About Montessori Makers

Montessori Makers, based in Chicago, was founded with a clear purpose: to bring structure, clarity, and courage to modern Montessori schools.
What began as a consulting practice has evolved into a movement — one that helps schools align philosophy with practice, mission with systems, and peace with action.

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We partner with Montessori programs across the country to refine environments, strengthen practice, and build sustainable structures that let educators focus on what matters most: children. Our work spans diagnostics, strategic planning, coaching, and leadership development — all grounded in Montessori principles and a deep commitment to equity.

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At its heart, Montessori Makers exists to make the work work — to help schools move beyond survival toward coherence, belonging, and joy.

 

About the Founder

Hannah Richardson has spent more than two decades in Montessori education — as a guide, coach, coordinator, consultant, and Head of School. She has led programs ranging from 90 to nearly 800 students, across independent, public, and charter sectors, and overseen multimillion-dollar budgets and large-scale organizational change.

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Hannah’s leadership is defined by her ability to turn vision into systems. She has built schools from the ground up, supported leaders through transformation, and created pathways that connect Montessori philosophy to modern organizational practice.

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She’s also the founder of Montessori Makers Learning, which extends this mission through professional learning, decodable books, and family education; Montessori Makers at Home, which brings Montessori to families everywhere; and Montessori Makers Merch, which shares Montessori’s message through design and apparel.

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A board member with The Peace Rebellion and Indigo Montessori, Hannah is trained in anti-bias, anti-racist (ABAR) practice and integrates it into every level of her work. She has completed doctoral coursework in Early Childhood Education (PhD ABD), grounding her approach at the intersection of education, systems, and social transformation.

 

What We Believe

• Montessori is a movement, not a method.

• Justice is peace in action.

• Systems are what make sustainability possible.

• When adults are aligned, children thrive.