Board of Directors

Global Montessori Academy, as a nonprofit corporation, is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that ranges in size from 7 to 11 members. GMA’s Board is primarily comprised of parents, but welcomes community members who have a passion for Montessori education to seek election to the Board. Board elections occur in May of each year although interim appointments to the GMA Board are made as needed. GMA’s executive director and a faculty member serve on the GMA Board in an ex oficio, non-voting capacity.

The GMA Board possesses a wide range of expertise and is deeply committed to GMA’s vision and mission of providing high-quality, authentic Montessori education to children in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Board responsibilities include the following: engaging in long-term strategic planning for GMA; approving GMA’s annual budget and oversight of GMA’s finances; defining governance processes; setting policy for GMA; and supporting GMA’s executive director in the execution of GMA’s vision and mission.

Download Board Application (PDF)

For more information about the GMA Board, email board@globalmontessori.com

Current Board Members

  • Erin Holland

    President

    Erin joined the GMA board as Treasurer in October 2020. As a Senior Client Service Consultant at Holmes Murphy & Associates, Erin focuses on consulting large and mid-market organizations on their entire employee benefits program, including cost control and avoidance, wellness solutions, strategic planning and employee communications, with a special emphasis on public entities and self-funded plans.  She is a graduate of Truman State University, holding a BFA. She has a son in Children’s House 3. As a board member, Erin is committed to enhancing and furthering the objectives of GMA and its unique community.

  • Rebecca Anderson

    Rebecca Anderson has spent her career trying to impact community health. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from The University of Kansas and a master’s in social work from Washburn University. Her passion is designing and studying population health. She is a subject matter expert in Community Health Worker (CHW) Programs, nationally known for her work in this area, she built the largest CHW program in our region. Rebecca spent the first fourteen years of her career at KC CARE Health Center as their Director of Care Coordination. She is currently at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City under the population health team where is she is building out their CHW model, managing their social referral platform, and launching an initiative to take healthcare to our communities using a medical van. In her free time, you will find her studying our healthcare system, ways to improve it, and trying to better understand the barriers our communities face. She also runs the Kansas Dysautonomia Group, where she helps support and guide members across our state with Dysautonomia. Rebecca has a daughter in Lower Elementary. As a board member she hopes to enhance GMA’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion efforts.

  • Adam Benton

  • Scotty Bray

  • Alex Brown

    Alex Brown is an attorney at Lathrop GPM, specializing in complex insurance coverage and  § 1983 civil rights litigation. Prior to joining Lathrop, Mr. Brown worked as an attorney in Chicago for Dentons LLP in the litigation and arbitration practice group. Mr. Brown has a political science degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Brown provided finance and business advice to low-to-middle income entrepreneurs in the KC metro area with the Missouri Women’s Business Center.  His child is currently enrolled in Children’s House 1.

  • Kristin Brown

    Kristin joins the GMA Board of Directors with over ten years of school finance and operations experience. She has been with EdOps since 2015 after nine years developing extensive skills in non-profit program management, communications, and education. In her current role as Finance Team Manager with EdOps, Kristin supports finance analysts and specialists in their day-to-day roles. She has experience in drafting multimillion-dollar budgets, supporting new schools in establishing financial and operational policies and procedures, and navigating federal funding compliance. Kristin holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from DePaul University and a M.S. in Communication from Northwestern University.

  • Lydia Cook McAnulty

    Lydia and her husband Pat have three children at GMA in the Infant, Children’s House & Lower Elementary Classrooms. They have chosen Montessori based educational programs for all of their children since birth and joined the GMA family in Summer of 2022. Outside of the home, she is a Veterinary Scientist and works on bringing new animal pharmaceuticals to the US & European market spaces. She is a Veterinarian and has a PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology (Immunology). Lydia has a special interest in promoting science based health & sustainability initiatives within the GMA community. Her passions include meditation, yoga, reading & animals and will advocate for programs related to these areas for the students of GMA.

  • Brandi Finocchario

    Brandi is a seasoned leader with more than 12 years of experience in healthcare and nonprofit organizations and serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Swope Health. She brings an array of knowledge in the areas of quality improvement, strategic planning, business operations, project management, and data analysis. Brandi’s expertise also extends to academia. She currently serves as an adjunct instructor at William Jewell College, Metropolitan Community College, and as an associate faculty member at University of Phoenix, teaching Nonprofit Law and Risk Management, Intro to Healthcare Administration, Strategic Planning, and Healthcare Sustainability courses. She also serves as the Board Chair for Citizens of the World Charter School in Kansas City, MO and is a member of the Junior League of Kansas City.

  • Brian Gordon

  • Justin Morris

    Justin Morris, husband and loving father, embarked on a lifelong journey with Scarlett in 2013. Their joyful family includes two boys, Finn (5) and Barrett (7). Alongside his role as CEO of Armor Security since 2006, Justin finds solace and adventure in the great outdoors. His hobbies include hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing, allowing him to connect with nature and challenge himself physically. Whether scaling cliffs or conquering mountain trails, Justin’s love for outdoor activities fuels his adventurous spirit. Balancing his professional and personal pursuits, he remains a devoted family man while embracing the thrill of exploring the natural world.