Board of Trustees

Katrina Maestri spent 15 years in an international corporate career with General Motors and has a wide range of Marketing, Strategy, and New Business Development experience. Her primary focus was start-up operations including entering new geographic markets and launching technology ventures. Once it was apparent that the international schools available to her children could not provide the support her son needed to thrive with his dyslexia, her family moved to the US to attend a school specializing in learning and attention differences. Since then, Katrina has devoted her time and expertise to advocating for more equitable access to high-quality education for all learners - regardless of why they struggle. She is currently the board chair for Chartwell School, whose mission emphasizes leveraging neuroscience to teach complicated learners and sharing that experience with public school teachers through their Teachers Training Institute. Katrina is also a member of the advisory board of the UCSF Dyslexia Center, the advisory board for Breaking Barriers by 8,  and the advisory board of the Global Science of Learning.

Paul Hoffman was elected to the Chartwell Board of Trustees in 2018.  In 2013, Paul retired to Pebble Beach after a long career in software sales most recently as President of Worldwide Field Operations for Informatica, an Enterprise Cloud Data Management and Data Integration company.  Paul is an Active Lay Minister and member of the Finance Council at Carmel Mission Basilica.  He is a Provisional Knight with the Order of Malta and has volunteered on multiple pilgrimages to Lourdes in their work of feeding the homeless and caring for the elderly, sick, and imprisoned.  Paul also serves on the boards of the Monterey SPCA and Montage Health Foundation.

Arthur Pasquinelli joined the Chartwell Board in July 1993 and he has also served as an interim Executive Director for the school. Art earned his MBA from Pepperdine University and currently operates a consulting firm, Pasquinelli Management Services. Married to Elizabeth, Art makes his home in Monterey.

Raynette (Rae) Boerema brings a depth of marketing, financial and strategic planning experience to the Chartwell Board after a 17-year career in banking, financial strategy and risk management. She earned a business degree from University of San Diego, financial planning certification from Texas A&M and continued studies for innovation and entrepreneurship through The Wharton School and Stanford University. Rae developed a deep connection to the language based learning differences community after her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and became a Chartwell student. After two years of service in the Chartwell library, Rae indicated that she "would like to offer a contribution of Board service towards…making Chartwell accessible to a greater number of children who have language-based learning differences.” She has served on the board since 2017.

Heidi Daunt wrote in her resumé that she would like to serve on the Chartwell Board of Trustees because she, herself, is Dyslexic as are her son and daughter (Alora is a Chartwell graduate). Heidi is passionate about her work as Branch Manager at TreeHouse Mortgage Group and has enjoyed a 30-year career in the Finance and Mortgage Industry. Heidi earned her degree in International Policy Studies with focus on the French and Spanish languages from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Derek Hansen has a background in architecture and construction and is the co-founder and CEO of Mynt Systems. He is known for his far-reaching vision and the ability to inspire others with his passion. His ability to find simple solutions to complex problems as well as his passion for improving lives has been the backbone of his leadership. It’s Derek’s mission to prove that as a society we can move past the outmoded zero-sum game to a new paradigm that is an equitable win-win across all socioeconomic and diversity levels.  As a dyslexic, Derek is deeply passionate about the work that Chartwell School is pioneering and is committed to furthering the mission of rethinking education and school design. 

Caroline Haskell, a licensed clinical social worker and certified mindfulness meditation teacher, has worked as an administrator, educator and mental health professional in the fields of higher education, health care and human/social services. Her experience includes program development and management, clinical/counseling services, psycho-educational workshops and training programs on diversity, equity and inclusion.  She has been publicly recognized for her leadership on mental health issues and her clinical service work.  In 2019 she retired with Emerita status from California State University, Monterey Bay as the Founding Senior Director of Health and Wellness Services and the Founding Director of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center.  She was commended by CSUMB at the 25th anniversary of its founding as one of four administrators who left an indelible mark on the university. 

In 2013, she co-authored an award-winning book with Ann Jealous, ¨Combined Destinies: Whites Sharing Grief About Racism.¨ In 2015, Caroline co-founded Whites for Racial Equity, a local community group committed to dismantling white supremacy through education, self-examination and alliance with people of color.  

Currently, Caroline has a small private practice as a psycho-therapist and serves as a consultant to non-profits and universities, facilitating diversity workshops and trainings.

Lara Hruska founded Cedar Law which is based on a holistic approach to school law and informed by Ms. Hruska's unique background in education, social work, and the law. She is licensed to practice law in Washington and California. Lara received her JD from the University of Washington School of Law and also holds an MSW in Child and Family Welfare Policy from Columbia University, an MSEd in Special and General Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education, and a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from U.C. Berkeley. She has experience teaching children from pre-kindergarten through middle school in California, New York, and Louisiana, where she served as the founding special education director for two post-Katrina charter schools in New Orleans.

Prior to forming Cedar Law in 2015, Ms. Hruska worked at a Seattle litigation firm representing traditional school districts around the State of Washington with day-to-day general counsel advice and provided representation in state and federal litigation and administrative proceedings. She served on the board of the Washington Council of School Attorneys from 2013-2014 and the board of the Washington Women Lawyers from 2014-2016. Lara received the 2016 UW School of Law Women Leaders Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Young Lawyer. 

