Board of Trustees

 

Cedarwood’s Board of Trustees represents a cross-section of the community. Trustees have included parents (current and alumni) and grandparents. The board also includes two faculty members, our pedagogical director, and our head of school. Our administrative staff, parent council representatives, and guests frequently attend the meetings as well. The board strives to have a composition reflective of our community and is committed to enhancing diversity both on committees and in board leadership. While the board has the benefit of long-term institutional members, it actively seeks new members who are willing to engage in our important work.

Current Board Members

Bret is a Portland native who has traveled the world.  "Nowhere is better, it's just different, but Portland is home.”  Bret and his wife met in high school and knew they would stay in Portland for their future family.  The Stevens family has been at Cedarwood since 2018 and gravitated toward the whole child teaching approach and community involvement.  When he is not working towards a decarbonized transportation future for a commercial vehicle manufacturer, he helps out running his family’s cattle ranch in Monterey County, CA.

Bret Stevens
Board of Trustees Chair

Lauren, originally from Upstate New York, moved with her husband, Richard Teal, to the Pacific Northwest eight years ago to embrace the region's natural beauty. Their child is currently enrolled in the early childhood program at Cedarwood. Lauren holds an MBA in global business from Pepperdine University and a BA in political science from Union College. With a strong background in business development, strategy, and relationship management, she brings a wealth of expertise to her work.

Outside of her professional life, Lauren is a passionate traveler, always in search of the next adventure. She enjoys great coffee, exploring new culinary experiences, and spending time outdoors.

Lauren Ford
Board of Trustees Vice-Chair

Leior was born in Portland and raised in Israel where he completed his military service, met the love of his life, and began his journey as a Waldorf parent. After more than two decades abroad, Leior moved back to Portland with his wife Maya and thei

Leior was born in Portland and raised in Israel where he completed his military service, met the love of his life, and began his journey as a Waldorf parent. After more than two decades abroad, Leior moved back to Portland with his wife, Maya, and their three lovely daughters.

Leior holds degrees in electrical engineering, math, and physics from the Technion–Israeli Institute of Technology. He now works as a software engineer while pursuing a Masters in computer science from Portland State University. In his free time, he enjoys board gaming with friends.

Leior serves on the Facilities and Development Committees.

Leior Varon
Board of Trustees Secretary

Tim Rogers
Board of Trustees Treasurer

Merriah grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and attended the Eugene Waldorf School through twelfth grade. As a young girl she hoped that her children would be lucky enough to someday attend a Waldorf school as well. 

She has a bachelor's degree in women's studies and public policy from the University of Oregon and eventually found her way to becoming a certified postpartum doula, international board certified lactation consultant, and entrepreneur. In 2014 she founded Bridgetown Baby, a local postpartum doula agency that has cared for over nine hundred families in the postpartum year. 

Merriah delights in seasonal crafts, gardening, kayaking, family backpacking, travel, and recently returned to the piano after a hiatus since childhood.

Merriah is the proud parent of two daughters, a Cedarwood graduate and a Cedarwood middle-schooler. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees she is the Chair of the Festivals Committee and enthusiastic coach of a Cedarwood ultimate frisbee team, the Psychic Goats. Merriah serves on the Board's Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Justice Committee. 

Merriah Fairchild
Trustee

Emily Mejia is the mother of three children at Cedarwood and has been an active parent in the community since her family enrolled in 2019. She has served various roles in parent council since 2019 and was the parent council co-chair from 2022-2024. Professionally, she is an Internally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and is currently in her final year of school, pursuing a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. She was the board chair of the Nursing Mothers Counsel of Oregon from 2014-2018. 

When she is not parenting or in class, Emily loves going on long hikes, swimming, weaving, reading, and spending time cooking with friends.

