Why We Volunteer as Trustees:

Quite simply, we believe we are touching future generations in profound ways. Through our work with the school, we are helping young children develop a love of learning that will continue for the rest of their lives. We believe that by helping them establish a firm foundation in areas like academics, initiative, grace, courtesy and respect, they will become valuable additions to our society, making our world a better place to live for everyone.

In addition, serving on the Board strengthens our community. As with any volunteer opportunity, such an effort allows you to meet new people, learn new skills, and share your knowledge.

Composition of the Board:
Regular board members with full voting privileges attend most scheduled meetings. Ideally, we would like to have 9 regular members, including parents of students, alumni parents, and members of the community. We also welcome Members at Large and Advisory Members. Members at Large are individuals are usually invited to be part of the Board for a short period of time for a specific purpose. Advisory Members are people with skills in a specific area who cannot meet the time requirements for the other types of membership. (Voting privileges for these latter groups are negotiable and depend on the reason for recruiting such a member.)

The Board has four officer positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary) along with General Members.

Board of Trustees:

Robert Rickenbrode, President, has been on the Bryant Woods board for one year and plans to send both of his girls to the school. Currently, he is the program manager for a national project examining teacher preparation programs in higher education for the National Council on Teacher Quality. Prior to that he was, the Chief Academic Officer for the Cesar Chavez Charter Schools--three schools serving over one thousand students in grades 6 to 12 in Washington, DC. He has taught mathematics and computer science in grades 7 to 12. For seven summers, he was a computer science teacher, curriculum developer, and technical support for the ‘Nda’hoo’aah Summer Program, bringing students and elders together around traditional and modern technologies on the Navajo Nation. He holds a MA in applied economics from the Johns Hopkins University and a BS in economics from the California Institute of Technology. He looks forward to contributing to the school his daughters love by serving parents, students, and staff on the board.

James Kim, Treasurer, joined the board in February. His daughter is enrolled at BWMCH as a second year student and he plans to enroll his son in September 2010. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Masters Degree in Health Sciences and Ph.D. in Toxicology from the Johns Hopkins University. He is also a Diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology. After obtaining his degrees, he worked for Sciences International, as a risk assessment and toxicology consultant for agencies such as the World Health Organization, EPA, FDA, Health Canada, and various private clients. He currently works as a Scientific Program Manager for the International Life Sciences Institute, a non-profit research institute, seeking to discuss and resolve controversial scientific subjects through corroboration with Government, Industry and Academic experts. He also manages the 51-member Board of Trustees’ Communications Committee, responsible for outreach and public relations. He is an active member of several scientific Societies and was recently elected Secretary/Treasurer for the Korean Toxicologists Association in America. He joined the Board of Trustees in the hopes of assisting BWMCH in its continued success.

Heather Pruger, Secretary, joined the board in 2010. Her daughter is enrolled at BWMCH as a first year student, and she plans to enroll her son in September 2012. In addition to being a wife and mother of two, Heather is an attorney with Saul Ewing LLP’s Labor, Employment, and Employee Benefits practice group. Prior to joining Saul Ewing, she clerked for a federal judge and worked as a paralegal and legal secretary at various firms in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Heather earned her undergraduate degree in Legal Studies and English from the University of Maryland, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law. Heather is experienced in editing and managing scholarly and topical publications and in developing programming, outreach, and networking initiatives. As someone who was homeschooled from preschool through high school, Heather is a firm believer in child-driven learning that fosters a sense of independence, initiative, and curiosity and is excited to be a part of a Montessori environment that invokes these traits in a cooperative, respectful environment. She joined the Board of Trustees to help the school develop policies and financial stability that will enable it to continue to provide this nurturing environment for years to come.

Angela Galarza, Executive Director/Head of School, brings to our school 19 years teaching and professional experience in Montessori education. She taught in Florida before becoming our school’s director and a member of the Board. In addition to her expertise in Montessori Education, Angela also holds a degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Care Center Management and is a certified Musicgarten music teacher for ages birth to five. Other positions Angela has held during her educational career have been: Music Teacher, Summer Program Coordinator, and Adult Education Instructor and Music Workshop Presenter for Summit Montessori Teacher Training Institute and South Florida Montessori Education Center. She also developed and implemented an Assistants Training Program, Character First Cheerleading Program and French Music curriculum for the schools where she taught in Florida. Being a wife and mother, reading aloud to children, performing in local plays and singing in choirs are Angela’s longtime passions. Angela, her husband Santos, and her two boys (5, who is currently enrolled in BWMCH, and 11 years old) happily reside in Columbia, MD.

Erinn Mansour, Member at Large, joined the board in 2008 and previously served as Secretary and President of the Board. She is currently a stay-at-home mother of three. Her oldest daughter attended the school for three years, and her son attended for two, and she has a two-year-old daughter who will start at the school in 2011. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a second major in Russian language, from The Johns Hopkins University. After college, she worked as a legal assistant in the area of labor and employment litigation and then as a management consultant, specializing in change management, process change, and technical training. She worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers for the last three years of her career and left to start a family and obtain a master’s degree. She has a Certificate in Intelligence Analysis and a Master’s degree in Public Policy, specifically International Security and Economic Policy, from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. She was also Secretary and then President of her homeowners’ association for three years. She attended Montessori school as a child and feels that it engendered both her love of learning and interest in public service. She also enjoys cooking, swimming, tennis and photography.

Mary Mayhew, Member at Large, joined the Board in December 2008. Two of her grandchildren currently attend the school and she sent her daughter to Montessori school. Professionally, she recently retired after more than 30 years of service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She has nearly 15 years experience in health policy, legislative analysis and substance abuse policy in the federal sector; extensive experience working with private sector constituent groups and non-profit organizations in the mental health and substance abuse fields. She has over a decade of additional experience in management policy and organizational analysis in the federal sector. She also has experience in marketing and sales and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.