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Trustees Council

The school is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. The school's financial and legal matters are guided by a Trustees Council. The Trustees Council (TC) is the unified governing body of the school legally responsible for its lawful operation, financial health and strategic direction.  This body has the long-term goals of the school at heart and works to secure the school as an entity within the broader community and state.  It exercises responsible oversight of the internal structure and management of the school, and delegates’ day-to-day management of the school to the Faculty Chair who is hired by the Trustees Council.  The members of the Trustees Council are drawn from all parts of the school community, including parents, faculty and friends. 

Ideally the Trustees Council has as its members a number of faculty that is close to, but does not succeed, 50% of the total number of trustees. Aside from faculty members who bring an in-depth knowledge of the pedagogy and an understanding of the entire school, trustees bring legal, development, financial, educational, architectural and political expertise to the Trustees Council. The usual route to membership on the Trustees Council is through service on a Board committee: Finance, Development, Site, Investment being four of the most active committees. The Trustees Council meetings are held monthly and are open to the school community. Please refer to the calendar for meeting dates.  The current members of the Trustees Council are:

  • Daniel Wacker, Chair
    B.S. Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1971. J.D., c.l., Harvard Law School, 1974. Visiting Fellow, East Asian Legal Studies, Harvard Law School, 1980-81. Member: NY and WI bars. Judge Advocate (Lt. Col., Ret.), USAF, active duty 1971-1980; reserve 1980-1998; served in France, Korea, England, and Germany. Office of General Counsel, Mobil Corporation, 1981-2000, with assignments in New York, Tokyo, London, and Fairfax, retired as Deputy Worldwide Managing Counsel. Served on boards of various foreign Mobil affiliates and on WWS Trustees Council since 2002.  Parent of two alumnae (Classes of 2006 and 2008).
  • Allison Fultz, Vice-Chair
    A.B., Princeton University, summa cum laude, 1984. M.Arch., Princeton University, 1986. J.D., American University Washington College of Law, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2004. Transportation, land use and construction law with Kaplan, Kirsch and Rockwell, LLP.  Licensed architect; practiced architecture in U.S. and Canada for 15 years.  Served on Montgomery County Board of Appeals, 2001-2008; Chair from 2004. Parent of one child attending WWS.
  • Nancy Hirshbein, Secretary
    Graduate of Rutgers College (BA) and The George Washington University law school. Lobbied on behalf of several national not-for-profit organization, specializing in health care issues and international development. Managed advocacy training programs for national and international organizations. After retiring from the political world, established an online retail business. Served on the Board of Directors of Acorn Hill: A Waldorf Kindergarten and Nursery and chaired its Diversity Committee and Parent Circle. Served as Washington Waldorf School Parent Organization co-chair for four years before joining the WWS Trustees Council in 2006. Currently a full-time volunteer, working for the Textile Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Washington Waldorf School. Parent of a Class of 2011 WWS graduate.
  • Jack Benson, Treasurer
    B.S., Colgate University, 1988; M.B.A., 1997 Darden Graduate School of Business at University of Virginia; Reingold, Inc. - Principal - marketing and communications firm 2007-Current; Varsity Group (NASDAQ: VSTY) - CFO, CIO, VP Operations – leading provider of online bookstore solutions and uniform needs for educational institutions nationwide 2000-2006. Birdwood Capital – Principal - venture consulting firm providing financial, strategic, marketing and operational expertise to companies in the communications, technology and Internet industries 1999-2000. Dean & Company – Associate - Strategic management consulting firm focused on financial services, technology, energy and retail industries 1997-1998. Parent of two WWS students. WWS alum (CG-3rd grade)
  • Barbara Buchman
    Education: BA  in Humanities from Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio, MEd  in Special Education University of Pittsburgh, Applied Arts Certificate Sunbridge College, Teacher Training Certificate, NOVA Institute Silver Spring, MD, Foundation Studies  Certificate Center for Anthroposophy, Keene, NH, Trustees Council, College of Teachers, AWSNA Delegate
  • Velma LaPoint
    Dr. Velma LaPoint, Professor, at the School of Education, Howard University teaches, conducts research, publishes, presents at conferences, and engages in consultation and service to organizations locally and nationally. She teaches undergraduate/undergraduate students, including pre-service teachers and human service specialists, in several courses: Diverse Youth of Color; Youth Placed at Risk and Their Resilience; Youth, Consumer Culture, and the Earth; and Expressive Therapies and Approaches in the Helping Professions. Earned degrees/training are: BS, elementary education/sociology (highest honors), University of Hartford; MA/PhD, counseling, Michigan State University; and child development post-doctoral research fellowships at the National Institute of Mental Health, NIH; Cornell University; and Emory University. Dr. LaPoint has been on the WWW Trustees Council since 2005.
  • Adrienne Paiewonsky
    BS, Carnegie Mellon University; MS w/Thesis, U of Maryland, College Park; Parent at WWS since 1999; mother of Sam Girdzis, Class of 2012. Joined Trustees Council in Fall 2010.  WWS committee participation has included Management Design Committee (current); ad hoc committee to look at architect candidates (2007); Governance Committee (2003-4); Co-Chair, Development Committee (2001-2); Co-Chair, Spring Gala and Auction Committee (2000-1).  Manager, Friday Morning Music Club Orchestra, 2003-2007. Stay at home mom since 1993. Work experience prior to that at The MITRE Corporation-- Member of the Technical Staff, Center for Advanced Aviation System Development; American Management Systems, Arlington, VA-- Programmer Analyst.
