Meet the Team
Gather Montessori was born out of friendship. The five of us have known each other for years, either working together in Montessori schools or raising our children together (two of us are married!). We continue to inspire each other with this project and we’re so excited for you to be a part of it.
Kate Millie
Executive Director
I was four months pregnant with my first child when I met a friend who changed my life. She was pregnant with her third child, and she let me lean on her as I learned to be a mom. She showed me how to reach out to others and how to ask for help. She also showed me how to make a mean scone.
I believe that change happens when we come together in community. Since my first moment of mothering, I have studied human relationships and seen firsthand how belonging changes who people are and who they become.
I’m a parent, Montessori educator and school administrator with over 20 years of experience in early childhood education. I’m currently working on my PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy to understand more about how early community and connection can change the trajectory of parents and children.
My deepest desire is to build a world where we all are recognized as capable and work to support each other in every phase of our lives. I hope you’ll join me in building this world.
Winnie Diverlus
Communications Director
Hailing from a family of changemakers and activists, I have always been driven by a desire to create spaces that empower individuals to thrive. My journey into Montessori education revealed a profound truth: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising and educating children. However, I also recognized that these transformative spaces often remain accessible to only a select few.
As an educator and child & youth developmental strategist, I have spent the past decade working with grassroots organizations dedicated to helping BIPOC communities embrace their fullest potential. My work has focused on reducing the scarcity of nurturing, inclusive environments that truly support children and families.
When I met Kate, our shared vision naturally aligned, inspiring us to merge our efforts. While our collaboration has created new opportunities, my mission remains personal and clear: to expand access to Montessori education and ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have environments that nurture their potential and support their life-long success.
For me, this is about more than education — it’s about building a world where Montessori for all is not just an aspiration, but a tangible reality.
Kristy Adams
Gather Parents
I met Kate at a school family gathering over ten years ago. Our children were circling us — her two and my four — as we had a meeting of the minds. We were kindred spirits from the start, committed to nurturing the youngest while supporting their parents. Together, over ten years of partnership, Kate and I have built a Montessori parenting program that we are so excited to share with you.
I’ve been working with parents and children for two decades and have my Association Montessori Internationale diplomas at the Assistant to Infancy (0-3) and 3-6 levels. I am deeply committed to cultivating an environment of warmth, compassion, and reverence for children from birth to 3 years alongside their parents.
In raising my own four children and walking alongside parents for years, I understand that parents have the most challenging yet rewarding job in the world. I yearn to create spaces where parents can connect and be together.
Terry Millie
Gather Guides
Interdisciplinary. If I had to describe myself in one word, that would be it. I am a creative person and love to find ways to fuse visual art, drama, music, written text and everyday activities to create meaningful cultural experiences.
Education for peace is a personal passion and I am privileged to be a Montessori educator by profession. Through education we have the ability to change the world, for today’s child is our best hope for a peaceful and unified tomorrow.
Service is the core of my work. I believe that meaningful communities are built when each member brings a spirit of service to their participation in the group. Acts of service are the building blocks to a purposeful, joy filled life.
I hold AMI Montessori 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas, a Masters of Education from Vancouver Island University with a designation in Montessori Leadership and I am an AMI 6-12 Auxiliary Trainer. I think of myself as a lifelong learner with a bookshelf to prove it!
Becky Costigan
Gather Seniors
My journey into the Montessori world began as a Montessori mom, inspired by my children’s school experience. I loved seeing how capable they were at school, and I loved the community of people I was a part of as we raised our children. Since then, I have worked in my children’s Montessori school and have gone on to train in the Montessori Method for Aging and Dementia.
I have an honours degree in gerontology from the University of Guelph and over 15 years of experience in long-term care, retirement homes, and adult day centres. I am passionate about combining the Montessori method with my background in gerontology to create a distinct and compassionate approach to aging and dementia care — one that respects the dignity of seniors while fostering their independence and sense of purpose.
My passion lies in supporting seniors, fostering their independence, and advocating for aging in place or aging purposefully within a care community.
