Anne Doran is our Executive Director, and a former Montessori teacher at WMCC. Anne is a Casa and Elementary trained Montessori teacher with twenty five years of experience in the field of early childhood education. Anne is dedicated to fostering children's growth, supporting educators, and building strong community partnerships while creating an inclusive environment where every child can thrive.

Clara Lalonde is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and MACTE-certified Casa Montessori Teacher. Her passion for Montessori began when she attended a Montessori school as a child. Since then, she has worked with her love of children obtaining a degree in Human Behaviour from McMaster University, as well as diplomas in Early Childhood Education from Mohawk College and Casa Montessori Education from the CMTEI. Throughout her 7 years working in childcare and early education she has developed her passion for helping children learn and grow into their full potential.  

Willa has been a teaching assistant in our Earth Room classroom for the past 7 years, and has loved every second of it. Willa is a musician and artist, who grew up on the island and attended WMCC as a child. Willa is very passionate about showing and sharing both the islands, and WMCC’s history and natural space with the Waterfront Montessori community.

Ariel is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and been working in the early years sector for over twenty years, with a passion for outdoor education, trauma informed care and strategies to support emotional regulation and belonging. Ariel has worn may hats over the years, from cleaner to supply teacher, RECE to lead classroom teacher and program developer to supervisor and mentor. Ariel has now become our WMCC cook as she slowly works towards a new career in Library Sciences. Ariel’s hobbies include tennis, reading, swimming and community engagement and activism. A former WMCC student and island resident gives Ariel a unique perspective of the people, places and community spirit that lend the island to being such a magical first school experience for young children and their families.

As a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), Meghan Beckwith’s pedagogy centers on connecting young learners to the natural world, fostering equity, and building strong classroom communities. Meghan holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education from George Brown College, where she focused her graduate thesis on urban, nature-based education.

Meghan brings a rich, multi-faceted perspective to the WMCC community. Her career includes working directly in early childhood classrooms, teaching the next generation of educators as a College Professor, and advocating for affordable, equitable childcare systems. She also had the privilege of contributing to vital research on land-based learning and Indigenous perspectives under Dr. Monica McGlynn Stewart.

Meghan weaves these diverse experiences into the Earth Room, where she views families as essential partners. She is thrilled to welcome children into a space filled with natural elements, open-ended exploration, and a supportive environment where every child's unique identity can thrive.