Selina Montone

I grew up in Nuremberg, Bavaria, but Portland has always held a special place in my heart. My dad was born and raised here before moving to Europe in his twenties, so I spent many holidays visiting my American family and grew up speaking both German and English.

I studied to become a middle school teacher at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, focusing on English. In December 2024, I came to Portland to be with family and complete an internship at GIS — little did I know it would turn into a full-time position and a big move across the ocean!

While my training was originally for older students, I’ve found so much joy working in early childhood education. Watching children grow, learn, and explore the world with curiosity and imagination has been one of the most rewarding parts of this chapter.

Working at GIS has been a truly joyful experience. I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome or a better first year as a full-time teacher. In many ways, I feel like I’m following in both of my parents’ footsteps: my mom is a teacher, and my dad once packed up and started a new life in a different country.

Outside of school, I love cooking and anything involving food, often with an audiobook playing in the background — the perfect combination. I’m so happy to be part of the GIS community!