The MSCA Board

Janis Coffey

Janis is the current Principal of Melbourne Montessori College in Victoria. She holds an AMI Leadership Certificate and has completed the Company Directors’ training through the Australian Institute of Company Directors. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she has held diverse leadership roles in the areas of curriculum and wellbeing. Janis is passionate about Indigenous Education and holds a Masters of Education in this field of study. She is also a trained Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator and has spent a large part of her career promoting mental health for young people, serving on the Board for the Positive Education Schools Association from 2016 – 2019. Originally from Philadelphia, Janis has lived in Australia for more than 20 years. Janis has served as a MSCA Board Director since 2020, and is on the Events and Finance Committees of the Board.

Janis Coffey

(Chair)

Principal, Melbourne Montessori College

Cathy France

Cathy worked in schools in Australia and the UK for 10 years before starting at The Hills Montessori School in 1994 as a Cycle 3 (9-12) teacher. In 2004, Cathy was appointed as Principal of The Hills Montessori School in the Adelaide Hills, which caters for 0-16 year olds across two campuses. Cathy is passionate about collegiate sharing, learning from others and finding ways for Montessori educators and professionals to share ideals, ideas and practice. She has initiated several national forums for Montessori educators and leaders to unite. Cathy offers the MSCA Board her extensive experience in education, event management and professional development opportunities, along with her interest in good governance practices at a Board level.

Cathy France

(Secretary)

Principal, The Hills Montessori School
South Australia

Vanessa Aikins

Vanessa has been the Principal of West Coast Montessori since 2011. She led the school’s expansion in 2012 to include a Montessori Adolescent Program (12-18 years) and, in 2024, transformed two childcare facilities into Montessori Early Learning Centres. Vanessa completed the AMI Orientation to Adolescent Studies program in 2013, now recognised as an AMI 12-18 Diploma, and finished the AMI Montessori Administrators Certificate in 2021. In 2025, she collaborated with Sydney Montessori Training Centre and Montessori Institute to create a training facility on the school’s Karnup campus. Committed to leadership, social inclusion, and community collaboration, Vanessa has been an ongoing member of the MSCA board since its establishment in 2019.

Vanessa Aikins

Principal, West Coast Montessori (formerly Rockingham Montessori School
Western Australia

Heather McInerney

Heather has been the Principal of Southern Montessori School since 2020. The school caters for children from birth to Year 9 across two campuses and is continuing to grow. Heather has a Masters in Education Leadership and Management, and a Diploma of Montessori Leadership and Practice. Heather is passionate about supporting children and young people, the adults who serve them and our communities to flourish.

Heather McInerney

Principal, Southern Montessori School
South Australia

Ioleen BarBaro

Profile Coming Soon

Ioleen BarBaro

Director, Northwest Montessori Preschool
Victoria

Gay Wales

Gay was the Principal of Melbourne Montessori School for ten years, from January 2012 to January 2022. During this time, she led the school through several major achievements, including adding the senior school, gaining IB Authorisation, and receiving two Innovative Schools Awards for Schools in 2019 and 2020. She has completed the AMI Administrators Course and has a Montessori Diploma 3-6. Previously, Gay spent 12 years at Christ Church Grammar School, transforming the curriculum into inquiry-based, concept learning. With an additional 13 years in the business world, Gay has the ability to work strategically and bring real-world experience for the benefit of both children and staff.

Gay Wales

(Deputy Chair)

Education Consultant and Former Principal of Melbourne Montessori School

Salvo Motta

Profile Coming Soon

Salvo Motta

(Finance Director)

Business Manager, Southern Montessori School
South Australia

Laureen Barnard

Laureen is a former engineer turned education trailblazer. With a Graduate Diploma in Education (P-12) and an AMI 12-18 Montessori Diploma from Hershey Montessori (Ohio, USA, 2014), she’s spent over 20 years challenging the status quo in schools and leadership. As a Leading Teacher, Laureen founded the pioneering MAP@BSC, an opt-in Montessori adolescent program nestled within a public high school in Beechworth, Australia. Today, she consults all over Australia and around the globe, specialising in Montessori 12–18 implementations, program design, professional development and mentoring educators with heart. She holds AMI certifications for Administrators, 0–3, and 6–12, and in 2022 joined the AMI Trainer of Teachers Programme. 

Laureen Barnard

Educator, Leader & Consultant
Victoria/Western Australia

Joanne Bosel

Jo has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education in the UK and Australia, with a strong focus on Montessori education. She holds AMI qualifications from infancy to adolescence, along with Early Childhood Diplomas and leadership certificates. Since 2014, she has been the Director of Avenues Montessori Children’s House in Brisbane, where she created an authentic Montessori environment. Jo founded the Montessori Community Connect Group to promote collaboration among Montessori educators and is dedicated to intergenerational programs, educator well-being, and community collaboration. She specialises in preparing services for Assessment and Rating, developing Quality Improvement Plans, and supporting continuous quality improvement for positive outcomes for children, families, and educators.

Joanne Bosel

Director, Avenues Montessori Children’s House
Queensland