Board of Directors

Ann Goewert, Ph.D.

Head of School, MMS Trustee, Executive Council

  • Ph.D., Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • M.Sc., Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, Iowa State University
  • B.Sc., Biology, Saint Louis University
  • Certificate of School Management and Leadership, in process, Harvard University, Graduate School of Education

 Beth Brennan, M.D.

Parent Representative

  • M.D., UC Los Angeles
  • B.A., UC San Diego, majors in Anthropology and Biology
  • Board Certified Internal Medicine and Palliative Care
  • Medical Director Palliative Care Service of Dominican Hospital
  • Palliative Care Physician for PAMF
  • Previous Vice President of the Board of Physicians Medical Group, Santa Cruz
  • Parent MMS alumni, Noah ’19 and Kira ’21, and current student, Sam

Blythe Collier, B.A.

Alumni Member

  • B.A., Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
  • Arts and Social Change, School for International Training, Study Abroad, Czech Republic
  • Education Team Manager, Engineers Without Borders, Santa Clara University Chapter
  • MMS Alum, ’12

 

Carson Kelly, B.A.

Parent Representative

  • B.A. Philosophy, University of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz
  • Chair of the Marketing Committee for the gym campaign
  • Chair of the Alternative Revenue Committee
  • Founder & CEO, Benevolently, Inc.
  • Former middle school soccer coach
  • Parent of MMS alumni, Zoe ’14 and Indigo ’18 and current student, Cecily

Forrest Cambell

Member at Large

  • Committed member of the Marketing Committee and Major Gifts campaign for the gym
  • Founder and Director of Monterey Bay Mortgage Company, Capitola
  • Parent of MMS alum, Savannah ’21 and current MMS student, Bella

Brandon “Jai Raj” Houston, B.A.

Parent Representative

  • Fire Captain, Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County
  • Mt. Madonna/Pajaro Valley Fire Department volunteer, 2001-2011
  • B.A. Community Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Santa Cruz County Paramedic
  • Former member, of the Mount Madonna Center Board of Directors
  • Mount Madonna Center resident 2000-2011
  • Husband of MMS Alumna Yolanda Sangita Diaz-Houston (’99)
  • Parent of MMS students Kailani and Koa

Kami Pacheco, B.A. 

Secretary, Faculty Representative, Director of Lower School and Summer Program

  • B.A., Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
  • 30 Units in Early Childhood Education, West Valley College, Saratoga, CA
  • California Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Site Supervisor Permit
  • ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) Crisis Prevention Certified

Kevict Yen, B.A.

Parent Representative

  • B.A. Physics, University of California, Berkeley
  • Co-founder and Owner of Hyperthreads, Inc.
  • Owner and Creative Director at ID Art, Inc.
  • Fluent in Mandarin Chinese
  • Avid cyclist, motorcyclist, guitarist
  • Parent of current MMS students, Lucy and Marlowe
  • Owner of 1 dog and 4 goats

Laurie Getz

Advisory Member

  • Served on MMS Major Gifts Committee for the capital campaign
  • Vice President and Client Director of Gartner, Inc.
  • Served on the committee that created and hosted the High School Career Forum
  • Parent of MMS alumni, Mara ’10 and Jake ’13

Marissa Kannan, J.D.

Parent Representative

  • Doctor of Law (J.D.), Southwestern University School of Law
  • B.A., Economics, University of Southern California
  • Mother of two Mount Madonna School preschoolers whom she shares with her husband PV
  • Former real estate attorney in Southern California
  • Active member of The Junior League
  • Loves animals and trains horses in jumping and dressage
  • Enjoys traveling with her family, especially to Hawaii and Mexico

Nicole Silva Culbertson, M.Ed.

Faculty Representative, MMS Faculty and Coach, and Parent

  • M.Ed., Education, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • B.A. Biology and Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz; Biology Tulane University
  • Credential-Single Subject Biology, Health (Supplemental), University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Parent of current MMS students, Kenzie and Pierce
  • Joined Mount Madonna School in 2015

Rajendra Ronald Bingham

Treasurer, MMS Finance Committee

  • San Jose State Studies in Business & Finance, Computer Science, Industrial Arts, Literature, and Psychology
  • Financial Analyst, IBM General Products Division
  • Software Engineer, IBM Silicon Valley Laboratories, Software Division
  • Creator of four patents
  • Chief Financial Officer, Mount Madonna Center
  • Member, Board of Directors, Mount Madonna Center, 1998‐present
  • Joined Mount Madonna School in 2004

 Sahana Lakka, B.Arch

Alumni Parent Representative

  • B.Arch, U.V.C.E., Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
  • Intern Architect, Venkatramanan and associates, Bangalore, India
  • AutoCAD Trainer, AutoDesk training Institute, Santa Clara
  • COO, SLN Technologies U.S.A, San Jose
  • Director of Operations, Euclid Networks, San Jose
  • Publicity and Promotion of Ramayana to benefit the PA program at MMS
  • Parent of MMS alumni, Sanika ’13, Saniya ’16, and Samith ’19

 

Sarada Judith Diffenbaugh, Ph.D.

President, Trustee, MMS Executive Council, Former MMS Head of School

  • Ph.D., Education with an emphasis in Design and Development of
  • Education Programs, and dissertation on Moral Education, Minor in Psychology, Stanford University
  • M.A., San Jose State University, Education
  • State of California Lifetime Multiple Subject California Teaching Credential
  • Reading Specialist Credential
  • B.A., Religious Studies and Psychology, UC Santa Cruz
  • Instructor, MMC Yoga Program
  • Founding Member of MMC resident community
  • Parent of MMS Alumni, Suresh ’92 and PK ’95
  • Joined MMS in 1979

Warren Sampson

Parent Representative

  • B.A. in Business Management Economics, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Senior Manager of Planning and Information, S. Martinelli & Co., Watsonville
  • Served on the finance committee at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County since 2017
  • Parent of MMS Student, Simone

MMS Student Representatives

Sam Kaplan and Bella Cambell

  • Class of 2023
Sam Kaplan Bella Cambell

New Board Member Appointments

The Nominating Committee will receive nominations for available board positions in April and the Trustees will approve all new members to begin terms in July.

Emeritus Board Members

Ralph A. Wolff, J.D.

Past President and Executive Director of WASC