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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Parker's Board of Trustees are responsible for setting Parker's institutional mission, directing strategic planning, assuring the School’s financial stability, and appointing and evaluating the Head of School's performance and compensation.

The Board delegates responsibility for managing day-to-day operations to the Head of School.

Members of the Board of Trustees are volunteers, nominated by the Parker community and elected by the Board. There are eight committees of the Board of Trustees: Audit, Board Governance, Compensation, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging, Executive, Finance, Investment, and Philanthropy.

Board business is conducted in accordance with approved bylaws, last revised in June, 2022.

Meet Parker's Board of Trustees

Diana Strauss Casey
Board Chair
 
 

Diana Casey is Vice President of Danube Properties, Inc., a local real estate corporation. Diana is a real estate attorney who specializes in multi-family development and related transactions. Prior to joining Danube Properties, Diana was a partner at the San Diego office of Latham & Watkins, LLP, a global law firm. Diana received her bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Little Italy Association. Diana has a daughter Courtney, Class of 2024, and twins, John and Hannah, Class of 2029.

Jeannette Aldous, MD
 
 
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Jeannette (“Nette”) Aldous, MD, is a practicing physician and the Clinical Director of Infectious Disease for San Ysidro Health. Her career focus is health equity for historically underserved populations and she provides direct patient care and clinical leadership for programs in HIV, Infectious Disease, and Gender-Affirming Medicine and Sexual Health. Nette received her B.A. in Biology from Wesleyan University, attended medical school at UCSD, an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Colorado, and an Infectious Disease Fellowship at UCSD. At Parker, she previously served on the Strategic Initiatives Committee and is currently a member of the Board Governance Committee. She and her husband, John Aldous, MD, MPA, have two children at Parker; Zora, Class of 2028, and Mina, Class of 2025.

Will Beamer '89
 
 
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Will Beamer is the President, Chief Investment Officer, and Principal at Dowling & Yahnke, an independent, fee-only wealth management firm. A Francis Parker School lifer, Will attended Duke University on a Navy ROTC scholarship and graduated with honors in history. After graduation, Will spent four years in the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet as a surface warfare officer before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. Within the San Diego community, Will serves on the board of The Parker Foundation and the San Diego chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). He is also a member of the investment committees of the San Diego Museum of Art and Serving Seniors. At Parker, Will has served on the Audit, Alumni Relations, Finance, Board Governance, and Investment Committees. Will and his wife Jenn have four children. Their son Drew, Class of 2020, is a recent Parker graduate.

Steve Bjorg
 
 
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Steve Bjorg was the Founder and Chief Technical Officer at MindTouch (acquired by NICE CXone in 2021), a San Diego-based enterprise software company that specializes in customer self-service software. He is a seasoned technologist and serial entrepreneur who is passionate about helping others. Prior to founding MindTouch, Steve worked in Advanced Strategies and the Developer Division at Microsoft, focusing on distributed computing.

 
Jing Bourgeois
 
 
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Jing Bourgeois works as a private real estate investor, overseeing commercial and residential projects. After graduating from the Sichuan Music Conservatory in China, she worked in the Public Relations department of the Nuclear Power Institute of China, the largest nuclear power company in China. Jing also taught music at the Normal School in the Si Chuan Province for two years. Since coming to the United States, she’s been involved in the San Diego community. She is a Board Director of the non-profit organization Mainly Mozart and serves on the leadership council for the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra, having chaired the 2018 MMYO Gala. At Parker, she has been a member of the Philanthropy Committee since 2016, co-chaired the 2019 Middle School Day of Giving, and chaired the 40th gala. Jing and her husband, Jim Freeman, have twin children, Mercy and York, Class of 2024.

Carin Canale-Theakston
 
 
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Carin Canale-Theakston is CEO of Canale Communications Inc., where she also serves as the chief culture officer, principal strategist and resident sommelier. Carin is involved at some level with every client, providing communications insights to life science executives and contributing to strategic planning. She founded CanaleComm in 2010 after her tenure as president of the life sciences division of international public relations firm Porter Novelli. A sought-after speaker and moderator, Carin serves as vice-chair of the board of directors for San Diego-based Biocom, the largest regional life science association in the world, and co-chairs the Biocom Capital Development Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. She also is a director of CONNECT/San Diego Venture Group, where her efforts help bring additional investor capital to San Diego’s early-stage life science companies. Under her leadership, CanaleComm received a  Best Places to Work award from the San Diego Business Journal three consecutive years in a row and the agency was named to Inc. magazine’s annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing privately-owned businesses in the U.S. in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Carin won the prestigious E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award and previously was named “Woman of the Year” by California Assembly Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins. At Parker, she has served for many years on the Communications Committee of the Board of Trustees. Carin and her wife, Hillary, have two daughters at Parker, Piper, Class of 2028, and Ella, Class of 2031.

