

Meet Our Faculty & Staff
Kedra Hauser
Director
Kedra is the Owner and Director of The Frost Montessori School of Albemarle. She purchased the school in 2006 from its original founder after her three sons began at Frost. Each of them went on to complete the full three-year cycle in Children’s House. Kedra is a strong advocate for the Montessori approach, believing it offers an unmatched foundation in early childhood education. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from James Madison University and taught fourth grade for twelve years. She has also completed graduate coursework at the University of Virginia. In her free time, Kedra enjoys spending time with her family, going on vacations, exercising, socializing, and reading a good book.
Tessa Amell
Assistant Director
Tessa holds a bachelor's degree from Colorado College and has been working in both private and public school settings since 2010. A member of the Frost team since 2021, she has enjoyed her time both in the classroom and in her current role as Assistant Director. In her free time, you can find her on the trails or at the library. From chasing sunrises to sunsets and everything in between, she is always on the lookout for the next adventure.
Ashley Reece
Lead Teacher Children's House I
Ashley has been a Montessori teacher since 2005. She began her career in Prague, Czech Republic and has been teaching in Charlottesville, Virginia since 2009. She has a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of South Carolina and obtained her Montessori certification from the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in Princeton, New Jersey. She also holds a Master of Arts in Montessori Education from St. Catherine University in St. Paul Minnesota. Since 2012, Ashley has been a field consultant for new interns at the Virginia Center for Montessori Studies and has been the instructor for Math for the past two years. In her free time, Ashley enjoys country living, playing traditional Irish fiddle, and the fiber arts. She lives in Gordonsville with her husband and her twin sons, their dog “Hamish”, and the family chickens.
Alyssa Marlowe
Lead Teacher Children's House II
Alyssa was born and raised in Blacksburg, VA. She received her degree in Education from Radford University in 2010 and her Montessori certification for Early Childhood from the Maitland Montessori Teacher Education Program in 2016. She became part of the Frost community in August 2017. Alyssa enjoys spending time outdoors listening to live music and hiking as well as art projects, movies, and all things Disney! She loves spending time with family and friends making memories and cuddle time with her orange tabby, Mufasa.
Annelise Riedel
Lead Teacher Children’s House III
Annelise has been a part of the Frost community since 2018, beginning as an assistant in Children’s House I and now serving as the lead teacher in Children’s House III since the 2023–24 school year. She is passionate about guiding young learners and is excited to be leading her own classroom. Annelise earned her B.A. in English from the University of Mary Washington in 2013 and completed her Montessori teacher certification through the Virginia Center for Montessori Studies (VCMS) in Richmond. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking, hiking, camping, traveling, and reading.
Brittany Moore
Lead Teacher Toddler Class
Brittany, originally from Chesterfield, Virginia, is a dedicated toddler teacher at Frost Montessori. With a strong foundation in early childhood education, she joined Frost in 2022 as the Toddler teacher. Brittany holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and has earned her Montessori teacher certification from the Virginia Center for Montessori Studies (VCMS) in Richmond. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she manages Frost's social media accounts. Outside of work, Brittany enjoys reading and spending quality time with her dog, Bailey.
Rachel Cook
Full Day Director
Rachel moved to Virginia from Illinois in 2023 and is currently enrolled in the North American Montessori Center teacher training program to deepen her understanding of the Montessori method and strengthen her role in the classroom. She graduated from DePauw University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree and has since earned her substitute teaching license and worked as an instructional aide in a public school setting. Rachel is excited to be part of the Montessori environment and values building meaningful connections with each child throughout their day. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, especially running and walking dogs.
Fakiha M. Amin "Fifi"
Teacher Assistant Children’s House I
Fifi holds a B.A. in Agriculture and began her professional career managing a small family business. She later discovered a love for working with children through her involvement in the ISCV community daycare and Arabic school. At Frost, Fifi brings warmth, enthusiasm, and a deep passion for early childhood education as she supports the growth and development of young learners. As a mother of four, she enjoys spending time with her family and cooking their favorite cultural dishes and sweets.
Mary Kathryn Calhoun
Teacher Assistant Children's House II
Mary Kathryn has a bachelor's degree in Dance and Elementary Education from Randolph-Macon Woman's College. This is her first year at Frost and she is excited to be joining this wonderful school community. The children's wonder and curiosity are a gift to experience each day. She is the mother of four teen/adult children. Mary Kathryn enjoys being active outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and exploring new places.
Kirsten Shanks
Teacher Assistant Children's House III
Kirsten is a native of Culpeper, Virginia. She has multiple years of experience in both public and private school classrooms. She prefers and respects the Montessori School philosophy. She is a graduate of Full Sail University with a Bachelor’s degree in Game Art Design. She enjoys drawing and designing, reading, spending time with her family and watching the New York Giants play football.
Petra Mbugua
Toddler Teacher Assistant
Petra joined the Frost community in 2023 as the Toddler Assistant Teacher. Originally from Slovakia, she relocated to Charlottesville with her family in 2022. Petra holds a bachelor's degree in forestry from the Technical University in Zvolen and an MBA from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Early Childhood Development at PVCC to further support her work with young children. Outside of school, Petra enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. Together, they love traveling and discovering new places.
Amy Baltazar
Floating Teacher Assistant
Amy became a part of the Frost community in October 2022 and earned her Childcare Certification the following year. She is deeply passionate about supporting young children in their early development and finds great joy in engaging with them each day. With a diverse background working with families in Hong Kong, Japan, and the United States, Amy brings a wealth of experience and growing confidence to her role. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring new places through travel.