Title: Head of School, Founder
Company: The Renaissance International School
Location: Oakland, CA United States

Born in Colombia, Leslie Hites spent a good part of her childhood and adolescence in Italy, with a three year interlude in Washington DC and Chile. From Rome, she moved to Belgium, where she studied communication at the Université de Louvain. After moving to the United States and searching for the best education that would allow her six children to develop their potential, Ms. Hites came across the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. The rest, as they say, is history.

Based on her findings, Ms. Hites founded The Renaissance International School in 1992, and continues as head of school today. The institution is a tri-lingual Montessori school that provides a multicultural and multilingual environment with a strong emphasis on the arts. With campuses in Oakland and Piedmont, California, the mission of the program is to help children, from their toddler years through middle school, become compassionate, capable, confident and creative individuals who are prepared to succeed at life in high school, college and beyond.

The biggest challenge Ms. Hites has faced is helping people understand that, as a globally diverse population, the more we communicate with people through language, the greater the understanding of different cultures. This leads to fewer barriers and an enhanced mind. Ms. Hites is proud of the fact that she set up an environment that honors every child for who they are, and attributes her success to her ability to understand people regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs. She would like to continue on her path moving forward, and hopes to be remembered for celebrating others.

Ms. Hites currently serves on the board of trustees for The NewGate Field School, a model school of the Montessori Foundation in Sarasota, Florida, and the board of the International Montessori Council. Additionally, she is a parent educator, coach and trainer for the International Network of Children and Families, and a member of The International Women’s Leadership Association. Ms. Hites regularly teaches an eight-week Redirecting Children’s Behavior course to Bay Area Parents, and supports Physicians Without Boarders, UNICEF, and HEIFFER. When she has spare time, she enjoys reading, music, and the outdoors. She also loves to spend time with her children and 11 grandchildren.

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