Board of Directors

Heather Barger, Founder and Teacher Leader at The Montessori Field School

Heather was born and raised in Southern Indiana. She spent her childhood playing in its woods and creeks, and now, as a mom, is so happy for her kids to do the same. Heather has been a Montessori educator since 2011. She has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education, Masters in Education with a Montessori Emphasis, and Montessori credential. She loves traveling and spent a year establishing a new Montessori school in Shanghai, China. When Heather’s not bringing her dream of a Montessori forest school to reality, you can find her on an outdoor adventure with her husband, Zach, and two young children, William and Hazel. She co-founded the Montessori Field School, a Montessori-Forest School and member of the Wildflower network in St. Francis, Indiana.

Ann Marie Faust, PhD Biologist

Ann Marie Faust is a Senior Principal Scientist at Novartis Biomedical Research in Cambridge, MA. She has a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. She has taught biology courses at the university level at UC Berkeley, Berkeley City College, and Novartis Learning. She has experience with project management in drug discovery and in Massachusetts homeschooling regulations. Ann Marie has also been a community organizer in Eastern Massachusetts since 2021. 

Mary Jirmanus Saba, PhD Geographer

Mary Jirmanus Saba is a geographer, filmmaker and educator whose artistic practice bridges community organizing, land stewardship and household labor. Her multidisciplinary works have shown and been awarded widely at festivals, galleries and community spaces, from the Berlinale in Germany, to the ICA in London, the Busan International Film Festival in Korea and Anthology Film Archives in New York. She holds a PhD in Geography from UC Berkeley, and is currently a University of California Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

James McGovern, Educator

James McGovern recently retired after more than 25 years as an educator. While he spent most of his career as an upper elementary school teacher, he also worked as a behavior support specialist, an after-school program leader, and a paraprofessional.  James holds a BFA from Mass Art and a Masters of Education from Wheelock College. As a founding member of a democratically-run progressive public school, the Mission Hill School, James’s classroom design and student-centered pedagogy has been featured in various film and print media. As a trained artist, one of James’s passions is creating unique classroom spaces that encourage democratic process, social- emotional wellness and ongoing inquiry. James has supervised and recruited scores of student teachers and has appeared as a guest lecturer at Schools of Education throughout the Boston area. In retirement, James is an avid fan of science fiction and horror film, blogs frequently on these genres, and is in the process of building a museum for his collection of classic monster toys. In addition, he is actively involved in multiple progressive causes about which he engages in frequent, spirited debate on social media. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his rescue dogs and his wife and working in his backyard creating relaxing, natural spaces.

Lindsey McGovern, Educator and School Administrator

Lindsey McGovern is a dedicated, creative and hands-on teacher and educational leader with a background in curriculum, instruction, and assessment for diverse student needs. A lifelong learner, she holds a Masters degree in secondary curriculum and instruction from Boston College and a CAES (certificate of advanced educational specialization in educational leadership and policy, also from Boston College and has completed extensive additional training.  She is licensed as a special education administrator, superintendent, English teacher, history teacher and special education teacher. She has worked as a teacher, special education administrator, and education director in public and private school settings, and has served as a Section 504 Coordinator, Civil Rights Coordinator, and Title IX Coordinator. At the university level, she supervised student teachers, assisted in educational research, and co-taught graduate courses in education with an emphasis on universal design for learning (UDL). Lindsey has also worked at the state level, providing complaint resolution to parents and monitoring school systems across the Commonwealth for compliance with federal program areas. Lindsey currently teaches English at one of Massachusetts’s two public virtual schools. She is a fierce advocate for equity in education and is actively involved in disability and mental health advocacy work. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and rescue dogs, walking on the beach and reading fiction. She has never turned down a cup of strong coffee.

Noel Sanders, Disability Rights Advocate

Noel Sanders, Disability Advocate and Senior Organizer Boston Center for Independent Living, Organizer at City Life Vida Urbana.  Also an experienced Outdoor Educator, she has led rock climbing, hiking, and camping excursions to create spaces of belonging and facilitate team building.