Colette Assaf- Montessori Academy
Founder and Director of Montessori Academy, Colette Assaf is a migrant success story shaped by resilience, faith, and a steadfast belief in the power of education. From surviving war in Lebanon to building Australia’s largest Montessori early education provider, she has devoted her life to giving every child access to quality early learning and every educator the chance to thrive. Her journey from adversity to national influence now stands as a model of visionary leadership, making her a deserving winner of the Medium to Large Business Category.
Q: What was Colette Assaf’s early life like?
A: Colette grew up amid the Lebanese Civil War, experiencing displacement, the loss of her home, and separation from her family before they were rescued and granted asylum in Australia. Despite ongoing challenges — poverty, language barriers, and attending nine different schools — the support of caring teachers and the stability of education shaped the mission that would define her future.
Q: What inspired Colette to start Montessori Academy?
A: Colette’s inspiration came from a single, defining encounter: meeting a five‑year‑old Montessori‑educated child whose confidence and independence stood out immediately. Motivated by that moment, she and her husband purchased a small Montessori kindergarten in Croydon, NSW in 2000. With no background in early education, she immersed herself in Montessori philosophy, compliance, and operations while raising young children, laying the groundwork for the organisation she would later build.
Q: What challenges did she face building the business?
A: The early years were financially and emotionally taxing. Colette and her husband poured their life savings into the business and borrowed against their home, only to see their first centre operate at a loss at a time when Montessori education was still widely misunderstood in Australia. A shortage of Montessori‑trained educators added further pressure, prompting her to create internal training programs and eventually establish the Australian Montessori College to build a sustainable workforce pipeline.
Q: How has Montessori Academy grown over time?
A: From one centre in Croydon, Montessori Academy has grown into an international early education network of more than 68 centres across Australia and China.
Today, the organisation supports over 7,000 children annually and employs more than 2,000 early childhood professionals. Over the past 25 years, Montessori Academy has supported more than 100,000 families and become Australia’s largest privately owned Montessori education provider.
Colette and Charles Assaf at the 36th EBA
Q: What impact does Montessori Academy have on community?
A: Community impact sits at the core of Montessori Academy’s mission. The organisation has donated more than $1 million to charities and community initiatives and funded over 100 educational scholarships.
Through its charity, Montessori Child and Family Services, and initiatives like the Montessori First Nations Program, the organisation supports vulnerable communities through education, food relief, and crisis support.
Q: What is Colette’s vision for the future?
A: Colette’s vision is to expand access to Montessori education nationally and internationally, with plans to grow to more than 250 centres and support over 550,000 children in the next decade.
Her long-term goal is to create intergenerational education models that combine early learning, aged care, and community services — building a legacy of education, inclusion, and opportunity for future generations.
