-
Current Willow Creek Academy Board Members
Kurt Weinsheimer, President
Kurt Weinsheimer joined the Willow Creek Board in 2008. He is a Sausalito resident and parent of three daughters with his wife, Eve. Kurt is currently chief solutions officer at Sojern, a marketing technology company for travel, and has a background in launching e-commerce and media start-ups. Coming from a family of educators, Kurt has always been passionate about primary education as a force for positive change in our society. Kurt holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a B.A. from Boston College. kurtrw@gmail.com
Marijke Smit, Vice-president
Marijke comes to the Willow Creek board with deep experience in educational facility and master planning. A WCA parent of two, Marijke has worked with leading K-12, university, and cultural institutions to help shape their physical and cultural transformations. Trained in history and urban planning at Columbia University, Marijke’s career has been influenced by a complex array of assignments across the U.S. and Asia. She has focused her career around optimizing the nexus between people and their environments, helping her clients leverage their main assets – be they physical, curricular, social and/or cultural. She is currently VP of Education at Project Frog, an innovator in sustainable pre-fab construction for schools. Marijke’s work is framed by a deep commitment to creating healthy, vibrant and sustainable places. Her success as a national leader in her field landed her on Building Design + Construction’s 2008 “40 under 40” list, which reminds Marijke that she was once under forty.
Jim Henry, Treasurer
Jim Henry has lived in Sausalito since 2011 and joined the Willow Creek board as Treasurer in 2014. He and his spouse have two adult children and two young grandchildren. Jim is a CPA and partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), and currently serves as Managing Partner for the firm in San Francisco. During his 36 year career, he has held numerous leadership and client roles with PwC and has held non-profit board positions with INROADS, Larkin Street Youth Services, UCSF’s Global Health Group, and many other organizations. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from San Diego State University, and has completed executive education programs at the Center for Creative Leadership, Stanford’s Rock School of Law on Board Governance and UCLA’s Anderson School of Business.
Lexi Mussallem, Secretary
Lexi is the parent of a Willow Creek Academy student. She is a partner in the law firm of Maple & Mussallem LLP, with offices in San Francisco and San Rafael, and specializes in matrimonial law. She is a member of the San Francisco Bar Association, the Marin County Bar Association, the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Lexi also serves on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid of Marin. Lexi received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA and her J.D. from Hastings College of the Law.
Jeff Knowles
Jeff is a parent of two children and has been a Sausalito resident since 1995. He joined the Willow Creek Board in 2010. He is a Managing Partner and intellectual property litigator at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, a San Francisco law firm. Prior to joining the Coblentz firm, Jeff was a trial lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Jeff received his bachelor's degree from UCLA and his J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law.
Cynthia Nimmo
Cynthia is a native of the Bay Area and a resident of Sausalito since 2003. The parent of a Willow Creek student, Cynthia's two-decade career in gender equality has spanned the globe. As the long-time President and CEO of Women's Funding Network, and prior to that as a producer for iVillage.com: the Network for Women, Cynthia has overseen cross-sector partnership development; raised millions of dollars; and mobilized over 90,000 social media followers to take actions supporting the rights of women. Cynthia is a frequent speaker and contributor to various publications.
Johanna VanderMolen
Dr. Johanna VanderMolen served as Superintendent of Campbell Union School District, Santa Clara County, California for ten years prior to retiring in Sausalito in 2010. While superintendent she received the YWCA's Tribute to Women award, a competitive distinction honoring outstanding women executives in the Silicon Valley. Prior to that she worked as elementary school principal in Napa, middle school principal in Ventura, and Assistant Superintendent in Acalanes School District. She currently consults with school districts and foundations in the areas of executive coaching and governance. In 2014/15 she served as Pro-Tem of the Marin County Grand Jury. Johanna earned her doctorate degree from the University of San Francisco, a master’s degree from Pepperdine University, and her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She joined the Willow Creek Board in 2016.
We welcome your feedback. Please contact us at board@willowcreekacademy.org
