Katie Kinneberg has taught in Children’s House 2 since 2008, and has been on the Board of Directors since 2011. She is currently serving on the Pedagogy and Governance committees. She has a Masters degree in elementary education with multiple licenses, and Montessori Certification for 3-6 year old children. She is looking forward to doing her part in serving our community.
Ann-Marie Dunbar serves as a parent member of the Board of Directors. She has two children at Bluffview (E1 and E2). After earning a PhD in English at Indiana University, she joined the English Department at Winona State University, where she teaches courses on nineteenth-century British literature, multicultural American literature, and world literature. She also directs Winona State’s Common Book Project, an interdisciplinary program designed to foster community and conversation around discussion of a single book.
Meghan is an Erdkinder (7th and 8th grade) teacher and has served as a teacher member of the board since 2019. She has a Master’s degree in secondary education with multiple licensure areas. Meghan serves on the Pedagogy committee, Building and Grounds committee, and is the Erdkinder Coordinator. Before coming to Bluffview she taught in a variety of school settings, and has worked in public, charter, and private school settings including as an Admissions and Marketing Director. She looks forward to bringing her experience in education to Bluffview as a board member.
Crystal Hegge has been a parent at Bluffview Montessori since 2014. She has students in Erdkinder, E2 and a toddler. As the Executive Director of the Advocacy Center of Winona, and 15 years of non-profit organizational work in Winona, Crystal has developed strong connections with many facets of the community and throughout the state. Crystal is thrilled to be part of a team of passionate individuals strengthening our community and future generations through Montessori education.
Dr. Daniel Kirk is the Dean of the College of Education and a Professor of Education at Winona State University. Dr. Kirk has served as a Dean and Professor of Education at the American University of Ras Al-Khaimah. Dr. Kirk has also served as Associate Dean and Professor at the National Defense College in the United Arab Emirates, Associate Dean in the College of Education, and Executive Director of the School of Learning and Teaching at the Pacific University, Oregon, where he held a tenured full Professor position on faculty. Dr. Kirk was senior faculty at the Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi, where he led the Division of Leadership and Educational Policy and was an Associate Professor of Education.
Dr. Kirk was the Founding President of the Gulf Comparative Education Society and currently sits on several editorial and advisory boards based within the Gulf region and the United States. He has been commissioned by various educational organizations and government agencies. His current research examines educational innovation and policy formation in the GCC, with a particular lens on the international and comparative implications of such policies on educator preparation and school development. Dr. Kirk holds a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.
Mariah White has been at Bluffview Montessori School since 2015 as an E1 teacher. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education from St. Mary’s University in Winona. She received her Montessori Certification and Masters in Education from UW-River Falls. She is currently a member of the Pedagogy and Building & Grounds Committees. She is extremely passionate about her work as an educator, and she feels so blessed to be a part of the Bluffview community.