We Share a Passion For Education, A Commitment To Teach Knowledge For Life—And To Live What We Preach
Our leadership team is a diverse group of people who came together at LePort in the pursuit of a common goal: developing and delivering a great educational experience for children, one that teaches Knowledge for Life.
Our shared ideas about education motivate us to get up every morning excited about the day’s work ahead. These shared ideas form the foundation for a spirit of camaraderie, a culture of learning, and a joyful dedication to achievement that touches every aspect of LePort Schools. They are:
- A deep conviction that a great education is crucially important in shaping a young person’s life, and that offering such an education is a noble and personally meaningful charge.
- A commitment to a unique educational approach that doesn’t fall into the trap of teaching either content or method, but delivers on both—an approach that equips each child with Knowledge for Life, and prepares him in his whole being for the adventure that lies ahead.
- Passionate Professionalism in our work—a dedication to becoming the best we can be, as people and as professionals. We live the mastery mindset we want to instill in our students. We love asking why, over and over again, until we get answers. And we love being challenged, by each other and by our community of students and parents, to always improve.
Leadership Team
Peter LePort, MD
Founder & Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. LePort is a general surgeon in private practice in Orange County, California. He received his M.D. degree and surgical training in Brooklyn, New York at Downstate Medical College, where he was an Assistant Professor of Surgery for two years prior to moving to California. He is a member of the Faculty of the American College of Surgeons, and the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons. While in medical school, Dr. LePort became interested in childhood education. He studied the writings of Dr. Maria Montessori and educated his children by the Montessori Method until they completed fourth grade. He helped develop an Upper Elementary Program for his children through the rest of their education.
LePort Schools is the culmination of Dr. LePort’s efforts to provide children with a superior education, one in which they develop strong basic skills, master challenging content, and learn to think independently. From a small homeschool with three students, LePort Schools has grown to five locations in Orange County that now caters to almost 500 students. Dr. LePort’s dedicated team of administrators, teachers, and educational experts have worked together to develop and deliver an exceptional curriculum in a stimulating, nurturing environment, earning LePort Schools its reputation as a superior place of learning.
Ray Girn
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Girn received an Honors B.S. from the University of Toronto in developmental psychology and philosophy. Mr. Girn joined LePort Schools in 2003 as Director of the Math and Science Department, where he taught and designed curriculum for several years. In 2008, he became the company’s Director of Strategic Development, turning his attention to the organization’s general goal of creating a prototype K-12 superior education. In 2010, Mr. Girn was promoted again to the position of Chief Executive Officer of LePort Schools.
Monica N. LePort
Vice President of Operations
Since joining LePort Schools in 2000, Ms. LePort has been managing the operations of all the campuses. Her duties include human resources, facility management, liaising with parents, and daily operations. With her supportive leadership style and commitment to excellence, Ms. LePort has helped LePort Schools become one of the leading educational institutions in Orange County.
Ms. LePort’s enthusiasm for education and life in general has created a safe and caring environment where parents are pleased with their children’s learning and social development. This environment also makes for a satisfying workplace for our teachers, who are committed to both LePort Schools and the Montessori philosophy.
Guy Barnett
Vice President of Development
Mr. Barnett received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto in 2003. Before joining the LePort team, he was a Senior Executive at a Property Management and Development firm for over six years. Currently, Mr. Barnett oversees facility improvements and business expansion at LePort Schools. He is proud to be a part of bringing LePort’s unparalleled education to increasing numbers of children.
Lindsay Journo
Vice President of Academics
Mrs. Journo received her Honors B.A. and B.Ed. from York University, and her Honors Specialist Certification in the Teaching of English from the University of Toronto. Before joining LePort Schools in 2003, Mrs. Journo worked as an administrator and teacher of English and history at private schools in Toronto, Canada, where she specialized in writing curriculum, leading teacher training workshops and creating classroom resources. As Vice President of Academics, Mrs. Journo focuses on curriculum development and implementation for all of our schools, and oversees the schools’ academic staff.
Heike Larson
Vice President of Strategy & Outreach
Ms. Larson holds an undergraduate degree in business from the Koblenz School of Corporate Management in Germany, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. She was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, the international management consulting firm, and held senior positions in Marketing and Sales for two airplane manufacturers.
