Board of Directors

The school is governed by an active Board of Directors, that works with the executive director to ensure that Mundo Verde is delivering on its mission. The Board of Directors has an active committee structure that provides strategic guidance and oversight related to policy and program development, executive leadership, financial management, and overall structure. The current board is well-connected in the community, committed to Mundo Verde’s mission, and reflects expertise in education, nonprofit management, law, architecture, marketing and communications, and resource development as well as deep roots in the District of Columbia. Please click on the names below for brief biographies.

  • Anneliese is a Manager in the Transaction Services group at K&M Advisors, where she advises on commercial, financial, and economic aspects of international energy projects in emerging markets. She is passionate about helping advance clean energy transitions around the world and creating a low carbon future for all. Before working at K&M, she worked at IBM on IBM Watson AI and SAP projects, focused on business consulting, seller training, sales, and implementations.

    Anneliese is a strong believer in the role of arts and innovation in education and has worked on related projects in Tanzania, India, China, and the US. In 2012, she founded the Chicago Student Invention Convention, which received national recognition for the 2015 STEM Mentoring Awards “Most Innovative Project.” The CSIC program was acquired by Chicago Innovation in June 2017 and has now expanded to serve the state of Illinois. Over 5 years, the CSIC served more than 8,000 Chicago students K-8, 100 schools, 150 teachers, and awarded over $20,000 to outstanding student inventors.

    Anneliese is a graduate of Johns Hopkins SAIS with an M.A. in Energy, Resources, and the Environment, spending her first year at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in Nanjing, China. While in Nanjing, she gave a TedxYouth talk on “Why Invention is Important for Youth”.

  • Bisi is Partner of Schools and Human Capital Investments at Education Forward DC. Prior to leading the Schools and Human Capital grantmaking teams at Education Forward, Bisi was a Leadership Effectiveness Director at the Lynch Leadership Academy at Boston College. There, Bisi was responsible for designing and delivering curriculum to train and prepare school principals, providing individualized coaching and support to program participants, and providing strategic support to public schools, charter management organizations, and the Archdiocese of Boston. Before joining Lynch Leadership Academy, Bisi was the Executive Director of Match Charter Public High School, Principal of Nativity Preparatory School in Jamaica Plain, MA., and spent several years as a history and English teacher. Bisi holds a Doctorate in Education Administration, a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and Secondary History Education, and a BA in Political Science from Boston College.

  • Román Goldstein is an associate general counsel for Coinbase, where he advises the cryptocurrency company on compliance with banking and securities laws. He has been a banking lawyer in private practice and for the federal government since 2008. From 2010 to 2016, he was treasurer and board member of the Esperanza Education Fund, which offers college scholarships to DC-area students regardless of immigration status. Román graduated from Harvard Law School and Washington University in St. Louis, where he was an Annika Rodriguez Scholar.

    Román’s wife, Erin, is the treasurer of Padres at Mundo Verde. They have three children at Mundo Verde and live on Capitol Hill with their hydrophobic water dog. Originally from Buenos Aires, Román used to tango and nearly lost his hair when Argentina won the World Cup.

  • John is a writer, futurist, and beekeeper. As a futurist, he helps people and organizations interpret and respond to change they face, and to discover paths forward. He brings to his work two essential capabilities: a comprehensive knowledge of the future, and skill and experience at designing and leading processes to explore change and opportunity. Through his career, John has written, given keynotes, and consulted on topics including future consumers, work and worklife, science and technology, education, global economic change, and the environment. John serves on the Board of the Montgomery County Beekeeping Association, and is publicity chair for the Eastern Apicultural Society 2024 Conference. He previously served on the boards of the Northwest Washington Little League, the Urban Baseball Foundation, the Edmund Burke School, and Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS. John has a bachelor’s (University of Pennsylvania) and master’s (University of Arizona) degrees in anthropology and a master’s in international affairs (George Washington University). Born and raised in Maryland, he has been a DC resident since 1983

  • Allison is an expert in applying innovative strategies to positively transform workplace cultures and business models. As Associate Director and North America Employee Experience Lead at Accenture, she spearheads the Fortune 500 company's North America employee experience strategy and oversees partnerships with key stakeholders to innovate, design and implement experiences that bring out the best in people.

    Previously, Allison led collaborative initiatives with federal clients to re-imagine their potential and optimize the impact of changes to their operating models, organizational design, talent, culture, business processes and technology.

    Allison has a passion for the D.C. community, making a positive impact on people, and most importantly, doing meaningful work. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors.

  • Dr. Peling Li is a Clinical Faculty with City Teaching alliance. As part of that role, she is a Senior Lecturer at American University and teaches graduate courses in special education and elementary education. She also coaches new teachers with the program. Peling is also an adjunct professor at JohnsHopkins University and consults for the World Bank. Prior to this role, Peling was the Director of Special Education at Mundo Verde PCS. She has also taught and served in leadership positions while working in London and New York. Peling graduated from New York University with a BA in Elementary and Special Education and Psychology. She then attended Teachers College, Columbia University for her master’s degree in International Education Development with a focus in Bilingual Education. She earned her EdD at Johns Hopkins University with a focus in Special Education.