Emily Mejia
Trustee

Karyn Arizumi
Trustee

Ben Burke
Trustee

Mary Emery
Trustee

Joseph joined the Cedarwood community as Head of School in 2024. His career in education began as a high school science and math teacher at the Eugene Waldorf School in 1993. Joseph later taught two cohorts of students from Grades 1 through 8 at Whatcom Hills Waldorf School in Bellingham, WA, where he also served as school administrator, college chair and trustee during a span of eighteen years. Joseph was the Pacific Northwest representative on the Leadership Council for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America from 2006-11, being responsible for regional professional development, collaboration, and school accreditation and membership for Waldorf schools in AK, WA, OR, ID, MT and British Columbia.

In 2014, Joseph ventured into the public school system where over ten years, he served as principal for an innovative K-12 alternative school, assistant principal at a traditional comprehensive high school, and principal of an International Baccalaureate elementary school. Joseph has a bachelor of science degree in forest ecology from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, a Master of Education degree in educational administration from Western Washington University, and a doctor of education degree in Curriculum, Teaching, learning and leadership from Northeastern University. Joseph received his Waldorf Teacher Certificate in 1994 from the Eugene Waldorf Teacher Institute, and holds a WA teacher certificate in middle level science and WA administrator credential.

Joseph and his wife, Adrienne, herself a career Waldorf Early Childhood educator, have two Waldorf alumni sons, a daughter-in-law and a sweet dog, Queso. Joseph and his family enjoy being in nature whether walking a quiet path in the forest or skiing from the summit of a local volcano. The only outdoor activity Joseph tries to avoid, without much success, is searching for his errant golf ball in the shrubbery. Joseph and his wife are delighted to be living in Portland and being part of the Cedarwood family!

Joseph Doucette
Head of School

Waldorf education has always been waiting for me…it just took me a long time to find it! Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, with a background in professional dance, fiber art, and theater, Waldorf education fell easily and gracefully into my life. Cedarwood and all the children are now my home, and I am as passionate and dedicated to working at Cedarwood today as I was my first day on the job in 2009!

Sitting on my front porch in Chicago, Illinois, back in 1997, my neighbor came up and asked if I would like to make my daughter a doll. Little did I know, I was living next to a master Waldorf doll maker, Maureen Flannery. She became my mentor and introduced me to the LOVE of teaching handwork.  I signed my kids up as babies at the Chicago Waldorf School and in 2003, I enrolled in the Arcturus Waldorf Teacher Training. 

In 2008, I moved to Portland and have been teaching in Waldorf schools ever since then. From 2007-2018, I served as a faculty member at the Micha-el Institute Teacher Training and have participated in Teaching Conferences as well.

As an avid competitive billiards player, I spend a lot of free time on the tables. I often participate in local and regional tournaments and am a four-time national qualifier. I am a devoted student of Anthroposophy and truly LOVE working with my colleagues at CWS. I enjoy hiking, traveling, and spending time with family, friends, and Bella (sweet angel pup) and Charles (devil cat).

Gia Davis
Trustee

Mindylee Hill
Trustee

 

2024 Annual Report

Board Meeting Minutes

The current board minutes can be viewed here.

If you have any questions about the board meeting minutes, please reach out to Joseph Doucette, Head of School.

Internal Organization of the Board

Cedarwood’s board maintains a number of standing committees and also periodically creates and then retires ad hoc committees that are focused on accomplishing particular short-term tasks or serving specific school initiatives, such as updating the strategic plan.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

The Board of Trustees supports the equity-related work at Cedarwood, as identified in the school’s strategic plan and within its own work.  The Board adopted this Equity Statement in the spring of 2023.

Volunteering

Our Board of Trustees is legally responsible for fulfilling Cedarwood’s mission. Board members determine policy and strategic goals while delegating day-to-day decisions to the Head of School. Trustees are expected to prepare for and attend monthly meetings as well as to participate in committee work.

We are looking for individuals who are well-connected within the Cedarwood community and have prior experience with enrollment, finance, and/or fundraising, although we also warmly welcome those with other skill sets.

If you are interested in becoming a trustee, please contact a member of the Committee on Trustees:

Joseph Doucette: jdoucette@cedarwoodschool.org

If you are interested in joining any of the following board committees, please contact Joseph Doucette. Many of these board committees support and work with other community volunteer opportunities.