Ms. Larson discovered Maria Montessori’s ideas while in college, and decided back then to have her children attend Montessori schools. Over the years, as she learned more, her interest in the Montessori method only deepened. When her daughter started attending preschool, her discussions with other parents led her to discover that few others shared her appreciation of Montessori’s value—even at a Montessori School! As a result, she developed a deep passion for educating parents about the tremendous benefits that a proper Montessori education offers to young children.
In early 2010, Ms. Larson’s interest in education led her to discover LePort Schools, and she was impressed with the consistently high quality of their Montessori programs. When the opportunity arose, she took on the project of guiding the organization’s development of its new website. In the process, she became fascinated by LePort’s innovative approach to elementary education and pedagogy.
Today, Ms. Larson is responsible for overseeing and coordinating LePort’s parent education, outreach, and development programs. She is excited to help LePort share the value of its quality educational programs with a broader audience, in Orange County and beyond.
Rebecca Girn
General Counsel & Vice President of Human Resources
Rebecca Girn has been around Montessori schools since she was a child. She attended various East Coast Montessori schools through eighth grade. Later, while studying at the University of Chicago, she worked in several Montessori environments, both as an administrator and as a classroom assistant. Rebecca went on to earn her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, serving as an Articles Editor for the UCLA Law Review and earning a specialization in Business Law. She started her career practicing labor and employment law with a major law firm, but jumped at the opportunity to return to the Montessori world by joining LePort Schools. Rebecca loves the challenge of applying her skills and experience to the task of helping LePort achieve its worthy educational mission. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys cooking, theater, and exploring Orange County–she still marvels at the glorious California weather, compared with the snowstorms of the East Coast and Chicago!
Jesse E. McCarthy
Executive Advisor/History Teacher
Mr. McCarthy received his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied psychology and political science.
Shortly after graduation in 2003, Mr. McCarthy began working as an administrator at LePort Schools in Irvine (Lake), where he became familiar with the works of Maria Montessori and realized just what heights were possible for the field of education, for every child’s cognitive and emotional development. He discovered that the love of learning present in the early years of life does not have to fade as children progress through their schooling. In fact, he came to believe that the opposite can and should occur: that the excited, natural love of learning—toddlers searching every corner of their new world for thrilling discoveries, young children asking “Why?” about everything in sight—should only get stronger and deeper throughout life, from age 1 to 100 and beyond.
Mr. McCarthy eventually joined LePort’s elementary/junior high program in Mission Viejo, where he taught vocabulary and history, developing curriculum for both subjects. In 2008, he became the Academic Director of History, taking on the challenge of developing a comprehensive elementary and junior high history curriculum. During the 2010-11 school year, Mr. McCarthy stepped in as the Acting Head of School at our Mission Viejo campus. And in 2012, he officially joined our Leadership Team as LePort’s Executive Advisor, working on company-wide projects to help ensure that as LePort Schools grows and expands over the years, it stays steadfastly committed to offering an integrated, benevolent educational world like no other.
Jane Erickson, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Upper Elementary and Junior High
Dr. Erickson received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Yale University. During her study of cognitive development, Dr. Erickson had the opportunity to work with hundreds of children at a number of different elementary schools. She has lectured and published on issues in Developmental Psychology and has been sought after as an education consultant by well-recognized companies, including Hit Entertainment (creators of Dora the Explorer). In addition, she has received awards for her college-level teaching, including the prestigious Prize Teaching Award from Yale University.
Dr. Erickson oversees LePort’s Upper Elementary and Junior High programs, and is particularly focused on systematizing and codifying the different elements that make the program so uniquely effective. She is thrilled to be part of LePort’s talented team, and can think of nothing more rewarding than creating an educational system that enables children to gain a lasting understanding and deep appreciation for the world, as well as the confidence to pursue and succeed at any endeavor they choose for their future.
Support Team
Judi Chimits
Operations Coordinator & Outreach Liaison
Before having children, Judi worked as a publication coordinator and in the field of public relations. Long interested in early education, Judi entered Vanguard University to obtain her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology (emphasis in Human Development) in 2000, graduating in 2001. Still dissatisfied with the developmental philosophies she had learned in college, she began to study different methods of education—when she discovered the Montessori method. Judi joined LePort Schools in 2003, with the purchase of our Irvine (Lake) campus.
