Board of Trustees
The BMS Board of Trustees meets monthly at the school. Board meetings are open to the public.
President: Martha Sullivan
I am an educator and a parent. My passion for progressive education brought me to Blue Mountain as a parent. The school in turn informed me about the power of contemplative practices in education. Together, the contemplative progressive model nurtures both my family and my professional work in education. As a professor at Virginia Tech, I hope to connect the school to regional resources and to inform the future of education with the amazing staff and board at Blue Mountain.
Vice President: Sarah McCarthy
I am an artist and mother who has loves being part of the community in Floyd. I have been practicing yoga and meditation for over fifteen years and received my children's yoga teacher certification from the Asheville Yoga Center. In my classes, I encourage students to look within themselves and learn more about their world through yoga, meditation, and cooperative games. I love to experience the calming, grounding effect that yoga and mindfulness have on myself and my students. I practice Zen meditation and participate in silent and family retreats at Great Tree Zen Center in Asheville, NC.
Secretary: Kate Gonzalez
I am a proud Blue Mountain School parent. My son is finishing his first year as a Blue Mountain School Flying Unicorn in the Early Childhood class. I am passionate about the Blue Mountain School community and the values that the School and its families work to instill in our children. The importance of teamwork, relationship building, critical thinking, and problem solving is emphasized by Blue Mountain educators and families. Fostering these skills as an essential part of enriching, hands-on academic instruction is part of what makes Blue Mountain School so special.
Before my son was born, I volunteered developing and leading the children’s program for a domestic violence shelter in Richmond. Through that work, I saw the importance of making sure children feel seen and heard; I have not seen any organization succeed more thoroughly in that mission than Blue Mountain School. I know in my heart that the world would be a better place if more children had access to a program like the one offered at Blue Mountain School.
Professionally, my background is in project management and sales strategy – leading a team to turn great ideas into actionable next steps and carrying out that game plan to fulfill our goals. I’ve found my most valuable skill is the ability to build consensus by finding what motivates each team member, enabling everyone to feel invested in and connected to the project’s ultimate success. Given the opportunity to serve on the Blue Mountain School board I hope to bring my passion for the school’s mission and my professional experience together to ensure children have access to the amazing Blue Mountain School community for years to come
Treasurer: Shanti Posadas
Blue Mountain School is very dear to me and our entire family, and I've been wanting to become more involved since one of my children started in preschool in 2011. Being in the BMS community has not only allowed my children to develop a desire and love to learn, but also to truly be(come) themselves and gain confidence and love for themselves. The same goes for me as an adult member of our community; I have found myself speaking with teachers many times throughout the years. That open and continuous dialogue between parents, teachers and board is what's needed and crucial to raise conscious children.
Trustee: Rick Parrish
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Rick Parrish is a graduate of J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Horticulture and completed graduate-level studies in Landscape Architecture. Prior to university, he served in the United States Coast Guard and has worked in various construction, mechanical, industrial and landscaping positions. Rick has served on several nonprofit boards, including Luther Memorial Church, Blacksburg, Lutheran Student Ministry at Virginia Tech, Chrisitansburg Downtown Development Partnership, The Voluntary Action Center (President), Habitat for Humanity of The New River Valley (President), Floyd County Chamber of Commerce (President) and The Rotary Club of Floyd County (Secretary). Rick and his wife Nancy have lived in the New River Valley since 1987 and have resided in Floyd since 2008. Currently living in the Town of Floyd with Nancy, his daughter Jessi and grandchildren Tiamon and Norah, Rick is a Realtor with McCraw Real Estate & Auction Company and co-owner of Fancies & Follies Consignment Home Furnishings. Rick’s interests include gardening, music and spiritual development.
