The Whistler Waldorf School Board of Trustees is responsible for the school’s fiscal, legal, and structural health. Comprised of elected professionals and community parents along with up to three College of Teacher’s appointed faculty members, the Board of Trustees is a group of leaders who have an affinity to Waldorf education, the Whistler Waldorf School, and are able to make critical business decisions pertaining to the governance of the school that enable it to continue to grow and support its students, faculty, and administrative staff. The Director of Education and Director of Administration serve on the board as ex-officio members.
Make a Difference
Being a board member of Whistler Waldorf School is an honour, and the job comes with great responsibility. The Board looks for individuals with interpersonal and professional skills to assist in the governance of the School and who feel passionate about the school’s academic and extracurricular strengths, its strategic plan, and supporting its leadership.
Interested in learning more about the responsibilities and time requirements of a Board member and nomination? Please contact the Head of School.
(Last updated: Jan. 2023)
PJ O’Heany
Board Chair, Trustee
Originally from Toronto but bred on a cricket oval in Australia, PJ graduated from Deakin University in Australia with a Bachelors of Commerce degree in International Marketing. After moving to Whistler, PJ O’Heany took a turn from the business world and through his love of teaching skiing, created YES Tours in Whistler. YES has since certified over 3,000 students through the instructor training program as well as having more than 5,000 skiers & boarders enjoy weekly improvement programs. PJ and his wife have two children – Savannah, currently in High School and Aiden, a WWS 2018 graduate now attending McGill. Both Savannah and Aiden attended WWS since preschool.
Desmond Kingsford
Treasurer, Trustee
Des and his family moved to Whistler in 2018 from London England and has three kids in the school. He got to know Whistler in his younger years as a former ski racer from Alberta, and enjoys skiing, biking and most of all, the tightly knit, fun loving community that is Whistler. Des runs Highwood Value Partners, a boutique investment management firm out of Whistler. He has a CFA and is a graduate of Cambridge University (MA in Philosophy) and McGill University (B.Comm).
Jeff Rosen
Principal
Jeff Rosen has over 30 years of experience in Education and is thrilled to be joining the Whistler Waldorf community. Most currently, he was the Assistant Head of School/Senior School Principal at York House in Vancouver. Prior to that, he served three years as Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation at American School of Lima, and twelve years first as Middle School Principal and then Deputy Head of School at the Shanghai American School.
Jeff has also worked as a classroom teacher in Canada, Mali, China and Mexico. Jeff earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Concordia University, a Masters degree in Ethnic Studies and Educational Issues from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Western Ontario. His wife is a teacher at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver and he has two sons enrolled at UBC. He currently volunteers at the Vancouver Food Bank and is a phone responder for the Canadian Crisis Center. Jeff is one of a handful of Canadians who has completed a marathon on all seven continents and loves hot yoga, scuba diving and skiing.
Brian Gohlke
Director of Business and Finance
Mr. Gohlke joined WWS in 2015 as the Grade 7 teacher. Brian was a class teacher at the Vancouver Waldorf School since 2007, taking a class from Grade 2 – 7 and then another class for Grade 7 and 8. Brian has a BA in Economics and International Business and a Diploma in Rudolf Steiner Education, having completed his Waldorf teacher training in New Zealand in 2006. Previous to his work as a Waldorf teacher, Brian worked as a class teacher for eight years at a school in Taiwan.
Mollianne Reynolds
Faculty-Appointed Trustee, Grade 1 Teacher
Ms. Reynolds is caring, creative and dedicated. She combines a firm hand with a sense of humour to make her an adored teacher and faculty member. Mollianne attended Waldorf schools in Vancouver, Germany and Toronto, and after a few years in the health and vitamin industry and at a bio-dynamic farm, she decided to become a Waldorf teacher herself. With a Bachelor’s degree in English under her belt already, she completed a 2-year Waldorf Teacher Training program at the world’s first Waldorf Teacher Training Institute in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mollianne joined Whistler Waldorf in 2004 as a class teacher for a Grade 6 to 7 before taking on a Grade 1 in 2006. After taking this class to Grade 6 and another class from 2-4, she most recently indulged her creative side, focussing on the handwork curriculum from grades 1-7. She looks forward to returning to class teaching with Grade One this year. In addition to exploring the fabric arts, Mollianne enjoys creating in chalk, watercolour, pencil and sometimes even music. When not at school, she can be found inventing children’s stories and cuddling with her two dogs in Pemberton
Stephen Neal
Trustee
Stephen Neal is the founder and president of SportsMarketingInc.ca that provides sales and marketing support to events and organizations. SportsMarketingInc.ca works with organisations including the Canadian Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and MusicAlliance.ca. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Stephen is also an Investor Director at Main Street Brewing Company and former Advisory Board Member for Power To Be, a charity that empowers people to explore their limitless abilities through inclusive adventures rooted in nature. Stephen’s strengths include raising funds, creating partnerships, supporting brands and driving revenue. Stephen’s son attends Whistler Waldorf School.
Karen Potter
Trustee
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Karen has resided in Whistler since 1998, and currently works with businesses in the Sea to Sky corridor as a Human Resources Consultant.
Prior to this, Karen held several HR management roles, including at Whistler Blackcomb, VANOC, Tourism Whistler, and hotels including Black Rock Oceanfront Resort and L’Hermitage.
Karen specializes in recruitment, training, performance management, strategic planning, and systems implementation. Karen has served on the Board for Whistler Community Services Society, as well as represented Whistler Blackcomb through the Canada West Ski Areas Association.
Karen and her husband have two children who both currently attend Whistler Waldorf in the Lower School.
Merideth Schutter
Trustee
Merideth Schutter has been enjoying Whistler her entire life. As a Vancouverite, weekends and holidays in Whistler were the norm. The Schutter family of five made the move to full time Whistler living in 2018, partially because of the education the kids would receive at Whistler Waldorf. Merideth graduated from Crofton House, attended UBC Sauder School of Business, then sold real estate in the city for over a decade. Together with her husband, Merideth co-owns Qi Integrated Health, Canada’s most diverse integrated health centre.
Merideth is also the founder of PROtect Smart Personal Safety, a safety platform to keep employees safe at work and at play. As a passionate volunteer, Meredith has chaired the Canuck Place Gift of Time Gala and sat on their committee for many years. Joining the Parent Association has always been on the top of Merideth’s list, until she joined the WWS Board in 2019 and brings with her knowledge of fund-raising, philanthropy and building community through giving back. Merideth loves travel, cooking, entertaining, riding her bike and spending time on the water with family and friends.