After witnessing firsthand the benefits of a Montessori education for her daughter, Judi began to realize what a tremendous opportunity the philosophy offered. She transferred to the Mission Viejo campus in 2007, working in the Administrative Offices.
Judi enjoys spending time with her husband of 15 years, Bob, and her daughters (both LePort students)! She can most often be found riding her bike, reading, camping, shopping, or shuttling her children to a variety of activities. Judi is also a Girl Scout leader, and coordinates several activities throughout the year to support the U.S. Marines serving around the world.
Cornelia Lockitch
Montessori Curriculum Coordinator
Mrs. Lockitch has been fortunate to have the opportunity to teach children from ages two through fourteen in a variety of settings. In 1995, she earned her Honors B.A. in Philosophy from the University of British Columbia, and, soon after, her AMI Primary diploma. After several years of leading a Primary class, Mrs. Lockitch earned her AMI Elementary diploma as well as her Masters of Education. Thereafter, she taught in both Montessori and private schools, guiding children and developing curriculum in a range of subject areas.
In 2005, Mrs. Lockitch stepped away from classroom teaching so that she could devote time to her own young children. During this period, she remained active as an educator through tutoring, consulting, and publishing a parenting newsletter that applied Montessori ideas to the home setting.
As LePort’s Montessori Curriculum Coordinator since 2010, Mrs. Lockitch guides curriculum projects, develops parent education materials, and works with the Montessori staff at all campuses to help make LePort an outstanding school.
Abe Pattee
Graphic & Web Designer / Webmaster
Mr. Pattee received a B.A. in Computer Science / Information Systems from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Before joining LePort, he was the Marketing Manager for 130-year-old company Duluth Pack, where he honed his ecommerce, online and print marketing skills. At LePort, Mr. Pattee works closely with the Vice President of Outreach to execute a broad range of efforts, both online and offline, all aimed at educating parents about the unique education offered by LePort Schools.
Mr. Pattee is uniquely qualified for this role. He was fortunate to have personally experienced the benefits of a Montessori education in elementary and middle school, and has been deeply immersed in the world of education throughout his life, as his immediate family includes two college professors and three teachers.
Mr. Pattee is excited to apply his marketing skills to enable more families to discover the high quality education available at LePort Schools. He’s looking forward to California winters in the 60’s, golfing year round, and being able to spend time at the beach with his wife.
Will Gonzalez
Human Resources Coordinator
Mr. Gonzalez currently serves as the Human Resources Coordinator at LePort Schools. He holds degrees in physics, aeronautical science, and law. Immediately after college, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and assigned to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. While on active duty, Mr. Gonzalez deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq where he held a variety of human resource positions. After being honorably discharged, he attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law and recently passed the California Bar Examination.
In his free time, Mr. Gonzalez enjoys exploring California on his Harley Davidson, volunteering at veterans organizations, and spending time with his family.
Elizabeth Fontana
Information Technology Coordinator
Ms. Elizabeth Fontana received a B.S. in Computer Science/Information Systems from Centre Technological University in Venezuela 1997, and has been in the Information Technology field ever since. Ms. Fontana also has both personal and professional connections with Montessori education! As the mother of three, Ms. Fontana discovered the Montessori method when she was researching educational options for her children. She fell in love with the idea of a rich academic program leading to independent children with strong problem solving skills and joyous engagement in the daily experience of learning. Since then, Ms. Fontana has done everything in her power to educate her three children in the best available Montessori programs. It was this desire which led her to an IT position with a group of three Montessori schools in Ohio, and then, when she and her family moved back to Southern California, it led her in turn to LePort Schools! In 2011, Ms. Fontana accepted a position with LePort Schools, and the next day enrolled her three children at LePort’s Huntington Beach campus!
On the personal side, Ms. Fontana grew up in a multilingual home, learned four languages, and married her lifelong sweetheart. She loves spending time with her family. She also loves golf, and has been playing since she was nine years old. As a teenager, she represented her country on the national golf team, bringing home a first place trophy!
