VISTAMAR - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Titles: Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Job Titles:
- Titles: Assistant Athletic Director
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Partner
April Spencer is a Partner with EY and has 30+ years of experience providing business insights and tax services to clients in entertainment, technology, and consumer products. In addition to serving clients, April has held several regional and global leadership roles where she was responsible for vision, strategy, execution, and operation of several large practices across multiple countries.
April earned her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Barbara and a MBT from USC. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles and on the Board of the Golden West chapter of ALS.
She and her husband, Roger, live in Manhattan Beach with their daughter Cas (Marlborough '22) and son Jack (Vistamar '25).
Job Titles:
- Titles: Facilities Technician
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Managing Director and Client Portfolio Manager for Asset Management
Carl is a managing director and Client Portfolio Manager for asset management firm, Nuveen. In his role, Carl serves as a primary link between the investment team and Nuveen's client/prospective client community, supporting the firm's fixed income and multi-asset strategies. Carl graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Pepperdine University and an M.B.A. from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Carl holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation from the CAIA Association. Carl was a member of Vistamar's first 4-year graduating class.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Head of Product Vision
Carla Buck is head of Product Vision and Operations for WIN, which connects homeless youth of LA to critical resources. She is a co-owner of Quivira Solutions, which manages real estate and technology businesses. She has over 15 years of experience consulting to Fortune 500 companies on strategy, technology and operations solutions through her work at top tier management consulting firms.
Carla has served on the boards of Pathways LA, the Everychild Foundation, Children's House of Hope and has been active in local education organizations.
Raised in Texas, Carla earned a degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from UCLA. Carla and her husband, Jack Levy, live in Hermosa Beach and have 2 Vistamar alumni ('17 and ‘19). She is passionate about learning, history, and exploring the world.
Chris is in his sixth year as Head of School. During his tenure, Chris led the school community throughout the difficult years of the pandemic, secured an updated seven-year accreditation, finished a thorough curriculum evaluation, and completed a long term strategic plan, all of which have prepared Vistamar for a strong future. By establishing a restorative justice ethos and leading the school through a major building project, the construction of the Viking Commons, establishing food equity, he exemplifies Vistamar's commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Other priorities during Chris' tenure have included:
Ongoing focus on upgrade of our academic offerings and programs. He implemented a three-year subject study process for each academic department, ensuring regular investigation of our curriculum and pedagogy while integrating best practices into each department. The innovative quality of our teaching and learning plus our inclusive and culturally responsive community attracts talented faculty and staff locally and from across the country.
Amplification of our commitment to equity and inclusion. The school completed a Diversity Climate Assessment during Chris' tenure and implemented the recommendations. Building on our solid base, the assessment prioritized designing inclusive co-curricular programming and new leadership opportunities for all Vistamar students, increasing our outreach and engagement with all Vistamar families, instituting a restorative justice process, supporting ongoing efforts to recruit and retain excellent teachers of color, and creating and filling the role of Director of Equity and Inclusion.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Officers Team
Darlene Fountaine brings experience in education and personal development. She founded Your Go-To Coaches and is a certified life and executive coach. She was director of admission at Westside Neighborhood School for many years, as well as a trustee. During her tenure as a trustee, she served as vice chair and established the board's advisory committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She was a trustee at the Willows Community School and served as chair of the parent association. Darlene has headed the admission directors' consortium for the Los Angeles Area Independent Schools (LAIS) and serves on the board of Southern California People of Color in Independent Schools (SoCal POCIS) as well as other nonprofit boards.
Darlene has an MBA from USC and a BA from the University of Michigan. She holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University in addition to other certificates.
Darlene and her husband Sy are proud parents of Vistamar alumnus Bradley ('15). They reside in Ladera Heights.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Chairman of CTIA
- Technology Executive
David Christopher is a technology executive who has spent most of his career in the wireless industry bringing new forms of connectivity to our world. He is currently the Executive Vice President of business development and strategic alliances at AT&T, responsible for the company's largest partnerships and strategic deals. Prior to this current role, Christopher was Executive Vice President and General Manager for AT&T's largest business, AT&T Mobility, for 4 years, and before that served as President of its combined consumer business which included wireless, fiber broadband and DIRECTV. He was Chief Marketing Officer for AT&T's wireless business for the ten years prior to that. Before joining AT&T, he was Vice President, Product Marketing and Management at Palm. He also worked for Apple and began his career with the Sara Lee Corporation in Barcelona, Spain, and Gent, Belgium.