Michael McMahan is a recently retired lawyer who practiced law in Monterey County for over thirty years. Mick may be new to the Board of Trustees but he's hardly new to Chartwell. As Nicki McMahan and Judy Lewis were co-founding the school, Mick was advising the first Boards of Trustees and often doing the books. When Chartwell began searching for a permanent home, Mick joined the Site Committee and was deeply involved in finding the location and planning and building the new campus. In addition to being married to one of the founders, Mick is the father of Michel, who attended the first two summer schools, and the grandfather of two other Chartwell alumni. Mick is an avid boater and enjoyed cruising with a number of members of the Chartwell family, including Chuck Jacobson and Douglas Atkins. Mick has been a Trustee since 2014.

A Carmel Valley native, Mollie O’Neal is in her second tenure as a member of the Chartwell board of directors. Mollie and her husband (renowned rock and roll photographer Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal) are past Chartwell parents (Dugan O’Neal). It was through her experience as a parent that Mollie first engaged with the School - organizing the annual Chartwell fundraiser The Pear for several years, volunteering on campus, and consulting on the school’s social media and marketing strategy.

Mollie holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of San Francisco (formerly Lone Mountain College) and attended Boston College and Emmanuel College garnering secondary teaching degrees in Theatre Arts and Creative Writing. 

Mollie brings decades of marketing and advertising experience (specifically digital and social media) and event management expertise to her advisory role at Chartwell. She recently joined the La Tierra Realty team as a sales associate, specializing in ranch properties and luxury estates in the Carmel and Carmel Valley regions.

Taylor Perkins is an interior architecture and design professional with decades of experience working for corporate and non-profit clients. She taught at the Academy of Art University for 12 years, creating undergraduate and graduate courses, and assisted in the approval of one of the first fully accredited Interior Architecture degrees. Her extensive volunteer work includes large-scale event production and fundraising. Taylor led the Menlo-Atherton High School PTA for three terms and was voted Volunteer of the Year thrice. Her architectural and design skills combined with her fundraising insight and expertise will be great assets to Chartwell’s advancement and facilities planning.

Former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise has spent his career advancing education opportunities for our nation’s students. He recently completed 14 years as president of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national nonprofit that has become a national leader in advocating the policies and practices necessary for secondary school students to be ready for postsecondary education and careers.

Currently coordinating the Global Science of Learning Education Network (GSoLEN), Gov. Wise’s recent accomplishments include leading the development of Future Ready Schools®, a network of 3400 school districts committed to the effective use of digital learning to assist teachers and improve student learning outcomes. He recently launched a science of adolescent learning initiative to guide education policy and practice decisions. He works closely with school district, state, and national leaders for evidence-based systems-change that advances 21st century learning that meets each student’s needs. 

After serving twenty-four years as governor, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and state legislator, Gov. Wise has become a prominent speaker and advisor on education issues and trends. He has advised the U.S. Department of Education, White House, and key state and federal policymakers. As governor and U.S. congressman, he focused on improving financial aid for college and early childhood development.

Gov. Wise authored Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University, a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University, and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Working from Washington, D.C. and California, Gov. He also chaired the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards for six years and constantly strives to improve education opportunities for America’s youth. 

With Gratitude to Chartwell's Past Board Members for their Service to the School. Ralph Bailey, Jonathan Beck, Laurie Benjamin, Sandra Bernstein, Betsy Bliss, Ingrid Brant, Peter Brooks, Tom Bryan, David Buchanan, Richard Campbell, Meg Conners, Virginia Cooper, Judy deRegt, Thomas deRegt*, Sue Dewar, Robert Egnew, J. Randolph Elliott, Hakan Erdnic, Katie Ewen, Scott Fosmark, Stewart Fuller, Shane Fuller, Richard Green, Catherine Hawley, Skip Harrison, Robert Hernandez, Lyn Higashi, Len Hughes, Mary Jane Gonzalez-Huss, Duffy Grant, Lori Johnson, Gregory Kraft, John Laughton, Mary Ann Leffel, Judy Lewis*, Thomas Mallett, Susan Matchum, Nicki McMahan*, Robert Melton M.D., Bruce Michels, Carrie Miles, F. Bradford Niebling, Virginia Northcote, Kathryn Olivas, Nathan Olivas, Dave Pfaff, Paula Robinson, Robert Sageman, Simon Salinas, Roy Schindelheim, Betsy Shea, Terri Silva, Sharon Smith, Sam Spring, Kay Sullivan, Michi Takigawa, Ellen Thorp, Jason Togneri, John Ward, Steven Whyte, Russ Wilks, Lynne White-Dixon, Nancy Zahm, Blanca Zarazua, Marsha Zelus*.

In Memoriam: Shreve Archer, Edward Bernstein, Jean Draper, Sue Dewar, J Randolph Elliott, James Flippen, Larry Frisone, Chuck Jacobson, Harvey Kilpatrick, Marjorie Love, Richard Myler, Robert Sageman, Jennefer Santee.

* Trustees Emeriti