Board of Directors
A volunteer Board of Directors oversees The Portland Montessori School, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, by serving as a fiduciary and strategic partner to the Head of School / Executive Director. Learn more about the Board.
Meet the Board
Jess Willey - Chair
Jess Willey joined the TPMS Board in March 2022, bringing a keen interest in organizational excellence and a professional background in brand management, market insights, and strategic planning. Jess most recently held a leadership role at the Oregon Wine Board, serving the state's community of winemakers and grape growers first as the organization’s head of marketing and then as steward of its strategic plan development. Jess studied engineering at the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
During her 6-year tenure on the Board of the Alberta Cooperative Grocery, Jess discovered the fulfilling nature of board service for a mission-driven, community-based organization. She is honored to chair the TPMS Board as the school embarks on its next era under new leadership. Jess and her husband, Jason, strive to instill in their daughter—a third-year Primary student at TPMS—an appreciation for international travel, live music, and a good hike in the woods.
Jeni Diaz Axline - Vice Chair
Jeni Diaz Axline is a Montessori alumni and parent of two children in The Portland Montessori School’s primary and elementary programs. Her background is in operations, strategic development, and partnerships – with experience in both start-ups and large corporations.
As a Y Combinator alumni, and former co-founder of a venture-backed, women-led business, Jeni credits her early Montessori education for her desire to build businesses and push forward the values of diversity, equity and inclusion.
In the words of Maria Montessori, “The needs of mankind are universal. Our means of meeting them create the richness and diversity of the plant. The Montessori child should come to relish the texture of that diversity.”
Andrea Sommer - Treasurer
Andrea Sommer is an entrepreneur and strategist with global expertise in technology, operations, strategic growth initiatives and marketing. She's built a number of businesses in the technology space and is currently Co-Founder & CEO at Hive Founders, a global network of support for women entrepreneurs, from concept to exit. She is passionate about strategy, technology, entrepreneurship and increasing the number of women represented across these industries, from entry-level to board-level.
Andrea is a product of the Montessori education system having attended The American School of Sao Paulo (Graded) in her native Brazil. After completing a BA at Reed College, she spent over a decade in the UK where she worked and obtained an MBA from London Business School. After the birth of her daughter, she returned to Portland to be closer to family.
In her spare time, Andrea loves to travel internationally, cook unique dishes, read dystopian novels, explore new cycling routes and practice yoga (ideally outside).
Andrea is a true believer in the Montessori approach and strives to bring this philosophy to life for her daughter (a TPMS primary student) at school and at home.
Emma Anholt
Emma is an open source software developer, and parent to Moss in the Rainbow Room. Prior to TPMS, she has served on the X.Org Foundation Board of Directors for 9 years, including as their treasurer. She also volunteers as a department lead at SOAK, the regional Burning Man event.
Emma and her wife Gloria have been committed to Montessori education for Moss since before he was born. They are quite pleased to see how he has thrived in an environment that nurtures his independence and supports his intrinsic drive for learning.
In her free time, Emma enjoys camping with family and friends, gardening, rock climbing, rockhounding and rock polishing, and playing in the wood shop (often with Moss equipped with nails and scrap wood).
Jo Perini-Abbott
Jo Perini-Abbott is a law professor, attorney, and a mom, not necessarily in that order. She is the Executive Director of the Lewis & Clark Advocacy Center where she teaches courtroom skills to law students. She also still maintains a small practice focused on federal criminal defense. Following college, before pursuing her legal career, Jo taught middle school special education in rural New Mexico. She has stayed involved in various education policy initiatives wherever life has taken her. Jo brings with her to the TPMS board a knack for solving difficult problems and a passion for education policy.
Jo’s two children have moved on from TMPS but each enjoyed 4 years here and the benefits of this great start are still evident in all they do. Jo is committed to making the TPMS community the best it can be.
Lara Smith
Lara Smith’s background is in non-profit management, community outreach, camp programming, and project management. She has experience in mission-driven program development, building and leading teams, and leadership development. She works to build opportunities for all children and families to access the support and opportunities they need to thrive.
Lara studied communication and theatre at the University of California, Davis. Her daughter Rowan is a student in the Cloud room. Lara loves to sew and ride her bike whenever time and Portland weather permit.
Naurry Kwon
Naurry Kwon is a strategy and management consultant working with clients to develop business strategies and define operational objectives. Prior to consulting, he has held several roles in the technology and telecommunications industry ranging from product line management to business development. Naurry is also an adjunct professor at Portland State University teaching marketing strategy. Naurry holds a BS from the University of Washington and an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
As a father, he’s seen the positive influence and development of his two daughters, Eloise and Agatha. And Naurry is committed to the mission and purpose of The Portland Montessori School and the community it serves.
Whit Pendergast
Whit Pendergast brings a wealth of experience in innovation, brand building, and community engagement to our board. With a background in political strategy and consulting, including national roles with the Service Employees International Union and leading various state and federal campaigns, Whit excels at developing unique pathways to success and organizing people to action. Whit co-founded the largest crowdfunded distillery in US history- one of world's few LGBTQ- and women-led spirits producers. His dedication to community building and values-driven work is also exercised in his role on OHSU’s Transgender Health Advisory Board.
Whit and his partner, Heidi, while new to the Montessori system, are thrilled to see how the Bumblebee community has fostered within their toddler so much growth and excitement about coming to school. You can often find them exploring all the PNW was to offer, learning to cook new dishes together, or making art and music as a family.
Meet the Staff
All guides and most staff members at The Portland Montessori School are Association Montessori Internationale certified. See why so many parents entrust our school with their children’s education and well being.
"At The Portland Montessori School, our kids learn to use buttons, tie their shoes, juice an orange, crack nuts and cut bananas, clean up after themselves, identify odd and even numbers, sew, set their place at the table, pour their own milk, understand the value of numbers into the thousands, and identify continents and countries on a map—and have fun doing it all!"
"Our son sincerely loves his guide, who shows him authentic kindness, warmth, and non-judgmental acceptance. Under her guidance, he has become a self-directed, competent, and curious learner who cares about the world and others around him."
"What takes me aback every day is the exceptional commitment of every single staff member to the nurturing environment that this school provides. The care, understanding, and compassion that they show is and unwavering and is unique to each and every child."
"Our son's vocabulary, spelling, reading and social skills have grown by leaps and bounds under the Montessori method."
"As the mom of identical (yet nothing alike) twins, we wanted a school community that would nurture their individual curiosities and interests and provide them the same lifelong love of learning that I have experienced as a Montessori student many years ago. We found that in The Portland Montessori School."