David currently serves as chairman of CTIA, which represents the wireless communications industry before congress, state legislatures, the Federal Communications Commission, and other federal and state agencies on matters of public policy. He has also served as Chairman of the Ad Council, which brings together the marketing, advertising and media industries to combat pressing social issues.
He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. David and his wife Mary Beth are the proud parents of two Vistamar students, Emma ('21) and Elizabeth ('25).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Head of School at Turning Point School
Dr. Laura Konigsberg is Head of School at Turning Point School. Before coming to Turning Point in 2016, she served in the role of Associate Head of Bentley School, a dual campus K-12 co-ed day school in the San Francisco East Bay where she oversaw grades Kindergarten through Grade 8. Laura's prior experience as English Department Chair 9-12, and Dean of Teaching and Learning K-12, was integral in enriching Bentley's curriculum and academic program.
Dr. Konigsberg earned her undergraduate degree from Trinity College and her Masters and Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Davis; in addition, she holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and on the faculty of the Heads Network's Women's Leadership Seminar.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Elisabeth Lesser received her BA from Occidental College and her MBA from the University of California at Irvine. After several entrepreneurial experiments, in 1999, she founded Siena Healthcare Solutions, a medical MSO which provided physician groups with a range of business services including strategic and operation consulting, private cloud IT hosting and IT support, as well as medical billing and collection. She has simultaneously been committed to the community, serving in leadership positions for several regional non-profits over the past 25 years including Center for Nonprofit Management (Board Chair), The Cancer Support Community Los Angeles (Board Chair), Peninsula Heritage School (Board Treasurer), and the Manhattan Beach Badminton Club (Board Secretary). She is also a member of the Everychild Foundation Grant Screening Board and formerly chaired the Annual Fund Campaign at Chadwick School.
Elisabeth is married to David Lesser, and they are the proud parents of two college-aged children - Matthew (Lafayette College '23) and Meagan (Pitzer College '25). They have lived in Manhattan Beach for over 25 years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Erin Freeman is a Los Angeles native who grew up in Manhattan Beach, CA. She received her BA from Pitzer College (‘92) and her MBA (‘98) from USC. Prior to starting a family, she worked as a financial consultant at Merrill Lynch and then in investment banking at Bank of America and Newman & Associates. She specialized in raising both equity and debt for highly structured real estate transactions.
Erin has volunteered in the classroom and as a soccer coach. Additionally, she worked at a homeless shelter in Las Vegas for women and children and currently volunteers at Safe Place for Youth, a drop-in center for homeless youth in Venice. She is passionate about children and helping them find their best selves.
Erin and her husband, Jim, have two Vistamar daughters, '22 and '24.
Job Titles:
- Titles: World Languages Dept. Chair, Spanish Faculty
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Admissions
- Titles: Assistant Director of Admissions
Ivette joined Vistamar School in fall 2022. Before joining the Admissions team at Vistamar, she was an Assistant Director at UCLA Undergraduate Admission. In this role, she specialized in college advising and admission evaluation. Ivette's work has revolved around helping students in Northern and Southern California pursue higher education from both the high school student and transfer student level. She is excited to make the transition to independent school admissions.
When Ivette is not connecting with students and their families, she enjoys traveling, attending live music events, and spending time with her loved ones.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management & Strategy
This school year marks Jason Gregory's 24th in independent schools and his 8th at Vistamar. This year, he moves to a new role leading all admissions and enrollment efforts, shaping the first impressions and ongoing experiences of families who come into our admissions process. He works closely with all Vistamar departments and our constituents to support and optimize the experience for our applicant families, including faculty and staff, students, volunteers, sending schools, community partners/referring organizations, and marketing. He also oversees the Moderated Tuition program.
