Board of Trustees

The Board Executive Committee (BEC) is composed of the non-employee Officers of the BOT and meets monthly to set the agenda for each BOT meeting. The BEC performs oversight of the administration and operation of the School as part of the responsibility of the BOT to support the CWS Mission. The Administrative Director and the College Chair alert the BEC to any issues that require BOT attention. As necessary, the BEC acts on behalf of the full BOT on time-sensitive or urgent matters that arise between BOT meetings. The Administrative Director provides regular reports on administrative matters, including the work of the Management Team. The Board Chair brings content from the weekly SEC meetings. Officers bring reports from the committees of the BOT. This committee supports the Board Chair as needed and collaborates with College members in the planning of Leadership retreats. The BEC, in consultation with the Management Team, evaluates the Administrative Director. The BEC works closely with the Administrative Director in setting his/her goals, and offers ongoing and regular guidance in the performance of his/her duties. Dana Hegedorn (President, BOT Chair), John Figiel (BOT Vice Chair), Dan Hoffmann (BOT VP, Advancement Committee Co-chair), Claire Howard (BOT VP), Brad Mulcahey (BOT Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair), Joe Mulherin (BOT Secretary).

The Advancement Committee assists the BOT in carrying out its responsibility to raise the funds needed for the School to fulfill its Mission and pursue its strategic goals. This committee works with the Development Director to establish development goals and strategies, coordinate all fundraising efforts for the School, and actively solicit contributions to the School. Dan Hoffmann (BOT VP, Committee Co-chair), Melissa Gordon (Committee Co-Chair, PTO Liaison), Amy Kahn (Trustee, Alum Parent), Matt Eging (Trustee), Lara Blumstein (Trustee), Becky Moskowitz (Advancement Director), Luke Goodwin (AD), Sally Rosenthal (Parent), Jennifer Noe (Parent), Melissa Bradley (Parent), Emily Jenkins (Parent), Ileana Valencia (College).

The Audit Committee assists the BOT in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities regarding the School’s financial reporting process, audit process, and internal controls. This committee monitors the School’s management of risk and compliance with laws, regulations, and fiduciary obligations. Joe Mulherin (Committee Chair, BOT Secretary), Bob Wild (past BEC VP).

The Committee on Trustees assures that the BOT has an appropriate constellation of membership by identifying, recruiting and nominating new Trustees, and coordinating plans for leadership succession. This committee manages the orientation of new Trustees, and coordinates the training and development of the entire BOT. Karen Anderson (Committee Chair, Trustee), Dana Hegedorn (BOT Chair), Tarah Hartung (PTO Liaison), Becky Moskowitz (Advancement Director), Luke Goodwin (AD).

The Capital Campaign Committee (CCC) develops and executes the strategy for the School’s Capital Campaign, raising the funds needed to purchase, renovate, lease or build a permanent campus for the School. This group of highly visible CWS leaders coordinates and manages the collaborative work of the BOT and its Committees, the School Administration, the Faculty and volunteers in support of the campaign. Valerie Colis (Past BOT Chair), Dan Hoffmann (BOT VP, Advancement Committee Co-chair), Becky Moskowitz (Advancement Director), Luke Goodwin (AD).

The Finance Committee assists the BOT in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the financial affairs of the School. This committee works with the Finance Director to review and monitor the financial performance of the School on a monthly basis, generate balanced operating, hiring and capital budgets, enforce adherence to those budgets, ensure sound financial operations and management of assets, and develop finance-related policies and procedures that serve the long-range goals of the School.Brad Mulcahey (Committee Chair, BOT Treasurer), Claire Howard (BOT VP), Joe Clary (Trustee), Valerie Colis (Past Board Chair, parent), Jim (extended community member), Margarita Slavina (Faculty), Luke Goodwin (AD), Alicia Larrieu-Ward (Finance Director), Erin Gutierrez (Finance Associate, Recording Secretary).

The Investment Sub-Committee is a subcommittee of the Finance Committee. It recommends to the BOT how the School should invest its endowment funds and what amount of return on investment the school should use in its yearly operating budget; monitors the investment portfolio’s return, including setting investment objectives and meeting with the professional adviser; periodically reports to the BOT on the endowment’s performance.

The Marketing Committee assists the Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications Directors in fulfilling their responsibilities for increasing awareness of the Chicago Waldorf School in Chicago area and to communicate (and advocate) the School’s value to potential new applicants and parents. Kiah Shapiro (Committee Chair, Alum), Adam King (Trustee), Luke Goodwin (AD), Skip Palka (Parent), Anne Wagner (Parent), Al Wyatt (Parent), Nikoleta Kravchenko (Parent), Johanna Welch (College), Madeline Fex (Marketing Director), Laura Grenholm (Enrollment Director), Jason Greenberg (Communications Director).

The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) assists the BOT in fulfilling its responsibility to make sure the School has healthy and constructive relationships with the entire CWS community. The PTO is the formal social structure for all adults in the School community and exists to both provide a quality framework for and actively encourage the school community to participate in the life of the school. The PTO works in collaboration with the BOT, the College of Teachers, the Administrative Director and the non-college Faculty members to plan, facilitate and communicate the work of the PTO. Judy Shaver Chungbin (Committee Co-chair), Sarah Mulcahey (Committee Co-chair), Tarah Hartung (Committee Co-chair), Judy Shaver Chungbin (Committee Co-chair), David Blood (PTO Liaison), Melissa Gordon (PTO Liaison), Katherine Rogers (HS Faculty Liaison), Tom McCarthy (HS Faculty Liaison), Ileana Valencia (GS Faculty Liaison & College), Sue Smock-Lawson (EC Faculty Liaison), PTO class representatives.

The Campus Committee identifies the critical physical space needs for the future growth of the School, develops a vision and strategy for a permanent campus that meets those needs, and to supports and collaborates with the Administrative Director in the creation and execution of a permanent campus project plan. This committee also oversees the work of the School toward meeting its immediate physical space needs at its current campus.Dana Hegedorn (BOT Chair), Mike Rosenthal (Past BOT Vice President), Valerie Colis (Past BOT Chair), Peter Livaditis (Parent), Joe Clary (Trustee), Luke Goodwin (AD), John Trevillion (College Chair).

The Governance Committee documents and reviews the School’s collaborative governance agreements and recommends changes as needed.John Figiel (Committee Co-Chair, BOT Vice Chair), Frances Vig (Co-Chair & College), Dana Hegedorn (BOT Chair), Tarah Hartung (PTO-Liaison), Valerie Colis (Past BOT Chair), Mike Motyka (Past BOT Chair), Luke Goodwin (AD), John Trevillion (College Chair), Carol Triggiano (College, Past College Chair).

The Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC) works to raise awareness and to facilitate collaborative and effective efforts among the school’s decision-making bodies and administration to pursue its strategic goals of Inclusion & Diversity.The IDC supports the work of the College of Teachers, the BOT, and the Administration to build and sustain an inclusive school culture by examining policies and procedures in all areas of the school, and make recommendations to the College and the BOT. Chris Kuck (Committee Co-Chair, College), Open Trustee Co-chair, Andrea Shaffer (Faculty), Karen Brennan (Faculty), Christy Galyon (Parent), Lauren Pilgrim (Parent), Olivia McCloskey (Parent), Nancy Szymanski (College), Jenn Zielinski (Associate Enrollment Director), Luke Goodwin (AD), John Trevillion (College Chair).