Wonder School Staff

  • Emily Steriti, Director

    Emily Steriti (Ms Emily) has been working in Montessori environments for almost 30 years. She serves as a field consultant, mentor teacher, and Educateurs Sans Frontiers delegate. In 2010 she opened a Montessori Early Childhood progam here in Marfa and in 2014 was given a 'Texas Rising Star' award for her partnership with the local public school. At the closing of that partnership in 2022, she relocated to Wonder School, where she continues sharing her love of Montessori with a slightly older group of children.

Experience & Resume

EDUCATION

2000; AMS Early childhood certification
2005: Positive Discipline Facilitator’s certification
2012: Shelton School: ‘Montessori for Children at Risk’ certification

MONTESSORI EXPERIENCE

Assembly Member, AMI-Educateurs sans Frontiers: 2014-present

It has been my honor to participate in the last two EsF assemblies. This organisation speaks to the core of my work and my school represents just one of EsF’s many initiatives. Here, I have been able to focus on the application of Montessori in underserved communities, including family shelters, elderly homes, and women’s prisons.

Director/ Lead Teacher; Marfa Montessori: 2010-2022

I was the director and lead primary teacher of this school, which I began as a non-profit, consisting of one primary class, and which became part of the local public system.

Positive Discipline Facilitator: 2007-present

I lead workshops on effective, long-term discipline strategies for teachers, parents, and women’s prison communities. I also train on-site adults to maintain the study-groups with distance-supervision and follow up meetings.

Lead Teacher, Tall Oaks Montessori School; Blacksburg,Va: 2005-2010

This job provided me with invaluable insight into my strengths as a Montessorian. The class consists of twenty-six children, myself, and one assistant. I was responsible for maintaining current records, parent conferences, curriculum organization, and continuing education courses.

Guest Lecturer: 2003-present

Throughout the year I assist Montessori schools through consultation and seminars. I facilitate workshops regarding classroom management, positive discipline, and environmental design.

Mentor Teacher: 2003-present

As a lead teacher, I have had the opportunity to assist various Montessori education centers in training new teachers. Through the course of one year I am asked to model the Montessori method, and record and evaluate the progress of these teachers.

Field Consultant; Houston Montessori Center; Houston, Tx: 2003-2005, 2012-14

As a field consultant, I was asked to observe and assess Montessori candidates in their intern environments. I served as a mediator between the intern site and training center.

Lead teacher, Montessori Country Day School; Houston, Tx:1999-2005 Assistant teacher, Montessori Country Day School; Houston,Tx: 1997-1999

Lauren Meader Fowlkes

Lauren, a Marfa resident since 2011 and Wonder School parent since 2022, is married to a 5th-generation West Texan with strong community roots. As a Real Estate Broker for 13 years, she’s observed fewer families moving to Marfa due to limited educational options. She supports Wonder School Marfa Montessori to provide high-quality education in Presidio County. Lauren has served as the Board Secretary since June 2024.

Board of Directors

Emily Latour

EMILY LATOUR RAMSEY drives tangible business outcomes with more than two decades of proven consulting and advisory expertise serving in executive roles at Accenture and most recently, Gartner.

As a trusted advisor, she intuitively identifies areas of opportunity and development and seamlessly connects the dots to enable value-driven insights and effective change within an organization. Focusing on high collaboration and transparency, Emily helps others extend their thinking and quickly establishes credibility and trust in charged fast paced working environments. She is an authentic leader who leads by example and encourages action at all levels. Grounded in her breadth of experience leading large-scale, complex, business transformations, Emily is respected as a strategic partner wherever she serves.

 

Outside of her professional roles, Emily remains a trusted mentor to her stepson, Elias, as well as other young women and men within her personal and professional network serving as a steward and advocate of their personal growth and aspirations. She is deeply committed to continuous learning and understands the value and importance of creating opportunity for children, teens, and young adults to thrive personally while building leadership skills and developing their own authentic brand in the world.

Emily holds a BBA in Business and Music from Southwestern University at Georgetown. She has served on several non-profits and volunteer organizations in Austin, Texas, and Santa Barbara, California including Meals on Wheels, The Long Center for Performing Arts, Southwestern University, and Women’s Economic Ventures.

Cristina Mendez

Over the last two decades, Cristina engaged frequently with Far West Texas as a visitor. During that period, she and her husband, Hector, supported this remote community from afar. They made the move to Marfa in 2022. She works with Hector, a family law attorney, practicing locally and throughout Texas. They are the parents of two adult sons, each of whom has pursued a successful profession as a result of a solid educational foundation. Cristina believes that Wonder School Marfa Montessori can provide an essential educational building block for area children.