Without any connections to the island, she fell in love with the community and natural beauty and decided to make it her home as she grew her film business, Yellow Productions. Laura met her now husband, Christopher, while they both worked for Plum TV on the island. Chris later joined Laura in growing Yellow and since then, they have created films and digital campaigns for Microsoft, Dole, Apollo, The YMCA, The Nantucket Cottage Hospital & The Nantucket Fire Department. But it was the film that they made for The Nantucket Lighthouse School in 2020 that made them know it was the perfect school for their children. After experiencing the school through a lens that not many get to experience, Laura was so taken back by the approach to learning, compassion and kindness that each staff member and child had. Since then, Laura and her family's lives have been forever changed by the happiness that the school brings to them each day.

Laura is excited to be entrusted with the role of being on the board of trustees and hopes to bring her experience from communications to the table, but more importantly, her perspective as a parent.

A graduate of Hackley School (Tarrytown, NY), Scott returned to his alma mater where he taught history and English, coached various sports, and served as the upper school director. After two years as the high school principal at Marlborough School (Los Angeles, CA), Scott was named head of school at Rye Country Day School (Rye, NY), a position he held for twenty-nine years. During his career he has served on a variety of non-profit boards including the New York State Association of Independent Schools and the Bronx Preparatory Charter School (NY). Scott earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science at Brown University and his master's degree in Education - Administration and Supervision at Fordham University

After touring NLS in 2020, it was an easy decision to enroll their eldest, Nanette, in the Small School Program. Providing a collaborative, considerate and healthy environment for young learners is paramount to the future success of any student and Patrick believes Nantucket Lighthouse School plays a key role in this endeavor. The Island has provided a welcome change of pace from New York City where Patrick lived previously for 17 years; he continues to work in Capital Markets as a Managing Director at Canaccord Genuity. Moving to Nantucket was an opportunity to refocus volunteer efforts in a local community and Patrick has enjoyed his time coaching hockey and working with the Boys and Girls Club. Patrick and Tharon are pleased to have their middle son, Gordie, attending NLS this year and look forward to their youngest son, Merrick, attending in the future.

Virginia has a diverse professional background, currently serving as a Program Coordinator at the Mexico Institute - Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. In this role, she coordinates and executes events and meetings in both Spanish and English with high-profile individuals, manages the Institute’s social media, and maintains communication with stakeholders across various sectors.

Additionally, Virginia is a freelance journalist for Nantucket-based publications, where she covers a wide range of topics and conducts bilingual interviews, bringing diverse perspectives to her reporting. She has also worked as a Spanish Translator and Staff Intern for the International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, and as a research fellow at the USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research.

In joining the Nantucket Lighthouse School Board of Trustees, Virginia brings a wealth of experience, a deep connection to the school’s mission, and a passion for fostering educational excellence.

Lizbet co-founded Lighthouse School with Elizabeth Sundell in 1999 where she has served as the Director of Education, Trustee, classroom teacher and faculty advisor. She has worked with young children for over 25 years in pre-school and elementary school classrooms. She moved to Nantucket in 1991 to teach at NES before leaving and creating her own pre-school turned Kindergarten program, which evolved into the Lighthouse Small School and primary program."We set out to create a school that honors the magic of childhood while creatively introducing children to the ideas, information, and tools they will need to construct meaningful and rewarding lives. In turn, the school has generated a wonderful and caring community of teachers, staff members, families, and friends." Lizbet's philosophy of education is inspired and informed by the work of Rudolf Steiner (founder of Waldorf Education), the Integrated Day approach of the Antioch New England Graduate School, the social curriculum and philosophy of the Mead School, her practical experience in the classroom and the talented staff she has worked with. As a Trustee Emerita, she currently serves in an unofficial advisory role.

Susan is a certified barre, yoga, and breathwork teacher and enjoys cooking big meals for her family and walking her dogs on the beach. In the past she has raised funds for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation and Mass General Food Allergy Center.

Passionate about the mental well-being of children, Susan believes that kids are so much more than the grades they are given and the sports they play. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to the island community through her work on the Board of Trustees at Nantucket Lighthouse School.

Matt is deeply committed to the Nantucket community. He has served as Associate Commissioner for the Nantucket Historic District Commission, was the founding Chair of the Nantucket Affordable Housing Trust, and served on the Board of Trustees for the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club from 2012 to 2025, including a recent term as Board Chair.

Matt has called Nantucket home since 2000, where he lives with his wife, Evelyn, and their children: Hunter, 24; Grace (2006–2014); and Xavier, 11, a student at Nantucket Lighthouse School. As a Lighthouse parent, Matt values the school’s holistic and joyful approach to education and how it inspires children to love learning.

Susan’s nonprofit and community involvement is extensive and significant. She has served on the board of various banks, Easter Seals, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club, and is the founder and a trustee of The Good Neighbor Foundation. Susan also created an endowed scholarship at the University of South Carolina to provide long-term educational opportunities for students.

Nantucket Lighthouse School’s emphasis on curiosity, creativity, and connection aligns perfectly with what Susan believes matters most in education. She is drawn to the school’s mission and vision and its deep commitment to nurturing the whole child—academically, emotionally, and socially.

A longtime supporter of Nantucket Lighthouse School, Pauline is proud to have seen her own children thrive in its nurturing and inspiring environment. She deeply values the school’s commitment to cultivating independence, curiosity, and compassion in children.

This year holds special meaning for Pauline as her grandchild becomes the school’s first legacy student—a milestone that speaks to Nantucket Lighthouse School’s lasting impact on families and the broader community.

Since retirement, he and his wife, Betsy, divide their time between Nantucket and Naples, Florida. The appreciation for the value of education, instilled by his mother, an educator, has accompanied him throughout both his business and personal life.

Growing up just outside of Washington, D.C., she enjoyed summers along the coast of Delaware where the Atlantic meets the bay, which heightened her affinity for the water and the beautiful landscapes that surround it. Kara transitioned from a fast-paced life as a marketing writer in New York City to fully remote work on Nantucket in 2021. Nantucket Lighthouse School—and the vibrant, kind community that comes with it—has been a warm, welcoming place for her two children, Wes and Simone.

They vacationed on Nantucket every summer until they bought their home in 2016.  The family was able to live full time on the island when Covid hit.  Since that time, Kim has spent most of her time on the island with John traveling for work and joining her on weekends.  Over the last few years, Kim began spending more and more of the off season here and decided she really wanted to get involved in the community and began looking for ways to help.

Kim has her degree in physical therapy and she specialized in pediatrics when she worked before having her children. After having her first baby, she and John went on to adopt three more children from Russia.  It was at that point that she decided to combine her physical therapy skills with her love of orphans and started an NGO in 2007 dedicated to helping disabled and sick Russian orphans .  When the Russian/Ukraine war broke out, she expanded her NGO to include orphans who were sick and disabled in Ukraine, as well.  While she is passionate about helping orphans overseas, she has missed working with children in the US.  This interest brought her to the Nantucket Lighthouse School.  She looks forward to helping the children and families in any way needed!

In addition to her non-profit overseas, Kim has a strong interest in wellness.  She is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is currently in school studying to become a yoga teacher working with children, as well as a specialist in Functional Medicine. She hopes to bring these skills to the children and families of the school, as well.

Kim feels incredibly grateful to have found a "home" at the Nantucket Lighthouse School and is so inspired by all of the faculty and parents that she has met. She feels this is such a special and unique school and is so lucky to be able to be a part of it. She looks so forward to getting involved in fundraising, as well as working directly with the children, their families and the faculty of this incredibly warm and loving school!