  • Kristin Scotchmer is the lead founder and executive director of Mundo Verde. She is passionate about Mundo Verde’s vision and has substantial knowledge of Mundo Verde’s philosophy, educational design and curriculum, as well as its operations and management. Kristin brings more than 17 years of professional management, governance and volunteer experience with nonprofit organizations, including expertise in management, board development, strategic planning and fundraising. She has considerable experience strengthening the capacity of small community-based organizations working to create change in the Washington, D.C., region, nationally and in Mexico. In addition, having lived in Guatemala for the first thirteen years of her life, Kristin is bilingual.

    Kristin has completed coursework toward an M.A. degree in Latin American studies from the University of Texas at Austin and has a B.A. degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Chicago. Kristin lives in Washington, D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood and has two daughters, one of whom attended Mundo Verde and is currently at DCI School, and the other one graduated from DCI School and is currently at college.

Board Meetings

The board of directors meets for regular board meetings on a calendar established by the board at the beginning of every school year. When necessary, special meetings may be called by the President or by one third of the directors. All actions of a special meeting may be reconsidered at the next regular board meeting. There are at least six (6) regular board meetings scheduled during the school year. In accordance with the Open Meeting Act (OMA), board meetings are open to the public, providing the opportunity for stakeholders to observe board operations.

For questions related to board business, the board meeting calendar or to RSVP to an upcoming board meeting, please email board@mundoverdepcs.org.

Meeting Calendar for SY23-24

Date Agenda / Draft & Approved Minutes
August 31
6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

Agenda

Approved Minutes in English / Spanish

September 28
6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

Agenda

Approved Minutes in English / Spanish

November 15
6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

Agenda

Approved Minutes in English

November 26

6:30-8:30pm
Special meeting

Agenda

Approved Minutes in English

December 19

6:30-8:30pm
Special meeting

Agenda

Approved Minutes in English

January 18

6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

Agenda

Draft Minutes in English

February 15

6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

Agenda


March 12
6:30-8:30pm
Regular Meeting

Agenda

May 2
6:30-8:30pm
Regular meeting

June 6
6:30-8:30pm
Election Meeting

Board Business

Notice of meetings The regular board meeting calendar is posted on the school’s website at the beginning of the school year. Notice of meetings will be posted at the school’s facilities main lobby, at least one (1) week before regular board meetings and forty-eight (48) hours before board special meetings. Board meetings are announced to families and staff via electronic weekly newsletter and are also announced via parents association(s).

Minutes and recordings of meetings Board meeting minutes are posted on the school’s website in draft form within 30 days of the board meeting and in final form within 45 days of being formally approved via board vote. Per the Open Meeting Act, board meetings are recorded and are available to review upon request. Requests to review a recording of a board meeting should be sent to board@mundoverdepcs.org.

Closed board sessions During any board meeting, a closed executive session may be held. In accordance with the OMA closed session requires a vote of the majority of the Directors present. Only those persons invited by the board may be present. The board will not make final policy decisions, adopt any resolution or take any other formal action during executive session. Matters discussed in executive sessions remain confidential.

Other meetings Board members also meet by committees, and the board holds periodic retreats for purposes of training and development of the board. Per the OMA, these gatherings are not considered meetings.

To learn more Learn about the District of Columbia’s Open Meeting Act and its relevance to charter schools through this resource: Open Meeting Act Training for Public Charter Schools Boards of Trustees. Learn more about Charter Schools by visiting About Charter Schools section of the National Alliance for Charter Schools website as well as the What is a Charter School section of the DC Public Charter Schools Board.

Leadership

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Kristin Scotchmer, Executive Director

Kristin Scotchmer is the lead founder and executive director of Mundo Verde. She is passionate about Mundo Verde’s vision and has substantial knowledge of Mundo Verde’s philosophy, educational design and curriculum, as well as its operations and management. Kristin brings more than 17 years of professional management, governance and volunteer experience with nonprofit organizations, including expertise in management, board development, strategic planning and fundraising. She has considerable experience strengthening the capacity of small community-based organizations working to create change in the Washington, D.C., region, nationally and in Mexico. In addition, having lived in Guatemala for the first thirteen years of her life, Kristin is bilingual.

Kristin has completed coursework toward an M.A. degree in Latin American studies from the University of Texas at Austin and has a B.A. degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Chicago. Kristin lives in Washington, D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood and has two daughters, one of whom is a 5th grader at Mundo Verde and the other is a 11th grader at D.C. International.

 

Joseph Rodriguez, Chief School Officer

With 28 years of service with public schools in Texas, Joseph Rodriguez is a passionate, bilingual life-long educator. His doctoral thesis examined the impact of bilingual/ESL programs on student achievement, and recommendations for eliminating disparities in bilingual programs. Over the past two decades Joseph has served as a bilingual/ESL teacher and athletic coach, a principal of an elementary dual language academy, a high school principal and assistant principal, a school district Bilingual/ESL compliance coordinator – and was most recently tasked with mentoring principals in his school district. Joseph's doctoral thesis examined the impact of bilingual/ESL programs on student achievement, and developed innovative recommendations for eliminating disparities in bilingual programs.

Highlights of Our Team

Mundo Verde in WUSA9: DC school offers community garden education for students, neighbors

SY21-22 Annual Report