the official website for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North Americasm

Meet the Board of Trustees

 
 
VC_headshot
Board President
From both her education and work experience, Valerie brings a keen understanding of the responsibilities of trustees and the very important role effective boards can play in the success of an organization. She was a Trustee on the Chicago Waldorf School Board from 2011-2017, during which time she served as the Chair of the Development Committee, Secretary of the Board and then as President & Chair of the Board from 2013-2016. She also brings the invaluable organizational and strategic experience gained from her years as a consultant and broker for Aon Financial Services Group.  She has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BA in International Studies from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She and her husband Peter have 3 children Caroline (’18), Charlie and Gigi who have been, or currently are, students at the Chicago Waldorf School. When not in Chicago, Valerie and her family spend as much time as possible in Vermont biking, hiking and skiing in the Green Mountains.
Colleen Everhart
Board Vice President
Colleen  has been on the AWSNA Board of Trustees since 2014. She is currently serving as the Vice-President and Chair of the Committee on Trustees for the board. Colleen also served on AWSNA's Leadership Council for the Great Lakes Region between 2008-2017. She was a Chicago Waldorf School Faculty Member between 1991-2017 where she taught High School Humanities/Theatre and Early Childhood, and served as the chair of the HS Chair, Early Childhood and College of Teachers. Previous to her Chicago Waldorf School career, Colleen was a professional actor, appearing in numerous stage, TV and film productions for over 20 years. She is currently living in North Carolina and is enjoying guest teaching and mentoring/evaluating teachers and programs in various Waldorf schools around North America. Colleen is also the proud parent of a CWS Waldorf alum, Avi Bowie, '98.
JB-headshot
Board Treasurer
Jeff is a former Business Manager at the Waldorf School of Orange County (California).  Jeff has a diverse business background including senior-level experience with public companies, in public accounting, and in private practice as a CPA.  Jeff earned his Bachelor of Arts from The University of The South (Sewanee, TN) in Psychology and Economics, and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from the Keller Graduate School of Management (Chicago, IL).  Jeff is a licensed CPA in California and Ohio.  He currently resides in Southern California with his wife Carrie and their two younger daughters.  Jeff is blessed with four children (3 daughters and a son).
headshot
Board Secretary
Chuck currently serves on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton & Hamilton, where he is an executive member and Chair of the Governance Committee (since 2012). He previously served on the Board of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce Burlington (2015-2018) and as a member and then Chair of the Halton Waldorf School (1995 – 2000).  Chuck received a Master’s degree in industrial relations and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Toronto.  He obtained the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation in 2012 from The Directors College, a joint venture of McMaster University and The Conference Board of Canada.  Chuck is a management consultant specializing in strategic planning, Human Resources, Labour Relations and Ethics/Harassment Investigations.  He's held executive positions with Human Resource accountability in multiple industries including national gas, automotive, consumer goods, and aerospace with responsibilities in Canada and the United States. Chuck and his partner Nancy are the parents of two Waldorf alumni – Stephanie and Shannon Conlon.
Cathie Foote
Trustee Member At Large

Cathie served as the School Administrator at the Calgary Waldorf School (CWS) for twelve years and now serves as a mentor to the school's Administrative Leadership Team.  Cathie also served for twenty years on the CWS Board of Directors, as President, Past-President, Secretary, and member at large.  Her daughter Kate attended Preschool through Ninth Grade at the Calgary Waldorf School, and then graduated from the High School at the Toronto Waldorf School. Before Cathie's Waldorf school administration career, she worked for 25 years as a social worker, counsellor, mediator and researcher, primarily with children and their families in medical settings and with bereaved parents.  She also taught in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary.  Cathie has an Honours BA in Sociology, an MA in Sociology, and an MSW, all from the University of Calgary, and she is an RSW with the Alberta College of Social Workers.

Keelah Helwig
Trustee Member At Large

Keelah is an early childhood educator and chair of the EC program at the Waldorf School of Garden City (WSGC), where she is also an alum and alumni parent. There she has served as Chair of the College of Teachers and is a founding and continuing member of the WSGC's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Committee. In addition to joining AWSNA's board, Keelah has also joined the board of WECAN. Keelah is proud to be a founding member of the Sunbridge Institute Diversity Scholarship Fund Committee, where she also serves as a board member. Keelah is also engaged as a DEIJ practitioner, consulting with Waldorf schools with her colleagues at Alma Partners.

headshot
Trustee Member At Large
Charlene has been a Waldorf parent for 25 years, including serving about 15 years on two Waldorf school boards. She is the mother of Linden, Stone and Ivy, all thriving Waldorf alumni. Charlene is an attorney in Denver, Colorado, specializing in family, landlord/tenant, estate law. This is her third career; previously she worked in international trade and finance in New York and in international non-profit management.  In addition to serving on the AWSNA board, Charlene continues to serve on the Denver Waldorf School board. She also offers pro bono legal services to the indigent, and provides home-cooked meals to a woman's shelter.
Renita LiVolsi
Trustee Member At Large

Renita is the Director of Inclusivity and Community Building at Katherine Delmar Burke School in San Francisco. Renita has dedicated her career to creating access, inclusivity, and community in a variety of institutions which include non-profits, government, and education.  A native of Detroit, she attended The Detroit Waldorf School from kindergarten through tenth grade. Renita continued her Waldorf education at High Mowing, the only Waldorf boarding school in the US. She obtained a B.A. degree in European History and Literature from Franklin University Switzerland, a certificate for French proficiency from The Alliance Française Diplome de Langue, and a Certificate in Teaching English from Cambridge University. She has a Juris Doctor Degree from New College of California School of Law.  In 2000, Renita moved to San Francisco where she and her husband Jack, enjoy traveling, cooking, hiking, and all the opportunities the Bay Area has to offer.

Victoria Reyes
Trustee Member At Large

Victoria is co-chair for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee as well as the Chair of the Humanities and World Languages Department at Austin Waldorf School, where she is a member of the AWS College of Teachers and also a parent. She holds a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Latin American Studies, both from the University of Texas. She has a Waldorf HS Teaching Certificate from Rudolf Steiner College, a Level I program diploma from the Spacial Dynamics Institute, and is a member of the Pedagogical Section Council. Victoria is originally from Colombia.

Ex-Officio

 
Rebecca Moskowitz
Executive Director, Advancement
 
Melanie Reiser
Executive Director, Membership
 
Stephanie Rynas 
Executive Director, Operations & Member Resources