lived in Ave Maria for 12 years. Working with children and babies has been a passion of hers since she was very young and in the last few years, she been the director the Nativity play production for Ave Maria Parish. Having been in a Montessori school for 6 years herself, from when she was 3-9 years old, Cande is beyond excited to have the opportunity to work as an assistant at Our Lady of Guadalupe Family Life Center this year, now being 15 years old, and being able to work with the children and see them flourish in the Montessori environment.

Catechist Level 1 & Board Member
annmariea@olgflc.com

Ann-Marie Altomare has been a trained catechist for CGS Level 1 for 20 years. She is a Catechist in 2 Sessions at Our Lady of Guadalupe Family Life Center, as well as for the Ave Maria Parish Faith Formation Program. She loves being with the children in the Atrium and introducing them to the Good Shepherd. She is a wife and mother of 5 grown daughters and grandmother of 8, 3 of which are in Our Lady of Guadalupe Family Life Center.

Business Development & Advancement
amandam@olgflc.com

Amanda has 10 years of experience in Marketing & Business Development with a deep love and passion for the Montessori method. She is committed to help the vision of OLGFLC come to fruition! She believes the Montessori method allows the child to freely experience the world and our Creaetor in the everyday experiences of life.

Photography/ Videography
seanb@olgflc.com

Sean is a working senior producer and cinematographer with a decade of experience doing video for organizations with a purpose. A husband and father of 4 children (and counting), he is deeply stirred by the Montessori approach to education. Sean is dedicated to helping establish an enduring Montessori center here in Ave Maria.

President of the Board
markf@olgflc.com

Board Member

Board Member