Dave Anderson – Dave has worked in the nonprofit sector for 30 years, including 20 years as the director of several state and national organizations. He is currently the executive director of the National Manufactured Home Owners Association. He previously led organizations designed to involve students in community service and public policy. Dave has a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, a Doctor of Education in Leadership from the University of St. Thomas, and was selected as a Bush Fellow in 2020. He has extensive experience with community engagement, government relations, project management, strategic planning, fund development, and staff training.
Matt Howell – Matt has been supporting the efforts of the Oak Hill Montessori as a Trustee for the past 7 years and as a Treasurer for the past 5. With a background as an officer in the United States Army and over 15 years’ experience in Fortune 500, Matt has the experience of a financial executive that has developed strategies that accelerate growth, improve cost discipline and increase fiscal health.
Tariq Ibrahim – Tariq was born in Nazareth, India and grew up in India and the United Arab Emirates. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering (Anna University, India), MS in Industrial Engineering (University of Florida) and MBA (Indiana University). He has been employed with Cummins Inc. at their Minnesota facilities since 2011. He resides in Shoreview with his wife Nabeelah Rahmathullah Tariq, and his son Haroon Tariq, who has been a student at Oak Hill for the past three years. Tariq’s hobbies include gardening, biking, and playing cricket. He is excited, both as a parent and Shoreview resident, about the potential of OHMCS as an educational institution. He is excited to be a part of this journey and lend his voice in critical issues that need to be addressed.
Heidi James – Heidi brings over 10 years of experience working and teaching at Oak Hill. She started as a lower elementary teaching assistant in 2011, and quickly grew to love the Montessori educational environment. She completed her AMI Montessori elementary training in 2015 and holds a Master of Arts in Montessori Elementary education from St. Catherine University. Heidi has taught both Lower and Upper Elementary levels at Oak Hill. She is excited and honored to be representing staff voice on the OHMCS board.
Michael McCall – Mike lives in Roseville with his wife, Nicole, and son, John. Nicole is an elementary school teacher and is wonderful at what she does. Their son, John, has attended Oak Hill for two years, and they are excited for him to carry on into kindergarten and beyond. Mike feels Oak Hill has been the perfect fit for their family, and feels fortunate that John has such gifted teachers and friendly classmates. Mike’s first career was in the utility industry as a technician that maintained the pipes that keep houses warm in the winter. Three years ago he had the opportunity to pursue a legal education, and recently graduated from law school. He and his family love to travel, host family and friends, and learn new things. He is glad to join the Board to be a part of John’s future and to give back to a community that has already given so much to them.
Molly Petracca – Molly has a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Minnesota and holds the AMI Primary Montessori Diploma from the Montessori Center in Minnesota. She has worked in schools in Minneapolis and Canada. In the past Molly has worked for the Minnesota Literacy Council and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Minneapolis. She has a deep passion for early literacy and loves giving children the tools to become confident readers. Molly loves the Montessori philosophy and educational method and is excited to be on the Board of a Montessori charter school.
Juli Rubin – Juli joined the Oak Hill Montessori Board of Trustees in 2017, and now serves as Board Secretary for the founding board of OHMCS. Juli has a Master’s of Business Administration degree with a focus on international business and consulting within the medical industry. She has over 15 years of professional experience in Regulatory Affairs, Quality Systems, Clinical Research, Business Management, and Non-Profit Management within academic, non-profit, and industry organizations. Juli has worked in a variety of positions within Academia and the Medtec. In addition to her current role on the Oak Hill Montessori Board of Trustees, Juli also has previous non-profit leadership experience serving on the Area Sports Management Team for Special Olympics MN and on the Board of Directors for a Minneapolis community theatre. In her professional role within the regulatory field, Juli develops and implements strategies, provides expertise to cross-functional teams, and manages negotiations with regulatory authorities.
Mary Wilcox – Mary recently retired from her role as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Medtronic, plc. having been in that organization for over 30 years. Prior to her years at Medtronic, Mary worked as a Certified Public Accountant. Mary has volunteered her skills to Oak Hill Montessori as a member of its Finance Committee and more recently as a Trustee. Mary brings extensive experience in the school operations and management from her six years as a board member of Totino-Grace High School. During her tenure, Mary was Chair of the Finance Committee and Co-President of the Board of Directors.
Vashti Wilson – Vashti is a current Oak Hill parent, is married with three beautiful and energetic boys, all of whom attend Oak Hill Montessori School. Originally from the east coast, Vashti graduated from Western Connecticut State University, in Danbury, CT with a degree in Marketing; and earned a diploma in Fashion Retailing from The Art Institute International in MN. Her last position was a relocation consultant, where she was a liaison between employees and their companies to assist in every aspect of their move. As a parent, and the daughter of an educator, education is priority to Vashti. Developing a child’s mind inside and outside of the classroom is key to having a great education, which is why she choose Oak Hill. After discovering the Montessori teachings and techniques, her oldest, Xavier, gravitated to this method of instruction starting in pre-school here at Oak Hill. She then realized she wanted all of her children to follow the same path. Her hope and goal is that her children – and all children – will have no bounds or limits to learning, and that their teachers are given what they need to make this happen.