Trustee: Greg Sherman
I currently work at Radford University as an instructional technology faculty member in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership. I have been a professional educator my entire adult life, starting as a high school biology teacher and eventually moving into higher education. My wife Shelly (Sherman) and I have raised three children, primarily in the New River Valley area. We chose to homeschool (unschool) our kids in an educational culture very similar to Blue Mountain School. We emphasized social emotional learning within self-directed, interest-led project-based experiences throughout all phases of our children’s childhood.
Because I spent many years working in professional education, I am keenly aware of the unique and valuable opportunity BMS affords families in Floyd. I have become very familiar with some of the resource needs facing the teachers at BMS, and I would like to become actively involved in working to meet these needs in service to the BMS community.
Trustee: Eric Wolf
I would be proud to support the mission and vision of Blue Mountain School through service as a member of its Board of Trustees. My daughter Eva Rose (age 11) is a BMS student and my wife Tammie Sarver is a teacher in the Early Elementary and Forest Kindergarten programs. During my family’s 25+ years of living and growing here in the New River Valley we have learned much from a wide range of educational experiences alongside each of our 5 children, including both public and private school enrollment and many years of homeschooling; each approach with its own strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
I worked for many years as Research Faculty at Virginia Tech after completing my Master’s Degree in Wildlife Science, and during that time I was afforded the opportunity to complete the coursework for VT’s Education, Curriculum and Instruction Master’s Degree program. I learned a great deal during that time studying Foundations of Education and Teaching, Educating the Exceptional Learner, etc. alongside many new teachers, fresh from completing their undergraduate and certification course work. The more we explored the principles of educational philosophy and practice, the more I was struck by how many expressed their concern (and frustration) about the disparity between what they’d learned in their
classes about how learning best occurs and the things that they were actually doing with their students in their own schools.
As I become more immersed in the culture at Blue Mountain School, I sense none of that disparity. I see a vibrant and dynamic learning environment with a holistic understanding of those principles actively engaged in the process of applying them; accepting of the needs of the individual in concert with the larger community, in order to build a meaningful and relevant learning experience. I look forward to greater participation in that process.
Teacher Representative
Stefi Schafer (non-voting)
Director
Shelly Emmett (non-voting)
President: Martha Sullivan
I am an educator and a parent. My passion for progressive education brought me to Blue Mountain as a parent. The school in turn informed me about the power of contemplative practices in education. Together, the contemplative progressive model nurtures both my family and my professional work in education. As a professor at Virginia Tech, I hope to connect the school to regional resources and to inform the future of education with the amazing staff and board at Blue Mountain.
Vice President: Sarah McCarthy
I am an artist and mother who has loves being part of the community in Floyd. I have been practicing yoga and meditation for over fifteen years and received my children's yoga teacher certification from the Asheville Yoga Center. In my classes, I encourage students to look within themselves and learn more about their world through yoga, meditation, and cooperative games. I love to experience the calming, grounding effect that yoga and mindfulness have on myself and my students. I practice Zen meditation and participate in silent and family retreats at Great Tree Zen Center in Asheville, NC.
Secretary: Kate Gonzalez
I am a proud Blue Mountain School parent. My son is finishing his first year as a Blue Mountain School Flying Unicorn in the Early Childhood class. I am passionate about the Blue Mountain School community and the values that the School and its families work to instill in our children. The importance of teamwork, relationship building, critical thinking, and problem solving is emphasized by Blue Mountain educators and families. Fostering these skills as an essential part of enriching, hands-on academic instruction is part of what makes Blue Mountain School so special.
Before my son was born, I volunteered developing and leading the children’s program for a domestic violence shelter in Richmond. Through that work, I saw the importance of making sure children feel seen and heard; I have not seen any organization succeed more thoroughly in that mission than Blue Mountain School. I know in my heart that the world would be a better place if more children had access to a program like the one offered at Blue Mountain School.
