Board of Trustees

  • The Board of Trustees preserves the mission of Madison Community Montessori School (respecting children & their natural joy of discovery) by ensuring the viability and vitality of the school for the education of present and future generations of students, consistent with the standards recognized by Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

  • The Board of Trustees preserves and protects the health and well-being of the school by providing strategic leadership and governance, excluding the day-to-day operations, in accordance with the mission and bylaws of MCMS. In so doing, the Board is involved in long-term decisions, oversees financial management including establishing and reviewing the annual budget, monitors board educational strategies through hiring, reviewing and retaining a qualified Head of School, and leads the school in major fundraising efforts to ensure an excellent AMI education for the current and future children of MCMS.

  • The whole board meets periodically with an agenda primarily focused on monitoring the school’s strategic plans, staying on task pursuant to the annual agenda, policy setting and implementation, and assessment of the Head of School. The MCMS Board of Trustees appoints and oversees several standing and ad hoc committees that work to carry out specific aspects of the school’s strategic plan and mission. Each committee is chaired by a member of the Board, and some committees include additional non-Board members. The standing committees are the Executive Committee and the Committee on Trustees. Presently, the ad hoc committees are Development, Finance and Head Support & Evaluation.

2024-25 Board of Trustees

  • Alex Hess

    Alex Hess

    About: Alex, who joined the board in 2024, is a civil litigation attorney and a partner at Lindemann Miller Bowen LLP. Alex focuses his legal practice on representing companies and individuals in business disputes. Alex and his wife, Julie Devries, have two children at MCMS, Nora, in Lower Elementary, and Nathan, in Children’s House Peach.

    Committees: Finance Sub-committee, Community Connections Sub-committee

    Years Served: 1

  • Becca Barnhart

    Becca Barnhart

    About: Becca Barnhart is a communications professional who has worked in marketing and public relations in the travel and tourism industry for over 11 years. Currently, she is the Senior Manager of Communications at the Children’s Theater of Madison where she works to promote the joy and education of theater for youth and families in the Madison area. Her son, George, is a kindergartner in Children’s House Green.

    Committees: Community Connections (Chair), Marketing Sub-committee

    Years Served: 2

  • Dave Potter

    Dave Potter

    About: Dave and his wife, Mandy, have two children, one currently at MCMS in the Adolescent room (Ben) and a former MCMS Student who is now a Junior at Mount Horeb High (Madelyn).  Dave has worked as a Sales Executive for a global IT firm for 20+ years.

    Committees: Endowment Committee (Chair), Finance Subcommittee (Chair), Executive Committee (Treasurer)

    Years Served: 4

  • Abby Alexander

    Abby Alexander

    About: Abby is an architect who specializes in the design of research-related and laboratory spaces for higher education and corporate clients. She is inspired by clients’ scientific endeavors and has enthusiasm to deeply understand their work. Abby and her husband Nic have one child, Matilda, at MCMS.

    Committees: Committee on Trustees (Chair), Head Support & Evaluation Subcommittee

    Years Served: 11

  • Jessica Hermsen

    Jessica Hermsen, Chair

    About: Jessica has a consulting practice focused on organization development, change management, and executive communications and is dedicated to helping organizations employ whole systems change methods to inspire sustainable change. Jessica and her husband, Josh, returned to Madison from Seattle in 2017. They have two children, Indie in the Adolescent program, and Asher, in Upper Elementary.

    Committees: Executive Committee (Chair), Marketing Task Force

    Years Served: 7

  • Stacy Austin-Li

    Stacy Austin-Li

    About: Stacy has worked in consulting and project management, as well as teaching English as a Second Language. Her family joined the MCMS community in 2012. Rae attended first through 8th grade and is now in college. Kaya is an 8th grader at MCMS this year. 

    Committees: Executive Committee (Secretary), DEIB Task Force (Chair), Finance Subcommittee (Fundraising Chair), Endowment Committee (Trustee), Strategic Planning Task Force

    Years Served: 5

  • Amit Popat

    Amit Popat

    About: Amit has a software development, technical architecture and project management background at Epic where he’s worked since 2003. Amit and his wife Molly have 3 children. Their oldest recently graduated MCMS attending since Children’s House. The other two children are currently in Lower Elementary. 

    Current Committees: Committee on Trustees, Finance Subcommittee

    Years Served: Joined in Fall 2025

  • Brandon Baldock

    About: Brandon works as a product manager at Epic Software, which he joined in 1998. He and his wife, Jen, are the parents of an MCMS graduate and a current student in Upper Elementary. Brandon first joined the MCMS board in 2012 and after rolling off rejoined in 2020 as Board Secretary.

    Committees: Committee on Trustees (Chair), Head Support & Evaluation Subcommittee

    Years Served: 10

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