Jason attended Azusa Pacific University as a first generation student on an athletic scholarship, earning degrees in Physical Education (emphasis in Kinesiology) and Spanish. Throughout his years, Jason has taught Biology/Spanish/Psychology/Sociology, served as a Guidance Counselor, Dean of Student Life and Vice-Principal. He has an MA in Education with an emphasis in School Counseling and Child Psychology. Jason, his life partner Angela, and their three girls live in Seal Beach along with their pandemic puppy. Jason is an outdoor enthusiast, lover of the ocean and mountains, an avid reader, and episodic marathoner.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Jessica Martin is an author, consultant, and national speaker. Prior to her current work, she was a co-founder and CEO of a women-owned education consulting business, and a YMCA and rec center youth basketball coach. Additionally, she had the privilege of working as an elementary educator at the UCLA Lab School, supporting school communities as a literacy staff developer at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University, mentoring new teachers as a resident advisor at UCLA Center X, and as a global professional development provider at Chapters International. Jessica earned a BA from CSUN and a MA from CSUDH.
Jessica and her spouse are raising four children, one at Vistamar, ‘26, and a Betta fish. They are active members in their neighborhood and school communities.
Job Titles:
- Titles: Life Planning Associate
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Architect in Los Angeles
Julie Smith-Clementi is an Architect in Los Angeles with over 30 years of experience. She approaches architecture in a holistic way, integrating all aspects and scales of design. Her background includes 20 years as CEO of the product design company, notNeutral, focusing on the Specialty Coffee Industry.
Julie and her husband/business partner, Frank Clementi, have recently started their own firm that expands beyond architecture into a multidisciplinary practice including landscape, interior design, product design, and urban design.
Julie and Frank have two daughters, Emilia and Nina (Vistamar '21) and are 30 year residents of Venice, CA. Prior to joining Vistamar's board, Julie was on the Building and Grounds committee helping with the development of the Viking Commons. She held a similar position at Westside Neighborhood School and was the architect for their Gym, Science, Art and Child Care Center renovation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice Chair
- Business and Marketing Executive
Kris Rone is a business and marketing executive who has experience operating, marketing, and developing business strategies and plans for companies like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Staples Center, the Los Angeles Kings, and Target Stores.
Most recently, Kris was the Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Prior to that, she was President of Fox Sports One, a company that was responsible for all sponsorship revenue for Staples Center, the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and LA Dodgers. Before being involved in professional sports, she was SVP for the Haworth Group, and handled all of Target's sports marketing and media efforts around the country.
Kris has also been involved with several nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, including serving on the board of Para Los Ninos and the Dodger Dream Foundation. She is a mother of two (Vistamar '18 and '21), an avid athlete and coach of youth sports.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Leanne Huebner is a nationally-recognized nonprofit leader and seasoned social entrepreneur with over 15 years of nonprofit board experience. Today, Leanne serves as National Board Co-Chair of Minds Matter, a nationwide organization that guides low-income students to college and life success she co-founded back in 1991. As Founding Board Chair, Leanne led efforts to launch an early-start middle school in an underserved area of South Los Angeles in 2013. In 2015, she helped establish the First Generation Low Income Program at her alma mater University of Pennsylvania where she serves on the Trustee's Council of Penn Women. Previously, Leanne served on the boards of Manhattan Beach Education Foundation and the Manhattan Beach Council of PTAs and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. Leanne, her husband Kyle, and Vistamar students Justin '24 and Ashley '26 reside in Manhattan Beach.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Director of Product Management for Capital Group
Lorin Liesy is Director of Product Management for Capital Group's institutional retirement business, overseeing product strategy and business management functions for the broad retirement and insurance market. She has worked at Capital Group since 1992 and is currently active in the firm's diversity and inclusion efforts as well as mentoring younger associates.
Job Titles:
- Titles: Life Planner / Director of Tigre Scholars Program
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Mariana Eggleton has 26 years of experience as an elementary arts and Spanish teacher and tutor. Originally from Mexico City, she holds a BA in Fine Art with a minor in Education from the Universidad of Monterrey, Mexico and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She migrated to the United States 17 years ago, living first in Texas and now in California.
Mariana has a great passion for teaching and helping others. She is active in her local community and has always been deeply involved in her kids' schools. Besides the love she has for education and arts, she also has worked as a community manager and developing social media platforms for non profit organizations and small businesses.
The thing that drives her the most are the love and passion she has for her son Benja (Vistamar '26), her two younger boys, her husband and her dog.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Commercial Real Estate Expert
Mike Burke is a commercial real estate expert who completed a 30 year career at CBRE in 2013. At CBRE Mike held numerous positions concluding with being the team leader for the Private Client team located in Southern LA County. Mike was a founding member of the National Private Client Group within CBRE and served for several years on its board of directors.
