Governance
Board of Trustees
Amherst Montessori School is an independent non-profit school, governed by a Board of Trustees and administered by the Head of School. Our Board of Trustees is comprised of parents, grandparents, alumni parents, and community members.
2023-2024 Board of Trustees
Jennifer Lefort, Board Chair, is a clinical psychologist at the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health at the University of Massachusetts, where she oversees the professional training programs and the Psychological Assessment Service. Jennifer earned her Ph.D. from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. Her past professional experiences include working at an inpatient psychiatric hospital; for the last sixteen years she has also served on the human rights committee for Pathlight, a Springfield-based agency that supports individuals with developmental disabilities. Jennifer and her husband, Darren Clapprood, have two children who attend Amherst Montessori School.
Meg Kilroy, Treasurer, has 20 years of management experience, actively serving as Director of US Market Management for The LEGO Group. She received her BA from Brown University and her MBA from Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where her studies focused on Finance and Entrepreneurship. Meg has spent her career working in various Operations Management positions within the consumer packaged goods industry. In her current role, she relies heavily upon data, analytics and constructive collaboration to spearhead U.S. retailer planning and execution for a much beloved toy brand. Meg lives in Amherst with her husband, Barrett Mully, and their two children who both attend Amherst Montessori School.
Pete Mackey leads Mackey Strategies, which he founded in 2016 after a 25-year career leading communications at five different institutions in the U.S. and Europe: Amherst College, Bucknell University, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Science Foundation Ireland, and the University of South Carolina (USC). Mackey Strategies has thus far worked with more than 50 colleges, universities, foundations, and other nonprofits across the U.S., providing strategic communications, creative, training, and leadership services. His latest book is "How to Change the Future: Lessons from Ireland on Revolutionizing Scientific Innovation and Economic Prosperity" (Fire Books, 2023). Pete grew up in New Jersey, his wife Kyna grew up in Ohio, and they love living in Amherst. They are parents of four children (one deceased) and like their children consider AMS one of the best parts of their life in the community.
Everald Henry, Esq., is an attorney with a concentration in Contract, Immigration and Criminal Law. He primarily does contracts for Mass General Brigham Health Plan. In private practice he helps families with immigration issues. Social Activism and Community is important to him. He takes criminal cases for people that cannot afford attorneys and in doing so works with clients that are homeless and or have mental health issues; additionally, he serves on Amherst’s Community Safety and Social Justice Committee. Everald and Shannon have a child at the Amherst Montessori School.
Talya Vexler Nesbitt, is the second-generation owner of Hampshire Gymnastics School in Amherst. She earned her BBA from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Before taking over the family business, she was an assistant coach for the gymnastics teams at the University of Maryland and the University of Iowa. Talya is a breast cancer survivor and resides in Amherst with her husband, Keith. They have one child who attends Amherst Montessori School.