Alexandria Negron
Operations Coordinator
Ms. Alexandria Negron received her B.A. in Business Administration with concentrations in both Marketing and Entertainment & Tourism Management from California State University, Fullerton. Upon graduating in 2009, she spent time searching for her calling, eagerly awaiting the right opportunity. During that time, she embarked on a trip to India and mentored a group of high school girls. Through these life-changing opportunities, she gained the desire for a meaningful career, and was thrilled when the opportunity arose to work for LePort Schools. In her free time, Alex enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Peter Dhiman
Operations Coordinator
Before joining LePort Schools, Peter worked for a national restaurant company as an Operations and Marketing Administrator. His education and background is in business, but he admires the Montessori philosophy. When not working, Peter enjoys spending time with his fiancée, trying new restaurants or watching movies. He also loves playing and watching sports with his childhood friends. Peter is honored to be working with LePort Schools.
Tiffany Reyes
Development Coordinator
Tiffany Reyes received her B.A. in International Business, with a language concentration in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies, from California State University, Fullerton. She has worked in the operations of several small businesses in the Orange County area and brings to LePort Schools a vast array of business experience. Tiffany is actively involved in her own children’s education. She has a passion for childhood learning and development. She has spent many years volunteering and working with preschool and school age children. Tiffany lives near the beach, and she enjoys running, music, dancing and yoga. She especially enjoys supporting and following her children’s sports and activities.
Darshee Shah, CPA
Financial Controller
Ms. Darshee Shah joined LePort Schools with over eight years of experience in public accounting, specializing in taxation and audit. In 2001, Darshee received her B.A. from the University of Mumbai, India with a dual-major in taxation and accounting. She stayed in India for her initial professional experience, then later moved to California, where she earned her CPA license, and continued to expand her range of expertise in taxation and other areas of accounting.
When Ms. Shah decided to make a career change to private accounting, she was thrilled to discover LePort Schools. Here, she is able to apply the full range of her skills in providing critical financial services and guidance to an incredible network of schools.
When away from work, Darshee loves spending time with friends and family, cooking, and traveling with her husband, Vishal, a Manager at Deloitte Consulting.
Tien Nguyen
Bookkeeper
Tien Nguyen graduated from California State University Fullerton, where she majored in Computer Information Systems. Ms. Nguyen has experience in bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, database design, systems design, and website design.
Here at LePort, Ms. Nguyen is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, and other financial transactions activities. She works closely with our Financial Management personnel in helping to provide critical financial services. Ms. Nguyen is honored to be working with LePort Schools.
In her free time, Ms. Nguyen enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and teaching.
Jennifer Greaux
Academic Department Support
Ms. Williams was first introduced to Maria Montessori’s method in college while assisting an AMI teacher in a lower elementary classroom. Throughout her college career, Ms. Williams continued to work as an assistant at both the primary and elementary levels. Inspired and curious she then became motivated to pursue her certification. Ms. Williams received her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Education Center of Arizona in 1999. She also holds a B.S. in Speech and Language Pathology from Arizona State University.
Ms. Williams possesses a deep admiration and appreciation for the Montessori Method, believing that it is very fulfilling to help children develop, acquire knowledge, and build character.
Audrey Kelly
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Audrey Kelly had the good fortune to be introduced to Montessori as a child through her mother’s small school in the Chicago suburbs. Later, her family relocated to sunny Southern California, where Audrey attained her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at California State University, San Marcos. She went on to manage operations in a variety of industries including film and live event production, investment banking and real estate development.
After becoming a mother, Audrey actively pursued an employment opportunity that would be fulfilling to her and her family. She sought out LePort for open positions and was thrilled to bring her journey full circle back to Montessori. She is also delighted that her own children are able to share the LePort experience as students.
In her free time, Audrey enjoys spending time with her family and friends and experiencing all that California has to offer. She loves to “get off the beaten path” and hardly ever misses a chance for a good road trip.
Jacquelyn Moss
Outreach & Operations Coordinator
Originally from Ohio, Ms. Jacquelyn Moss has spent most of her career in the Montessori world. She worked for several years with the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association (NAMTA), a Montessori teachers’ organization affiliated with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). With NAMTA, Ms. Moss planned national conferences and events for Montessori teachers. She also coordinated the travel and display of a touring exhibit, showcasing 100 years of Montessori education around the world. More recently before joining LePort Schools, Ms. Moss worked for four years as the Administrator of the Montessori Institute of San Diego, both in the Institute’s AMI-affiliated Teacher Training Center, and in its model Children’s House. Ms. Moss brings to LePort a wealth of knowledge and experience, both about the Montessori method and about school administration. She earned her B.S. in Journalism Ohio University.
