President — Dan Richardson has been involved with the Waldorf School since 2000 when he joined the Building & Grounds Committee. He currently serves as the Vice-President for the Board of Trustees. His wife Holly Richardson is currently the Sixth Grade Class Teacher at WSRF. Their two sons are currently enrolled in the Kinderhaus/Second Grade. In his professional life, Dan provides clean energy consulting services to public, private, and non-profit sector clients through SGM, an engineering firm based in Glenwood Springs.
Secretary — Erin Fernandez-Ely currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. Her education includes a B.A. in Philosophy from Wellesley College and a J.D. from the University of Florida Law School. In 2000, Colorado Governor Owens appointed Erin to the County Court Bench in Pitkin County, Colorado where she currently presides. Erin’s commitment to Waldorf education is underscored by her children’s matriculation in the first preschool on the present WSRF campus in 2000. Her son graduated in 2010 and her daughter is currently in 8th grade. It is Erin’s belief that the entire Ely family, including extended family members, has flourished through participation in the Waldorf community.
Valery Kelly has been associated with WSRF since the school’s inception in Aspen in 1991 when her sister was a founding parent. Valery has served as a member of the Enrollment, Annual Giving and Development committees and she is the 2011/12 co-chair of the Parent Council. She is currently a representative of the parent body on the Board of Trustees. She is also the class parent for her daughter’s Kinderhaus class. Professionally Valery is a self-taught graphic designer and photographer. She has created marketing materials for WSRF and she is involved in strategic planning at the school. Valery and her husband Kearns have two daughters who are enrolled at the school.
Christi Small has been an active part of the Waldorf School since 2002 when her daughters began their Waldorf Education. She has served as Class Parent, Parent Council Chair, Annual Giving Coordinator, Hands & Heart Parent Volunteer Coordinator and a member of the Board of Trustees. Professionally, Christi ran a Personal Training business before moving to the valley in 2002. Currently she is a fitness instructor in Carbondale. she holds a MS degree in Exercise Physiology.
Thea DeRudder has been a teacher at WSRF for the past 6 years in the Handwork program and as a class teacher. She currently leads the Handwork program. Thea received her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, and completed her Waldorf teacher training in the Master’s program at Antioch University New England. She is also a graduate of the City of the Lakes Waldorf School and the Watershed Waldorf High School in Minneapolis, MN.
Kathleen Mumaw has been involved with WSRF since 2010 when her and her husband began bringing their two children to the Kinderhaus. She is a new member of the Board of Trustees. Kathleen is serving as the class teacher for the third grade this year after previously teaching in public schools. She is currently enrolled in a Waldorf teacher training program.
Ex Officio Members
Carla Beebe Comey, Faculty Administrator has been with WSRF since 2001. In addition to teaching eurythmy, she has also served as a math teacher and a class teacher. She helped to found the Pedagogical Council and has served on many other committees at the school and in the national Waldorf movement. She is currently in her 30th year of involvement with Waldorf Education.
Larry Smith, Business Administrator has been involved with WSRF since 2007. Each of his children began in the pre- school program; his son is now in second grade, his daughter in first grade. Larry now serves as the school’s full-time Business Administrator. His previous experience includes work in banking, personal finance, sales and management.
Anne Menconi, Community Development Administrator, Savannah College of Art and Design/Fort Lewis College: B.A. in Historic Preservation and Design; Indiana University School of Philanthropy: Principles & Techniques of Fundraising; Has worked in early childhood and youth development since 1999. Executive Director of international youth developmental agency; developed renown curriculum studied by Harvard, University of Texas, and child psychology research entities. Focus on prevention, intervention & treatment. Administrative responsibilities include Administrative Council, Development/Fundraising, Marketing, Enrollment, and community outreach, relationships, and strategic partnerships. 14 years of youth development work including home schooling her own children with a Waldorf Curriculum.