  • Linda Caro Reinisch
    B.A., German Studies, 1978, American University; Graduate Research Assistant, Education and Human Development/Intergenerational Learning, 1989-91, George Washington University; Co-Founder/Managing Director, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 1980-88; Vice President, League of Washington Theaters, 1986-88; Consultant, Non-Profit Administration, various organizations, 1988-2007; Adult Literacy/GED Teacher, PLAN (Push Literacy Action Now), 1988-90; Reading Tutor, For Love of Children, 1990-91; Program Evaluator, Even Start at Ketchem Elementary School, 1991-92; Executive Director, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, 1993-97; Managing Director, Zenith Community Arts Foundation, 2008-10. Served on various non-profit boards; on WWS Trustees Council since 2005. Fiber Artist and Musician. Parent of Isabel Twanmo, Class of 2014, and Cecilia Twanmo, Class of 2017.
  • Mary Robinson
    A.B., Brown University, 1976, Phi Beta Kappa; Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1981;  Founder and President, Capacity Partners, Inc., a strategy and fundraising consulting business serving nonprofits in Greater Washington (2002-present).  Previous positions include President of ES Solutions division of Marts & Lundy, national fundraising consulting firm; Product Manager, Wealth ID division, Thomson Financial Services, multi-national corporation; Co-owner, Dataplus Inc. software company; Middle School Head and French Department Chair, Sion Lower School.  Current board member of Montgomery Women, MD Nonprofits Standards of Excellence Reviewer, Leadership Montgomery Class of 2010, member of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washingotn,, appointed to the Montgomery County Technology Innovation Fund.  Mother of Nathan Robinson, WWS graduate 2009 and Evie Robinson, WWS student grades 1-6.
  • Chrissie Sant
    B.A., Dickinson College (International Studies) 1992, M.A. Wake Forest University (History) 2000. Waldorf early childhood coursework at Sophia's Hearth Early Childhood Center, the Rudolf Steiner Institute, and Lifeways Early Childhood Program.
  • David Scher
    B.S, Cornell University, 1989; Juris Doctor, Fordham University School of Law, 1993; Attorney, Sony Electronics Inc. 1995-1998; Staff Counsel, Computer Curriculum Corporation, 1998 - 1999; Senior Counsel, USWeb/CKS – marchFIRST, 1999 - 2000; Director of Business Development, eAssist Global Solutions, 2000 - 2001; Corporate Counsel, Intelligent Decisions, Inc., 2001 – 2003; Legal Consultant, Kroll Ontrack Inc., 2003 - 2005; Assistant General Counsel, Carfax, Inc., 2005 – 2007; Principal, The Employment Law Group, 2005 – Present; Dave is an active news commentator appearing in many newspapers, including The Washington Post and Fortune.com as well as on local TV and ABC's Nightline with Dianne Sawyer.
  • Jeremy Small
    Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science Nuclear Engineering, University of Va.1980; MBA Darden School, University of Virginia 1985; Bechtel Power Corporation, Engineer 1980-1983; Clark, Operations Executive, Vice President, Director of Operations, Development Executive 1985-Present. Parent of two children, Lindsey (WWS graduate 2007), Niklas (Charlottesville Waldorf School from Children’s Garden to 7th Grade)
  • Paul Squire
    B.A. with Honors, 1975, Yale College, History of International Relations & Russian Area Studies, Calhoun College Scholar of the House.  All-Source Intelligence Analyst, Library of Congress Federal Research Division 1975-1978. Technical Director, Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife 1979-1982 and National Council for the Traditional Arts National Folk Festival, 1983-1986. Cultural Arts Specialist, National Park Service, 1982-1986. Manager, Information Systems, Controller, Future View, Inc, Washington, D.C. 1986-1990.  Consultant, Software Engineer, Trainer & Business Development Manager. Blyth Software, 1990-1996.  Subject Matter Expert, Software Engineer & Development Team Lead, Sprint Federal Telecommunications 1997-2002. Property & Events Manager, Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture 2003-2007. Administrative Assistant, FDA Headquarters, White Oak, MD 2010 – present.  Member of Trustees Council since 2006.  Parent of two alumni.
  • Brian Wolf
    Member, Trustees Council and Finance Committee
    B.A., Harvard University, magna cum laude, 1987. Fannie Mae, equity and structured investments; J.P. Morgan, corporate finance; NCR Corporation, global real estate strategy and operations. Former Series 7 and Series 63 registered general securities representative with the National Association of Securities Dealers.  Treasurer and Member, Board of Directors, Wood Acres Citizens Association, Inc. Parent of two children currently attending WWS.
  • Natalie Adams, Ex-Officio
    B.A. cum laude, Harvard University, 1976. Foundation Studies, Emerson College, Sussex, England, 1977. Certificate, Waldorf Teacher Training, Pedagogical Seminar, Stuttgart, Germany, 1980. Class teacher Rudolf Steiner School, New York City 1980-1985; Washington Waldorf School, 2002-2005. English teacher, Waldorf School of Bucharest,Romania 1994-97. Teacher in Waldorf Teacher Training,  Bucharest, Romania 1995-1996. Served on Board of the Hartsbrook School, Hadley MA 2005-2009, Trustees Council Washington Waldorf School 2005-present, Board of Research Institute of Waldorf Education 2010-present. Parent of two alumni (Classes of 2005 and 2008).
  • Ashley Files Flory, Parent Organization Representative (non-voting member)
    B.A., Public Administration, 1981, University of Central Florida; Master of Public Policy, 1983, Duke University. 28 years with the Federal government, of which thirteen were in the Senior Executive Service. Budget Examiner with the Office of Management and Budget (1983-88); co-director, Healthy People 2000 Project, U.S. Public Health Service (1988-1995). Division Director responsible for the Secretary's budgets for Medicare, Medicaid (1995-2005). Deputy Executive Secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services (2005-2011). Fellow (in Germany), Robert Bosch Foundation, 1992-93. Parent of a fourth grader.