Ana Chapman
 
 
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Ana Chapman is a Managing Director at Hamilton Lane. Prior to Hamilton Lane, she was Senior Relationship Manager and Alternatives Lead at Allianz Global Investors, President of JHL Capital Group, and worked at Goldman Sachs, Smith Barney (now Citigroup), Amba Research, and Coghill Capital Management. Ana received a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia University. She also attended the Women on Boards executive program at Harvard Business School. She has served on the Advisory Board at Backstop Solutions Group and as a Board Director at MP Materials. She serves on the investment committee of the San Diego Foundation, the advisory board for the Parker Center for Investment Research at Cornell University, and is a member of the Cornell University Council. At Parker, Ana has served on the Audit, Investment, and Philanthropy Committees. Ana and her husband Tom have twin children, Max and Audrey, Class of 2021.

Randall Clark
 
 
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Randall Clark is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Sempra Infrastructure and has served in various leadership and legal capacities at the Sempra family of companies over the last 20 years. He has served as Sempra’s Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Deputy General Counsel. Before joining Sempra, he practiced transactional law with Morrison & Foerster in Los Angeles and Cooley in San Diego. He graduated with honors from Duke University Law School with an emphasis in international and comparative law and summa cum laude from Pepperdine University with an accounting degree. At Parker, Randall is a member of the Board Governance Committee. He also serves on numerous other non-profit boards and currently is Board Chair at the La Jolla Playhouse. Randall and his husband, Michael, have twins, Annika and Evan, Class of 2023.

Schuyler Coppedge
 
 
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Schuyler Coppedge is a Partner at ECP and is involved in all areas of the firm’s investment activities, with a particular emphasis on renewable generation and environmental infrastructure. Schuyler serves on the boards of CIG Logistics; Cormetech Inc.; Terra-Gen, LLC; US Development Group, LLC; and USD Partners, LP. He previously served on the board of ProPetro Holding Corp., and prior to realization, served on the board of FirstLight Power Enterprises, Inc. Prior to joining ECP in 2005, Schuyler spent over six years at JP Morgan in New York and London in the firm’s Energy Investment Banking Division. A native of the east coast, his family spends their summers in Chatham, MA. Schuyler and his wife, Irene, have two children at Parker: Phoebe, Class of 2030, and Luke, class of 2033.

Estela de Llanos
 
 
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Estela de Llanos serves as Vice President of Energy Procurement and Sustainability at San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), a Sempra utility. In this role, Estela oversees energy supply and is the Chief Environmental Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer. Prior to joining Sempra in 2007, Estela was a Senior Associate in the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins LLP. Estela holds a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a second major in international studies from Yale University. Estela currently serves on the board of the California Environmental Voters Education Fund and the Coalition for Clean Air. At Parker, Estela serves as chair of the Board’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee. Estela and her husband, Lars, have three children: Maia, Class of 2021; James, Class of 2023; and Nora, Class of 2026.

Kristie Diamond
 
 
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Kristie Diamond worked as a legislative correspondent and speechwriter for a United States Senator in Washington, D.C.; for the San Diego County Office of the Public Defender; and for the State of New Mexico Public Defenders Death Penalty Appellate Division. Kristie graduated with a B.A. in History and Political Science and a J.D. from the University of San Diego. At Parker, she has served on the Parker Board of Trustees for three years, serving on the Philanthropy, Development Review, Compensation, and Executive Committees. She has also as Vice Chair, Chair of the Board Governance Committee, and the Secretary of the Board. Kristie also served on the Parent’s Association for four years, including two years as president. Kristie and her husband, Earll Pott, have four Parker children: Henry, Class of 2018; Joseph, Class of 2021; Charlotte, Class of 2023; and Penelope, Class of 2026.

Graeme Gabriel
 
 
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Graeme Gabriel is the Chairman of the Board of ColRich, a residential real estate development and investment company. Graeme joined ColRich in 2001 after relocating to San Diego from Washington, D.C. where he worked in the field of Commercial Real Estate for Donaldson, Lufkin, and Jenrette Company and GE Capital Real Estate. Graeme is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in International Relations. He is currently President of Congregation Beth El and a Board Member of the Jewish Community Foundation, as well as a past Board Member of the Building Industry Association of San Diego. At Parker, Graeme currently serves as a member of the Campaign Steering Committee at Parker and was a volunteer coach on the Parker Squash Team. Graeme and his wife, Dr. Simone Kanter have three children, Naomi, Class of 2024; Julia, Class of 2025; and Aidan, Class of 2028.

