The Growing Place Board of Directors, acting in concert as the trustees for our schools, has several responsibilities. It prepares the mission statement and sets long range goals and objectives for the program as a whole. The board is accountable for the financial well being of the Growing Place including capital assets, operating budgets, fundraising and endowments. The board selects, supports, nurtures, and works with the Executive Director to establish goals. They evaluate the Executive Director or head of the schools. The board also evaluates itself annually, keeps accurate records, assures compliance with laws and regulations, and insures it’s own development through board recruitment and leadership succession planning. Authority is invested in the board as a whole and members guard against conflict of interest and take great care to balance the needs of the many constituencies in the program. An individual board member does not become involved in specific management, personnel, or curricular issues. A trustee who learns of an issue has the obligation to bring it to the Executive Director and not to deal with the issue individually. As well as upholding the mission in the short term, the board works to insure the long-term future of the Growing Place. Board Members are required to separate the interests of the Growing Place from the specific needs of a particular child, parent, teacher or other constituency. The board sets overall policy; the administration implements policy and creates procedures.
The Growing Place Board currently meets monthly and is composed of members of the community, alumni parents, current parents, and the site directors. To reach the Growing Place Board please contact The Growing Place office (310) 399-7769. Board Chair: Amy Ardell Secretary: Thom Naito Treasurer: George Minardos Chair Elect: Joyce Abbott Members: Alison Havel, Basil Caloyeras, Billie Fischer, Ed Rhee, Hsuan-Ying Chou, Jared Klipfel, Jeff Greene, Melissa Ginsberg, Melissa Lindley, Peter Morrison, Scott Woolley, Stacy Ezra, Susie Tashiro Ex officio: Ellen Khokha
(Kevin, Thom, and Amy)
Kevin Newman (Board Chair): Kevin has been a member of the Board for four years and became the Board Chair in September, 2008. Kevin and his wife Amy Weimer have two children, Kole (a Growing Place graduate) and Ali (a Moon Room friend). As the Board Chair, Kevin organizes the agendas for Board meetings, sits on the Executive Committee, and serves as a resource for the Executive Director and Site Directors. Professionally, Kevin is an educator with a business background, and he has worked on both formal and ad hoc committees emphasizing fund raising, teacher retention, professional development for faculty and staff, and board development.
Thomas Naito(Board Secretary): Thom has been a member of the Board since 2008. Thom creates Board meeting minutes, assists in drafting letters, and sits on the Executive Committee. He also works on sub-committees that focus on communication and teacher retention. By day, Thom tries to better understand the complex world of cyberspace. By night, Thom is completely exhausted but still tries to better understand the even more complex world of parenthood.
George Minardos (Treasurer): George has been a member of the board for two hears and became Treasurer in 2008. George and his wife Kristen have two children, Nico (GP, ocean park grad) and Aris (currently at the Growing Place) In addition to financial planning for the school, George is a member of the Executive committee and of the Site Committee. Professionally, George has a business background and is the CEO of a full service Building firm. He is also active as a member of the Santa Monica Arts Commission.
Amy Ardell (Chair elect): Amy Ardell joined the board in 2007 and is the mother of Noah (GP alum) and Matthew (Moon Room) at Ocean Park. She taught elementary school for six years before returning to school to pursue her Ph.D. in Education specializing in Literacy, Language, and Learning. She has just completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Outcomes Reserach and Evaluation at USC's Rossier School of Education, where she also served as an adjuct professor in the teacher education program. As a member of the Growing Place board, Amy serves on the teacher retention committee, the tuition assistance committee, and on the executive committee as chair-elect.
Alison Havel (Board Member): Alison joined the Board in July of 2008. She and her husband Derek have two children: Amber (3 years) and Trevor (1 year). Amber attended the Growing Place for 2 ½ years and Trevor is currently a Willow Room Friend at the Marine Park site. As a member of the Board, Alison participates in the committees focused on Teacher Retention, Site Development and Tuition Assistance. Professionally, Alison is an employee benefits consultant, helping employers manage the health and welfare benefits they offer to employees.
Billie Fischer (Board Member): Billie Fischer began her relationship with The Growing Place in 2005 as a volunteer at Marine Park. She joined the Board of Directors in 2006 and has been active on such committees as, Tuition Assistance, Site, Fundraising and Board Recruitment. GP4GP, Grandparents for The Growing Place, was formed in 2007 and is a passion for Billie, especially since she is the proud grandmother of Ian, in the Magnolia Room, and Elio, in the Willow Room, at Marine Park.
Edmund Rhee(Board Member): Edmund Rhee is an attorney and partner for Excel Partners Firm, a business and legal consulting firm . He has been on the board since 2002 and was the board chair from 2004-2006. He is currently on the communications and fundraising committee. Ed's son, Matthew, graduated from Marine Park in 2006 and is currently attending Wildwood School.
(Jared, Jeff, and Ellen)
Jared E. Klipfel (Board Member): Jared is a new member of the board this year. Jared and his wife, Melissa Tapie, have two children: Gavin (who will be graduating in 2009) and Serena (who will be joining the Growing Place in 2011). Jared has served as the chair of the Logistics Committee for the 2008 and 2009 Dino Fairs. Professionally, Jared is a partner in the law firm of Drasin, Yee, Klipfel & Santiago, specializing in workers compensation claims and representing the United Transportation Union.
Jeff Greene (Board Member): Jeff has been a member of the Board since March of 2009 and serves on the Fundraising and Communications committes. Jeff and his wife Marcie have two daughters-- Lexy (Star Room) and 19-month-old Jessie. Professionally, Jeff has worked for Nike and Disney in a variety of Sales and Product Creation roles and currently works for Converse, Inc. as a Senior Sales Director. The Greene family lives in Venice.
Joyce Abbott (Board Member): Joyce has lived in Santa Monica since 1956. She attended John Adams Jr. High and SMHS and SMC. She then moved to San Jose and attended San Jose State and received her teaching credential. She returned to Santa Monica and began her teaching career at Washington Elementary School the present site of The Growing Place in Ocean Park. She was active in PTA and the Santa Monica/Malibu Education Foundation as her children were growing up. She is the grandmother of five boys and one girl. Alex, one of the four year olds, is in the Moon Room.
Melissa Lindley (Board Member): Melissa has been a member of the Board for two years. Melissa and her husband Andrew have two children, Isabel (a Growing Place graduate) and Grace (a Willow Room friend). As a board member, Melissa sits on the Site Development and Tuition Assistance committees. Melissa is an affordable housing developer and lender with a background in architectural design. She has worked throughout the Los Angeles area, most recently in Santa Monica, developing and funding affordable housing, through rehabilitation and new construction projects, for low-income families and special needs populations.
(Melissa, Peter, and Stacy)
Peter Morrison (Board Member): Peter has recently become a member of the Board and serves on its legal, board development and fundraising committees. Peter and his wife Allison have two children attending the Marine Park site, Sarah (a Palm Room friend) and Daniel (a Willow Room friend). Professionally, Peter is a litigation partner at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Scott Woolley(Board Member): Scott is the father of Carys, in the Star Room. He is the West Coast Bureau Chief of Forbes Magazine, serves on the board's finance committee and yet still doesn't know if the stock market is headed up or down. He has been a board member since January of 2009.
Stacy Ezra (Board Member): Stacy is a new member of the Board. Stacy and her husband Scott have one child, Abe who attends the Marine Park site (a Palm Room Friend). Stacy is currently the co-chair of the Friends of Marine Park Parent Association and the chair of the Teacher Appreciation Celebration. As the board member, Stacy works on several committees including fundraising and strategic communications. Professionall