Since leaving CBRE Mike has operated a consulting business that focuses on families in transition where portfolios of properties are transferring from one generation to another.
Mike graduated from Arizona State University in 1983 with a BS in Business and Real Estate. In addition to Vistamar, Mike has been involved with Children's Hospital LA and the Richstone Center. Mike and his wife, Mary, live in the South Bay and have 2 children (Vistamar '15 and ‘18).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Co - Founder of Armory Group
Nick is a co-founder of Armory Group and is the Chief Executive Officer and Portfolio Manager of Armory Capital Group, LLC. Nick has over 25 years of experience analyzing and investing in the debt of middle market companies. Prior to founding Armory, Nick was a Partner at Trust Company of the West's ("TCW") $15 billion Leverage Finance Group where he was the head of the distressed funds. At TCW, he was responsible for the firm's investments in middle market debt, including discounted and distressed par loans, unsecured debt, high yield bonds and other securities. Prior thereto, Nick was a Principal at Crescent Capital, where AUM grew from $100 million to $1.5 billion, until purchased by TCW. From 1987 to 1992, Nick was an attorney at Latham & Watkins and was involved in a wide variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and corporate financings for below investment grade companies. Nick has a J.D. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Carleton College.
Nick is the parent of Jessica '25 and lives in Manhattan Beach.
Job Titles:
- Titles: Chair, Math Department, Math Faculty
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Parker Hudnut is an educator working to open doors of opportunity for youth in Los Angeles and Inglewood. Parker currently serves as the CEO of ICEF Public Schools, a network of public charter schools. He is also a board member of GALS-LA, an all-girls charter middle school, and CharterSAFE, the statewide insurance provider for public charter schools. Parker is also committed to supporting financial opportunities and serves as a board member and Audit Chair of Accion Opportunity Fund, the largest non-profit small business lender in the country. Parker has an MBA from Wharton and a BA from the University of Virginia. Parker and his wife Melissa WIckman are proud Vistamar parents of Logan ('22) and Catherine ('24).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Princess Baltimore received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. where she focused her studies on International Politics and Philosophy. After foregoing an opportunity to enter the US Foreign Service Corps, Ms. Baltimore returned to California to be closer to her immediate family. After working 2 years in the commercial insurance industry with the Marsh & McLennan Companies, Ms. Baltimore decided to pursue a law degree and graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law a few years later. Ms. Baltimore has dedicated her legal career to the service of the most vulnerable in our communities - abused and neglected children and youth. She has worked for the Children's Law Center of California ("CLC"), a national leader in the area of juvenile court advocacy, for 27 years in a host of roles that include everything from litigation to recruitment, program management, and fundraising. Ms. Baltimore is the proud parent of a Vistamar Viking (Class of 2024) and their dog, Archer.
Job Titles:
- Titles: Humanities Faculty and Global Education Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Trustee Emeritus
- Founding Board Chair
Romayne is the founding Board Chair of Vistamar School and served on Vistamar's Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2013. She is a Partner and Director of Education Strategy at Mission Minded, a strategy, branding, and consulting firm working with nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Sandy is the Director for the Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach - Court Referral Community Service Program. She oversees six offices and coordinates the community service efforts which allow misdemeanants the opportunity to contribute service to their communities in lieu of a fine or jail sentence. She also coordinates the Hospital and Morgue (HAM) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) classes. These classes expose offenders to the lasting damage caused by substance impaired driving, with the aim of creating an empathy and understanding that will change their thinking and behavior, preventing future offenses.
Sandy is married to Joseluis Montalvo and the proud mother of two children, David (Vistamar '23), and Sophia (Vistamar '25). She and her family live in Los Angeles and are actively involved in their community.
Job Titles:
- Titles: Director of Operations / Facilities
Job Titles:
- Titles: Athletic Director & Head Coach, Girls Varsity Volleyball
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Admissions
Yordana joined the Admissions team in July 2021. Before moving to California, Yordana was a youth specialist in Queens, New York, where she supported students and their families in a variety of roles as they transitioned to mainstream education. Since then, Yordana has worked on the administrative team at Morningside High School and Pepperdine University.
Yordana's commitment to advocacy and helping students grow into their best selves is a perfect fit for her role at Vistamar School, where she can support students and families as they plan for the future.
She earned her B.A. in Criminal Justice and Psychology in 2014 from Adelphi University and then went on to earn her M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship and Change from Pepperdine University.