Marvin Gunn
 
 
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Marvin Gunn is a Director at Limekiln Real Estate, a nationwide multifamily bridge lender based in New York. With over 20 years of commercial real estate experience, Marvin has held similar roles at Arbor Realty Trust, CalPrivate Bank (formerly San Diego Private Bank), Axos Bank (formerly BOFI Federal Bank), GE Capital Real Estate, and RLJ Lodging Trust (formerly RLJ Development). Marvin graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Penn State University and an MBA from George Washington University. At Parker, Marvin has served as the Co-Chair of the Parent’s Association Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee and is currently a member of the Diversity Committee and Audit Committee. Marvin and his wife, Nicole Baham-Gunn, have three children at Parker: Matthew, Class of 2028; Tristan, Class of 2030; and Nathan, Class of 2033.
Robert Howard
 
 
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Robert Howard is a partner in the law firm of Latham & Watkins. As a trial lawyer, he has tried cases nationally in federal and state court, representing clients in the oil and gas industry, power industry, and aerospace, defense, and clean tech industries. He earned his law degree and MBA from Duke University. He also holds B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and in Applied Physics from Tufts University. After serving for 21 years in the United States Marine Corps, he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Robert and Jacqueline Gaussen-Howard have two children at Parker: Ryder, Class of 2025, and Riley, Class of 2030.
Erik Keskinen
 
 
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Erik Keskinen worked as a financial analyst for SAIC before becoming a small business owner. He attended the University of Arizona, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in History. He now focuses on volunteering and being a stay-at-home dad. For six years, Erik was an active and founding member of Teen Volunteers in Action’s (TVIA) SD4 Chapter. A proud member of San Diego’s LGBTQ community, Erik has actively participated in “America’s Finest City Softball League” for 22 years. During his 16 years in the Parker community, he has served four years on the Parents Association’s (PA) Executive Board, including as Lower School VP and PA President. He chaired two record-setting galas and co-chaired three record-setting Days of Giving. Erik also enjoyed a one-year term on the Parker Board of Trustees Philanthropy Committee. He and his husband, Bob Keskinen, have a son, Parker, Class of 2020, and a daughter, Presley, Class of 2022.
Ted Kim
 
 
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Ted Kim is a partner and Director of Investments at Brandes Investment Partners LP, a global investment advisory firm based in San Diego. He is one of the team leaders responsible for the firm’s research efforts in the Investments Group. He is also a member of the Global Large Cap Investment Committee at Brandes. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in system design and management. Ted also received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is currently a volunteer member on Parker’s Finance Committee and the Compensation Committee. Ted and his wife, Kathie, have three children at Parker: Jenna, Class of 2022, Samantha, Class of 2024, and Nicholas, Class of 2026.

Carter Meiselman
 
 
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Carter Meiselman is President of Eastern Federal Corporation, a family investment office based in San Diego and Charlotte, NC. Before founding the family office in 2005, Mr. Meiselman ran EFC’s movie theater company, doubling its cash flow, before selling it to Regal Entertainment Group after 70+ years of continuous operation. Prior to EFC, Mr. Meiselman was an Associate at Quadrangle Group, a private equity fund focused on media and telecom; an Associate in the mergers and acquisitions department at Citigroup; and a Financial Analyst at J.P. Morgan & Co. Inc. Mr. Meiselman has an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Del Mar, CA with his wife, Dana, and two daughters: Avery (Class of 2025) and Ellis.

Jackie Reed
 
 
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Jackie Reed is CEO of TS Restaurants, a family-owned, privately held company with 13 restaurants in Hawaii and California, the most popular brand being Duke’s. Jackie is on the board of directors for the San Diego Bowl Game Association (responsible for the collegiate Holiday Bowl game) and the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau (HVCB); an Executive Board member of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA); and a member of YPO (Young President’s Organization), where she serves on the board for her Pacific West Chapter and the Pacific US region. Jackie splits her time between California and Hawaii, which allows her the opportunity to regularly connect with her many family members who reside in Hawaii. Proud of her Samoan heritage, she is a former Polynesian dancer and instructor. Jackie and her husband, John, are parents to four sons and their youngest, Zane, is Class of 2025.

