Parker welcomes new board members

Parker School welcomes four new members-at-large to their 14 person Board of Directors for the 2009-2010 school year. The new Directors will serve for a 3 year term, joining Chair Elizabeth Armandroff, Vice Presidents James Clifford, Ph.D, Kenneth Fischer, O.D. and Saundra Gulley, Secretary Susan Armour, and Directors Patrick Fitzgerald, Jon Gerdsen, Lois Gregg, M.D., Tom Mignanelli and Anne Miranda.

Katherine Callender is the parent of two lower school students, and brings a wealth of educational knowledge to the board. A freelance writer/editor Katherine holds an MA in Education from Stanford University. Mrs. Callender started her career at Score@ Kaplan in San Francisco where she launched their individualized tutoring program at two locations and later became Center Director of the Los Altos, CA office. Mrs. Callender currently serves as a member of the Educational Committee at Parker School overseeing and providing support to educational and student programs. She served as a member of the Program Planning and Development Committee at Hawaii Resources for School Success where, as an independent contractor, she streamlined the system process for the Assessment
Program which included redesigning and restructuring all communication materials. Mrs. Callender has completed four feature-length screenplays and was selected as a finalist in the screenplay competition at the 2007 LA Femme Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Jerry Denz retired as manager of The Engineering Products Division, an independent entity of The CH Bull Co. in 2006. A member of Parker’s extended community, he brings an engineer’s perspective to the Parker School Board. Mr. Denz and his wife Nancy have been full time residents of the island since 2006.

Ian Pullan, General Manager of the Fairmont Orchid has been affiliated with Parker School for the last few years and is the proud parent of two lower school students. In 2005, after 20 years of international experience in the hospitality field, Mr. Pullan joined the Fairmont Orchid. The Fairmont Orchid hosts Parker’s annual winter fundraising gala “Kahiau”. Mr. Pullan’s international business experience will bring a world viewpoint to the Parker School
Board.

Local Waimea resident and past Parker School parent John Ray joins the board with a wealth of nonprofit experience. An active member of the community, Mr. Ray is the General Manager of SunFuels Hawaii and has served on the Hawaii County Council. He was also President of Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, and a Trustee of Parker Ranch Foundation. John has held various civic offices including President of the Waimea Community Association, Chair of the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee, Member of the Hawaii Island Burial Council and Chair of the Avenue Playground Committee. In addition to his new role at Parker School, Mr. Ray is involved in the North Hawaii Rotary Club, Hawaii Science and Technology Council, Hawaii Association of Watershed Partnerships, Hawaii State Department of Transportation Commission and the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation.

Parker School welcomes these community leaders to the Board of Trustees and is grateful for their time, commitment, and expertise in serving Parker School’s mission.

(An abbreviated version appeared in the West Hawaii Today, August 5, 2009)