Board of Trustees

The Pegasus School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation. As an independent school, a Board of Trustees governs the School. The Head of School is an advisor to the Board and is a non-voting officer of the Board.

The Pegasus School is part of The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and follows the Principles of Good Practice for the Board of Trustees.

The Board’s main responsibilities are to oversee:

Board Committee Inquiry Form

READ OUR BYLAWS

Mission

The Board is the guardian of the School’s mission. The Board sets the mission, ensures that it is relevant and vital to the community, and monitors the success of the School in fulfilling the mission.

Strategic
Planning

The Board plans strategically. Its work is forward-looking and long-term.

Financial Sustainability

The Board works to ensure the School has adequate financial resources. The Board protects the School’s assets with proper controls and oversight, responsibly manages the School’s endowment, and oversees the development of the budget.

Head of School

The Board hires, manages, and supports the Head of School, who is responsible for the management of the School. As a result, Trustees do not get involved in operational matters under the purview of the Head of School. These include admissions, staffing, curriculum and program, and student disciplinary matters, to name a few.

Meet Our Board

The Board is a diverse group of parents of current students and alums, and each serves in a volunteer capacity in the School with their time, talent, and treasure to advance the mission. The Board has up to 21 members, and trustees typically serve two three-year terms.

2023-24 Board Committees

The Board's committees provide regular reports and updates to the broader Board. All committees except Executive and Governance are made up of both Board members and non-Board members.

Executive

The Executive Committee is comprised of the Chairs of each committee of the Board (Audit, Development, Facilities, Finance, Governance, Mission).

Committee Members:
Jason Lopez, Head of School
Diem Dang, Board Chair
Marc Schneider, Vice Chair/Governance Committee Chair
Maureen Barnes Singh, Facilities Committee Chair
Reynolds Bish, Audit Committee Chair
Erik Choy, Finance Committee Chair
Edi Thomas, Mission Committee Chair
Sara Van Dusen, Development Committee Chair

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Audit

Development

The Development Committee is responsible for helping to build community connections in the support of the development of sustainable, long term, and appropriate financial resources to further the school’s mission. This includes oversight of fundraising and other community outreach programs.

Committee Members:
Jason Lopez, Head of School
Sara Van Dusen, Chair
Elle Charles, Director of Advancement
Aaron Gurewitz, Trustee
Sarah Herman
Alli Longenecker
Parsa Rohani
Atoshi Shorey, Trustee
Wendy Sugi, Assoc. Director of Advancement, Donor Relations
Jackie Tavera-Ardabili
Terence Tso

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Facilities

The Facilities Committee is responsible for overseeing the long term maintenance and development of the school plant and facilities, including recommendations for budgeting and safety and security issues.

Committee Members:
Jason Lopez, Head of School
Maureen Barnes Singh, Chair
Maajed Abahusayn, Trustee
Meredith Chandra, Trustee
Rene Cogan, Chief Financial Officer
Bruce Duncan, Maintenance Supervisor
Laurie Hammond, Registrar
William Rankin, Trustee
Nyly Sy, Director of Technology
Jennifer Tanaka
Yun Tian

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Finance

The Finance Committee is responsible for ensuring the sound financial management of the school; developing and recommending the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, managing investment selection and performance of the school’s endowment, and long term financial planning. Additionally, the Finance Committee oversees the school’s audit by an independent auditor.

Committee Members:
Jason Lopez, Head of School
Erik Choy, Chair
Meghan Bolling
Jung Cha
Michael Chandra
Rene Cogan, Chief Financial Officer
Annie Gregory
David Hammer
Danielle Luk
Tatjana Mitchell, Trustee
Derrek Ransford, Trustee
Cari Thiel
Michael Weiner, Controller

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Governance

The Governance Committee members work with the Board Chair to advise and aid in Board management. The responsibility of the committee is to: review the School’s by-laws and committee charters; oversee the process of Trustee nomination, selection and development; and, evaluate the Board. The Governance Committee conducts an annual evaluation of the Head of School.

