The Team

Maria Plancarte

Maria’s Profile Maria Plancarte was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduate from the University of Utah. She began teaching in 2015 at Rose Park Elementary where she is the lead teacher in an Early Childhood/Kindergarten Montessori classroom. Maria comes from a family of five and has a very cute dog named Nala. She enjoys doing many things, among them are hiking, and trying new foods. Maria also attended Rose Park Elementary, and was very excited when she received the opportunity to teach at the same school she attended. As a Montessori teacher, she has learned many things about a child’s abilities and interest to learn. Thanks to the Get REAL! Project, the wonderful Montessori Method was brought to Rose Park, which allowed countless learning/hands on opportunities for the students. She is thankful to be a part of the partnership between the University of Utah and Rose Park, and is looking forward to a fabulous year in her beautiful Montessori classroom.

Jessica Domenick

Jessica Kornilakis has lived in New Jersey, Illinois, and California, but Utah is her favorite place to call home. She lives with her husband John, their dog Bill, and their rabbit Snowball. Snowball is a free range rabbit and comes to school with Jessica every day. Her students love him. When she is not at work, Jessica loves to cook, read, exercise, play board games and spend time outside with her family.

In 2011, Jessica received a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Westminster College. She then taught first grade for five years at Rose Park Elementary. Jessica loves being a part of the Rose Park Elementary community. She values building lasting relationships with her students and their families. In 2016 she went back to Westminster College to earn her Early Childhood Montessori Credential. She has been one of the lead Early Childhood Montessori teachers, at Rose Park Elementary, since the fall of 2016.

Jessica is so grateful that the Get REALl! project brought Montessori education to Rose Park Elementary; the first public Montessori program in Salt Lake City. She appreciates the Montessori philosophy and method because it supports the natural development of children. Additionally, Jessica is interested in and passionate about using the Peace and Cultural components of the Montessori Curriculum because they provide an excellent platform to address issues of Social Justice in her diverse classroom.

 Montessori Mentor and Consultant

Jess Rudd

Jessica completed her Master of Education degree and Montessori AMS Early Childhood credential through the Institute for Montessori Innovation at Westminster College. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Early Elementary Education from the University of Utah. Prior to joining the Elizabeth Academy staff, Jessica was an Early Childhood teacher at Dancing Moose Montessori School.

Teaching children has always been a passion of hers, and she wanted to find a more hands-on approach that followed the needs of each individual child instead of pursuing a career in traditional education. This is why Montessori education is so important to her. She teaches it, lives by it, and wants to share this type of education with the entire community.

Montessori Mentor and Consultant

Jessica Rawlings

Jessica has a Master of Education degree from Westminster College and a Bachelor degree in Theatre Arts with a Dance emphasis and a minor in Teaching English from Southern Utah University. She earned a Montessori Early Childhood credential in 2000 and thoroughly enjoyed teaching 3-6 year olds for 15 years. Jessica is passionate about the Montessori method and philosophy and loves her work as the Head of School at Elizabeth Academy.

Jessica worked as an adjunct professor for Westminster College’s Institute for Montessori Innovation and serves as a consultant for the GET REAL! project at the University of Utah, helping to train the next generation of Montessori teachers. She has also enjoyed teaching ballet to students of all ages.

Jessica has been married for 30 years and has two teenage children who have benefited from their Montessori education. In her free time, Jessica enjoys walking and hiking, reading books of all genres, and taking ballet classes.

Inclusion Director

Katy Hastings

Katy has a Master of Special Education degree from the University of Nevada and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from San Diego State University, and is in the process of completing her coursework and supervision hours to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She also has a Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), and has experience developing, creating lesson plans and implementing a communicative approach that integrates listening, speaking, reading, writing, structural and functional skills. 

Katy also has experience as a music and movement teacher, choreographing group dance routines and designing costumes and sets for musical performances, and as a health and fitness teacher. Her hobbies include traveling, skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking and hiking with her husband Scot and their dogs Phoebe and Zoey.

Mary D. Burbank

Mary D. Burbank is the Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Director of the Urban Institute for Teacher Education in the College of Education at the University of Utah. She holds the rank of Clinical Professor where she has been a faculty member since 1994.

In addition to her work with secondary preservice teachers, her teaching, research, and service interests include the identification of pathways to higher education for under-represented students and families. She has worked in collaboration with Colleges, Departments, Districts, and Community Stakeholders for over 20 years.

Gail S. Williamsen

Executive Director - Elizabeth Academy

Gail Williamsen, along with her husband Thom, founded the Elizabeth Academy in 2008. Gail was born and raised in Salt Lake City and attended public schools, graduating from Highland High School. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah in English and her Master's Degree in Education from Westminster College in Salt Lake City.

Mandy Fuhriman

Director of Inclusion - Elizabeth Academy

Mandy currently serves as the Director of Inclusion and Program Development at Elizabeth Academy and Garfield School. She has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and Bachelor of Science Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Utah. Mandy has an AMS Early Childhood Montessori credential from the Institute for Montessori Innovation at Westminster College. Prior to joining the Elizabeth Academy Staff in 2012, Mandy worked as a special educator and an adaptive physical education instructor for the public school systems in both Utah and Arizona..