Board of Trustees

The school is governed by the Austin Waldorf School Board of Trustees. Strategic in its scope, the Board of Trustees upholds and promotes the mission of the Austin Waldorf School, holding fiduciary responsibility for the school’s long-term health. Meeting agendas and minutes are available online.

Key areas of Board activity include:

  • Determining, as a member of the Vision Circle, the school’s vision, mission, values and purpose and staying true to them.
  • Selecting, supporting and evaluating the Head of School who has the responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the school.
  • Creating strategic plans and partnerships.
  • Ensuring legal and ethical integrity and maintaining accountability.
  • Exercising fiduciary responsibility and oversight.
  • Fearless fundraising.
  • Ensuring adequate human and financial resources.
  • Enhancing the school’s public standing.
  • Supporting, funding and monitoring the school’s programs and services.

To meet these challenges the Board and its committees are always looking for energetic and creative people who have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

Strategic Planning

Non-Profit Board Experience

Fundraising

Networking

Marketing and Communication

Legal

Waldorf Education

Finance and Investments

Real Estate

Human Resources

Site Development/Construction

Event Planning

The Board of Trustees is composed of up to 18 elected voting members. Members are elected by the Trustees on a rotating basis, for either two or three-year terms. A Trustee may be re-elected for up to three consecutive terms, but is not eligible for re-election for one year following the expiration of the third term.

Meetings are held approximately monthly beginning in August and are normally held on the second Monday of the month. Board members have a duty of loyalty and confidentiality.

Board members represent past, present and future generations, not specific constituencies. The Board is composed of current and alumni parents, faculty, staff, and members from outside the Austin Waldorf community.

To express an interest in serving on the Board of Trustees, or on one of its committees, please complete this application.

Board of Trustees

Committee Members

Executive Committee

Bryan Carruthers, Chair; Members: Mark Gerhardstein, Michael Johnson, Geoff Lawson, Katie Moran, Joel Paprocki, Enrique Paredes

Site Committee

Branson Fustes, Chair; Members: Bob Brockett, Suzanne Charioui, Justin Dill, Bryan Kent, Geoff Lawson, Deb Mann, John Maples, Roger Mueller, Susan Quinn

Finance Committee

Geoff Lawson, Chair; Members: Asena Atalik, Suzanne Charioui, Mark Gerhardstein, Michael Johnson, Micah Nicolo, Maiky Tran

Committee on Trustees

Joel Paprocki, Chair; Members: Marie-Helene Harlow

Development Committee

Jayme Bomben, Chair; Members: Caryn Carruthers, Frances Froude, Andrea Marquez, Katie Moran, Ann Orsinger, Nyk Rayne, Connie Rey Rodriguez Development Staff Liaison: Ashleigh Lang-Tolliver

Ad Hoc Real Estate Committee

Geoff Lawson, Chair; Members: Clint Bledsoe, Bryan Carruthers, Suzanne Charioui, Jason Long, John Maples

Ad Hoc Governance Committee

Carol Toole, Chair; Members: Tina DeSaussure, Terri Everett, Mark Gerhardstein, Marie-Helene Harlow, Katie Moran, Joel Paprocki, Enrique Paredes

Investment Committee

Mark Gerhardstein, Chair; Members: Suzanne Charioui, Rebecca Connor, Geoff Lawson, Richard Rincon, Tufic Salem, Jeremy Willis

“I appreciate the wholeness of development, with its focus on independence, problem solving, and full liberal arts exposure.”