Committee Members:
Marc J. Schneider, Chair
Maajed Abahusayn, Trustee
Meredith Chandra, Trustee
Diem Dang, Trustee
Darin Glasser, Trustee

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Mission

The Mission Committee assists the Board with its oversight function with respect to the School’s mission and student experience. The Committee considers various matters associated with the School’s educational mission, as well as the School’s co-curricular programs (e.g., athletics, clubs, arts, and community service).

Committee Members:
Jason Lopez, Head of School
Edi Thimons, Chair
Mingming Fu
Jen Green, Associate Head of School
Burton Hong, Trustee
Erin Horowitz
Becky Janda, Trustee
Grace Lozinski
Mychelle Pham
Molly Ring
Mohini Soni
Michael Stephens

READ THE COMMITTEE CHARTER

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the board do its work?

Most of the Board’s work is done through a committee structure of seven standing committees: Audit, Development, Executive, Facilities, Finance, Governance, and Mission.

Committees have a committee charter and are comprised of at least two trustees plus several non-trustees (the exception to this is the Governance Committee and the Executive Committee, which are comprised solely of trustees). Each committee generally meets monthly during the school year and provides meeting minutes and recommendations as part of an information package to trustees prior to each Board meeting.

The Board holds regular meetings throughout the year, and sometimes holds additional special meetings. The Board receives presentations at its meeting and dedicates its efforts to matters that fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities, focuses on the school’s strategic priorities, and engages in generative thinking. The Head of School provides trustees with a detailed report in advance of each Board meeting and, at meetings, highlights important matters from the report, which typically leads to trustee questions and discussion. Each committee chair reviews the highlights of their committee meetings, makes recommendations to the Board, and opens the floor for trustee questions and discussion before recommendations are voted upon.

What is the structure of the board?

The Board leadership consists of two officers, the chair and vice chair, who are elected by the Board. The Head of School serves as an advisor to the Board.

Each standing committee has a chair who is appointed by the Board chair. The chair, vice chair, and the other committee chairs comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets monthly with the Head of School to act as a sounding board and to discuss focus areas for the Board. During meetings of the Board, all Trustees have the same opportunity to raise issues, to ask questions, and to be heard.

How does someone become a trustee?

The pathway to becoming a trustee begins with involvement at the committee level or with the Parent Teacher Organization. Each member of a Board committee has knowledge in and/or has demonstrated a commitment to the committee’s area of focus as described in each committee’s charter. As a Board, we look for parents of current students or alumni that have knowledge that will serve the interests of the school well in the long-term or expertise required for a particular committee. Overall, this person will also work well in a collaborative setting, be excited about helping the school in giving their time and effort, and has both the willingness and availability to participate over several years. While historically all trustees on the Board have donated to the School’s annual fund and capital campaigns, the financial ability to donate is not a requirement for Board participation.

How does the board communicate with the community?

The Board makes its work and role known to the community through written communications via email, the Pegasus Post, annual tuition letters, letters in the school’s annual report, and formal and informal parent gatherings which trustees attend. The Board roster is published on the Board of Trustees web page and Board members frequently engage with members of the parent community both at school-related functions and out in the broader community. Additionally, committees of the Board (other than the Executive Committee and Governance Committee) are staffed with both Board members and non-Board members, providing another avenue for communication between the Board and the parent community.

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BREADCRUMB

Board of Trustees

Mission

Strategic
Planning

Financial Sustainability

Head of School

Meet Our Board

2023-24 Board Committees

Executive

Audit

Development

Facilities

Finance

Governance

Mission

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the board do its work?

What is the structure of the board?

How does someone become a trustee?

How does the board communicate with the community?

Board of Trustees

Mission

Strategic Planning

Financial Sustainability

Head of School

Strategic
Planning