Kirsten Solberg '97
 
 
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Kirsten Solberg is in-house counsel with J.F Shea Co., Inc., one of the nation’s largest and oldest privately owned construction companies. Kirsten holds a law degree from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University. After attending school and working on the east coast, Kirsten returned to San Diego where she began her legal career in the real estate practice of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps. She has served as a committee member and chair of the San Diego Foundation’s Scholarship Committee and a board member for the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. Kirsten is a proud Francis Parker School alumna from the Class of 1997, having started at the Lower School in Grade 5.

Samir Singh '96
 
 
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Samir Singh '96 is an attorney and Principal at Triton Bridge, PC, a San Diego-based technology licensing law firm and Founder and President of MakeYou, Inc., a mobile health software company. He was previously Innovation Officer for ProQuest, LLC a leading global library information services company. Samir graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. A Parker lifer, Samir now sits on the Board of Directors of Accel Robotics Corporation and serves on the Francis Parker Alumni Audit Committee. He and his wife, Priya, have three children at Parker: Akash, Class of 2026; Arya, Class of 2028; and Aditi, Class of 2032.

Kate Deely Smith
 
 
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Kate Deely Smith spent over a decade working in media and communications, including a stint as a writer and researcher for Parenting magazine. She also served as a Public Affairs Representative for UCSD Health Sciences and School of Medicine. Kate graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in Communications. Kate's community involvement includes Rady Children’s Hospital and UCSD Health Sciences Auxiliaries. Active with the Parker Parent’s Association since 2007, she served as PA president from 2015 to 2016 and Lower School PA VP from 2011 to 2013. She has served as a room parent and Upper School grade level rep and has co-chaired the Lower School Halloween Carnival. Currently, Kate serves on the Board Governance Committee. Kate has four children who have or are attending Parker: Avalon, Class of 2020; Jesse, Class of 2022; Eden, Class of 2024; and Cambria, Class of 2027.

Meghan Spieker
 
 
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Meghan Spieker represented public companies and business leaders for over 15 years in private practice as a litigator at the law firms of Cooley LLP and Shearman & Sterling. Meghan received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and her law degree with honors from Georgetown University. She formerly chaired and currently serves on the board of Free to Thrive, which provides direct legal services to survivors of human trafficking. She also serves on the board of the California Wildlife Officers Foundation. Previously, she co-chaired the San Diego Lawyers Club Human Trafficking Task Force, an organization committed to combating domestic trafficking, particularly of minors. At Parker, Meghan chairs the Board Governance Committee. Meghan and her husband, Warren, have four sons: Wes; Quinn, Class of 2023; Liam, Class of 2025; and Rogan, Class of 2027.

Voltaire Sterling
 
 
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Voltaire Sterling is a Director of Communications and Strategy at EBONY Media. A gifted storyteller, Voltaire has also worked professionally as an actor, attorney, writer, political strategist, PR consultant, and non-profit executive. He worked at Overbrook Entertainment for Jada Pinkett Smith’s Creative & Producing Partner and was cast by Denzel Washington to play a role in “The Great Debaters”. Voltaire formerly served as the Chairman of the Board of Hill Harper’s Manifest Your Destiny Foundation and as the Strategic Advisor to the President of a nationally renowned San Diego-based non-profit for underserved youth called Reality Changers. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Morehouse College and was the first black Head Class Marshal and Commencement Speaker at Harvard Law School. He is a proud Parker Dad and enjoys spending time with his wife, Meagan, and children Jude, Class of 2030, and Felicity-Rose, Class of 2036.

Kevin Yaley, PhD
 
 
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Kevin Yaley was named Head of Francis Parker School in 2010. He is the 12th person to fill the position since the school’s founding in 1912 and is now leading Parker into its second century with great energy and vision. Prior to stepping into the top leadership role, Kevin enjoyed 13 years of teaching history, ethics, and philosophy, first at the University of San Diego High School and later at Parker. He also coached cross country, track and field, and soccer during that time. Kevin served as Parker’s Director of Admissions for a year before serving as Associate Head of School for five years. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree from San Diego State University. Kevin is the parent of three Parker graduates—Solia, Class of 2013; Indiana, Class of 2016; and Ansel, Class of 2017.

Francis Parker School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for students in Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 from across San Diego County. Parker's mission is to inspire a diverse community of independent thinkers whose academic excellence, global perspective and strength of character prepare them to make a meaningful difference in the world.

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Non-Discrimination Statement

Francis Parker School values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds. All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, creed, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.  

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