Professionally, my background is in project management and sales strategy – leading a team to turn great ideas into actionable next steps and carrying out that game plan to fulfill our goals. I’ve found my most valuable skill is the ability to build consensus by finding what motivates each team member, enabling everyone to feel invested in and connected to the project’s ultimate success. Given the opportunity to serve on the Blue Mountain School board I hope to bring my passion for the school’s mission and my professional experience together to ensure children have access to the amazing Blue Mountain School community for years to come
Treasurer: Shanti Posadas
Blue Mountain School is very dear to me and our entire family, and I've been wanting to become more involved since one of my children started in preschool in 2011. Being in the BMS community has not only allowed my children to develop a desire and love to learn, but also to truly be(come) themselves and gain confidence and love for themselves. The same goes for me as an adult member of our community; I have found myself speaking with teachers many times throughout the years. That open and continuous dialogue between parents, teachers and board is what's needed and crucial to raise conscious children.
Trustee: Rick Parrish
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Rick Parrish is a graduate of J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Horticulture and completed graduate-level studies in Landscape Architecture. Prior to university, he served in the United States Coast Guard and has worked in various construction, mechanical, industrial and landscaping positions. Rick has served on several nonprofit boards, including Luther Memorial Church, Blacksburg, Lutheran Student Ministry at Virginia Tech, Chrisitansburg Downtown Development Partnership, The Voluntary Action Center (President), Habitat for Humanity of The New River Valley (President), Floyd County Chamber of Commerce (President) and The Rotary Club of Floyd County (Secretary). Rick and his wife Nancy have lived in the New River Valley since 1987 and have resided in Floyd since 2008. Currently living in the Town of Floyd with Nancy, his daughter Jessi and grandchildren Tiamon and Norah, Rick is a Realtor with McCraw Real Estate & Auction Company and co-owner of Fancies & Follies Consignment Home Furnishings. Rick’s interests include gardening, music and spiritual development.
Trustee: Greg Sherman
I currently work at Radford University as an instructional technology faculty member in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership. I have been a professional educator my entire adult life, starting as a high school biology teacher and eventually moving into higher education. My wife Shelly (Sherman) and I have raised three children, primarily in the New River Valley area. We chose to homeschool (unschool) our kids in an educational culture very similar to Blue Mountain School. We emphasized social emotional learning within self-directed, interest-led project-based experiences throughout all phases of our children’s childhood.
Because I spent many years working in professional education, I am keenly aware of the unique and valuable opportunity BMS affords families in Floyd. I have become very familiar with some of the resource needs facing the teachers at BMS, and I would like to become actively involved in working to meet these needs in service to the BMS community.
Trustee: Eric Wolf
I would be proud to support the mission and vision of Blue Mountain School through service as a member of its Board of Trustees. My daughter Eva Rose (age 11) is a BMS student and my wife Tammie Sarver is a teacher in the Early Elementary and Forest Kindergarten programs. During my family’s 25+ years of living and growing here in the New River Valley we have learned much from a wide range of educational experiences alongside each of our 5 children, including both public and private school enrollment and many years of homeschooling; each approach with its own strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
I worked for many years as Research Faculty at Virginia Tech after completing my Master’s Degree in Wildlife Science, and during that time I was afforded the opportunity to complete the coursework for VT’s Education, Curriculum and Instruction Master’s Degree program. I learned a great deal during that time studying Foundations of Education and Teaching, Educating the Exceptional Learner, etc. alongside many new teachers, fresh from completing their undergraduate and certification course work. The more we explored the principles of educational philosophy and practice, the more I was struck by how many expressed their concern (and frustration) about the disparity between what they’d learned in their
classes about how learning best occurs and the things that they were actually doing with their students in their own schools.
As I become more immersed in the culture at Blue Mountain School, I sense none of that disparity. I see a vibrant and dynamic learning environment with a holistic understanding of those principles actively engaged in the process of applying them; accepting of the needs of the individual in concert with the larger community, in order to build a meaningful and relevant learning experience. I look forward to greater participation in that process.
Teacher Representative
Stefi Schafer (non-voting)
Director
Shelly Emmett (non-voting)
