Founding Board Members:
Wendy Miner, MSN, RN , Board President, has a Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, a BA in Neuroscience from Middlebury College, and she graduated from a leadership semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School in Patagonia, Chile. She was trained as an Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with a focus in global health, and has practiced nursing in hospital, community and home-based settings. Most recently she worked with a health-related technology startup company to develop a product aimed to harness the power of collaboration to improve healthcare experiences for families, caregivers and their loved ones. She has also led several small personal and community fundraising initiatives, and hopes to bring this experience to Spring Hill. Wendy is a mom of a preschool-aged child currently enrolled at MWS, and she looks forward to addressing this widespread community need alongside such a diverse and committed group of people.
Thomas J. Filip, DMD, MBA, Treasurer is the owner dentist of Noble Dental Care in Keene, NH and parent of a preschool student at Spring Hill. He has a track record of growing dental offices and dental support organizations in Philadelphia, New York and New Hampshire. Previously he worked in the financial services industry in New York, Hong Kong and Boston. He earned a BA from Haverford College, an MBA from The Wharton School and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
Eliza Murphy, Secretary has taught preschool aged students in Waldorf, Nature-Based and traditional environments for 20 years. She is trained as a Waldorf EC teacher by Sophia’s Hearth, and holds an M.Ed in early childhood education from Antioch University New England. Eliza is also the owner of Brewbakers Cafe and Terra Nova Coffee with her husband and partner, and recently founded Nova Arts, a community arts non-profit. She serves on the boards of Keene Housing Kids Collaborative and Gathering Waters Charter School, and is passionate about advocating for children and supporting evidence-based initiatives that help them thrive.
Ronja Elliston is a graduate of Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, has a BA from Lesley University and is a trained Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher from Sophia’s Hearth Family Center. She has worked in Waldorf Kindergartens throughout the Northeast and is now primarily home with her two young children. She enjoys rediscovering the world through her children’s curiosity and wonder, tending to her garden and adventuring in the woods with family and friends.
Kimberly Kaufman, is a multifaceted professional with a diverse range of skills and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA in Graphic Design, which has been the cornerstone of her career. Throughout her professional journey, Kimberly has blended her design skills with photography and marketing. Beyond her professional pursuits, Kimberly is a mom of two children who have attended and currently attend SHCC, a photographer, herbalist with a passion for holistic health and nutrition, enjoys writing, and spending time outdoors hiking and rock climbing. She is a student of life and is always looking to acquire new skills.
Michelle Trombley, MPH, Public Health Advisor, has deep roots in the Monadnock Region. She is passionate about working with early childcare providers to create safe and nurturing spaces for young children to thrive and for their families to be supported during their children’s foundational years. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University. She recently returned to Keene with her preschooler on temporary leave from her work as an international Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Signe Motter, Born in Norway, Signe has been teaching at Waldorf schools for over 40 years, taking three classes through from 1st to 8th grade. Tomte Gubben, the origin school of Monadnock Waldorf School, had its first classroom in Signe's living room in Sullivan, New Hampshire before it found a permanent home on South Lincoln Street in Keene, where her two daughters attended and Signe continued to teach for many years. She also taught at Princeton Waldorf School in New Jersey and The Waldorf School at Moraine Farm in Massachusetts. Signe holds a Master of Education from Antioch University, where she has served as an adjunct faculty member for many years. Signe appreciates Waldorf education for the understanding and attention it gives to the developmental stages of childhood and how it weaves subjects together in an organic flow that supports and informs each one. In her spare time, Signe likes to read, knit, play board games and cards with her grandchildren, and dig in her flower gardens.
Board Committees:
Executive/ Governance
Finance
Development and Fundraising
Human Resources
Marketing, Outreach and Enrollment
Building and Grounds
Strategic Planning/ Program Development
Advisory Committees:
COVID
Pedagogy
DEIJ
The Spring Hill community includes a diverse group of individuals, with specific experience and skills that will be instrumental to this initiative. The board and board advisors welcome parents, caregivers, educators, and invested community members to join us as a board member or member of a committee. All are welcome.