Tasha C. Ring, Founder and Director
Ms. Ring leads the vision, systems, and culture of Meridian’s lab schools and broader community resources. A licensed educator and veteran microschool leader with years of teaching and tutoring experience, she also serves as the Lead Mentor for Meridian’s mentorship programs, supporting fellow educators and founders across the country and internationally. Her broad experience in the education field has included sales, marketing and administrative roles with Kaplan, Inc. and Pearson Education, but her passion remains grounded in working with students and guides as a teacher, leader, and mentor. Her desire to create more personalized, developmentally aligned learning experiences led her to found Meridian Learning in 2008. An early and consistent advocate of a ‘less is more’ approach to learning, she is honored to be among the first innovators of the microschool movement and is widely regarded as a thought leader in education that centers human development.
Ms. Ring completed her Master’s in Education at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, through an integrated program that combined Montessori graduate training across developmental stages with traditional teacher training and certification. She received an Early Childhood credential from the American Montessori Society, and has extensive training in several methods of reading and language instruction, including Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood-Bell®. Since 2013, her continued professional studies have included mindfulness, intentional communities, and research related to human development and culture. With a background in dance, movement programming, and arts management, she remains a strong advocate for the arts and their value in learning and life.
In addition to her work with Meridian Learning, Ms. Ring has written for various publications and websites including The Huffington Post and BabyCenter. In 2017, she started a minimalist Montessori microblog, accompanied by an online community focused on Montessori practice in the 21st century. Currently, she shares reflections on education and entrepreneurship in the Substack publication, Mindful Microschools.
Alongside her professional work, she is also a mother to three children, a role that continues to shape her perspective on learning, leadership, and the realities of family life.
Hokyoung Kim, Meridian Montessori Guide
Ms. Kim received her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Xavier University and early childhood credential from American Montessori Society. She has taught in a Montessori classroom for over 20 years, with much of her teaching experience at Garden Montessori School in Anderson Township. Ms. Kim grew up in South Korea and came to the United States after she graduated from college. While at Xavier to learn English, she became interested in Montessori Education. She lives in Mt. Washington where she enjoys observing nature and working with gardens. She also takes classes in Zumba and Yoga and shares these passions with the children in our classroom. She loves to see how each child grows and loves to help them as they do so.
Marie Owen, Meridian Micro School Guide
Ms. Owen is currently completing her Montessori elementary training through IMT. After studying elementary education at Utah State University, she worked with children and families in a variety of settings, including after-school programs, a licensed in-home childcare program, youth camps, and community activities. She later continued her studies in zoology through Oregon State University. Drawing from both Montessori and Waldorf traditions, she has a deep appreciation for nature and hands-on learning. In her free time, she enjoys running, strength training, coaching youth athletics, spending time outdoors, and being with her husband and five children.
Ben Charneski, Meridian Micro Farm Guide
Mr. Charneski completed his bachelor’s degree at Miami University in philosophy and sustainability and is a certified environmental educator. His academic interests centered on human nature, environmental relationships, and the ways people interact with the world. Prior to joining Meridian, Mr. Charneski worked with students in grades 5–12 in a range of learning settings, including substitute teaching and driver education. Additionally, he brings experience in landscaping and gardening. He values learning environments where students work independently, ask questions, and engage in real-world projects. Outside of work, Mr. Charneski enjoys time with his family and exploring nature. He also keeps an active painting studio and is a recording musician.
Jim Tucker and Michael Thompson, Art Co-Guides
Jim Tucker and Michael Thompson are professional artists working out of Studio Beechmont in Mt. Washington. Their professional journey has been intertwined with Cincinnati’s vibrant arts community. They have lent their expertise to numerous local organizations, including ArtWorks, ArtsWave, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Contemporary Art Center. Mr. Tucker and Mr. Thompson come to Meridian with a collective fifteen-plus years of educational experience.
Clinton Pratt, Music Guide
Mr. Pratt has been teaching piano and music to students of all ages for almost 25 years. He has a Master’s degree in Music and is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through MTNA. He holds the title of Master Teaching Artist from the American Eurhythmics Society which allows him to not only teach Eurhythmics classes to students, but also to train other teachers at workshops all over the country. Mr. Pratt is the owner and director of Piano Sensei Studio which has over 70 weekly private piano students.
Philip Green, Forest Guide
Mr. Green guides Forest Fridays at Meridian Micro School. He received his degree in Plant Biology from Ohio University. He was unschooled as a child and is an outdoor enthusiast. He works with children at his “Forest Unschool” based in Batavia and also as a volunteer for 4H and the Clermont County Park district. His approach is play-based and child-led, following the interests of children as well as the rhythm of nature.
Rob Schramm, Maintenance and Tech Support
Mr. Schramm, better known as Mr. Rob, designs and builds furniture for our lab schools, helps maintain the indoor and outdoor learning spaces, and assists with projects at Meridian Micro Farm. An accomplished IT consultant and senior systems engineer, he also contributes to our technology explorations. He believes the Montessori approach within a microschool model to be the key to success in modern society.