About

Board of Trustees

Curtis is governed by a Board of Trustees. Historically, the Board has been composed of parents, past parents, alumni, and friends of the school.
The board establishes policy and works closely with the Head of School and administration to ensure that these policies are implemented. New trustees are elected by the board and generally serve two or three 3-year terms. Trustees contribute a significant amount of time to ensure the strategic and financial health of the school. Collectively, Curtis trustees bring expertise and experience from a wide variety of fields and backgrounds to bear on the work of the board.

Organization

Standing committees of the board include the Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Finance Committee, Advancement Annual Fund Committee, Planning Committee, Committee on Trustees, and Buildings & Grounds Committee. The board also has special task forces that are created from time to time to make recommendations to the full board and, unless otherwise specifically authorized, final policy approval rests with the full board. Administrators, faculty members, and parents may be invited to serve on the committees at the pleasure of the board chair and the head of school. The head of school, chief operating and financial officer, president of the Parents Association, president of the Alumni Council, and other administrators regularly attend board meetings as non-members. Trustees serve on a volunteer basis without remuneration of any kind.

2024-25 Board of Trustees

List of 19 items.

  • Craig Varnen, Chair

    Curtis alumni parent Craig Varnen serves on the Board of Trustees as Chair.
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  • Lee Chu, First Vice Chair

    Lee Chu is a dedicated Curtis parent and has been a valuable member of the Finance Committee.
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  • Harshith Ramesh, Second Vice Chair

    Harshith Ramesh is a Curtis parent who brings extensive top-level executive business experience in finance, planning, and development to the Board of Trustees.
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  • Steve Chang, Treasurer

    Steve Chang joined the board in 2018 after serving on the board’s investment committee as a parent member since 2015. He brings extensive experience and deep expertise in investment to the board.
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  • Karla Diaz Sayles, Secretary

    Karla is a seasoned government affairs executive with expertise in public policy, legislative advocacy, community engagement strategy, coalition building, and innovative problem solving at all levels of government. She serves as Director of Public Affairs at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
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  • Erikson Albrecht

    Erikson Albrecht joined the Board of Trustees in 2019 and is a valued member.
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  • Kavitha Bhatia, MD, MMM, FAAP

    Dr. Kavitha Bhatia joined the Curtis Board of Trustees in 2019 and brings expertise in pediatrics, child development, corporate strategy, operations and governance
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  • Dilip Bhavnani

    Born in Manchester, England, Dilip Bhavnani is the chief operating officer of Sunscope, one of the largest promotional products companies, where he started working while earning a bachelor of arts degree in economics from UCLA.
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  • Marshall Cole ’96

    Marshall Cole is an engaged Curtis alum and current parent. 
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  • Dana Coleman

    Dr. Dana Coleman is an inspiring educational leader and advocate who has dedicated her life to creating equitable learning environments for students. A native Angeleno and parent of a middle schooler, Dana has devoted her career to transforming the experiences of marginalized communities in education.
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  • Talib Fakhri

    Mr. Fakhri is a Curtis parent who has already been a valuable contributor to the board’s Advancement Committee. He brings extensive experience in finance, development, and corporate strategy to the work of the full board.
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  • Ann Kono

    Curtis parent Ann Kono has served Curtis as a valued member of the board’s Finance and Campaign Advisory committees. She is also a dedicated Parents Association volunteer, who has generously given of herself to our community for many years.
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  • Nicholas Matus

    Nicholas Matus brings extensive experience in real estate, development, finance, and corporate strategy to the board and his role serving on the Finance and CLIC committees.
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  • Kevin Newman '83

    Dr. Kevin Newman is Curtis alumnus and an educator with more than 20 years’ experience in independent schools.
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  • Sarah Shulkind

    Dr. Shulkind is an engaged Curtis parent who brings valuable experience as an educator and leader in independent school administration. 
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  • Leslie Vermut

    Leslie Vermut brings to the Board of Trustees extensive experience in financial investment in the private sector as well as working with non-profits.
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  • Jon Wimbish

    Jon Wimbish is the Head of the Middle School at Harvard-Westlake and has more than 20 years’ experience as an educator in independent schools.
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  • Thea Andrews Wolf

    Thea Andrews Wolf is a veteran television news journalist who has worked as a producer, national correspondent, and anchor for networks in the United States and Canada, including ESPN, ABC, CBS and CTV.   
     
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  • Rachel Yang

    Dr. Rachel Yang joined the board in 2017. An author and educator, Dr. Yang has a Ph.D. in Technology Management, a Master of Science degree in Decision Analysis, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.
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Curtis School

15871 Mulholland Drive  ·  Los Angeles CA 90049
310-476-1251
info@curtisschool.org