Chris Topham – Executive Director
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Chris joined Sebastopol Charter in 2013. Prior to arriving, Chris served as the Lower School Coordinator at Summerfield Waldorf School, an administrative role that he stepped into after 15 years of teaching which included teaching a class grades 6-8 and another class grades 1-8. He began his teaching career as a Waldorf class teacher at Novato Charter School when the school was founded in 1996 and where he taught a class 4th to 8th grade.
Chris has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Pepperdine University, Master of Arts in Education Leadership from Sonoma State University, a California Public School Teaching Credential from Dominican University, Waldorf Education Teaching Credential from Rudolf Steiner College and an Education Administration Services Credential from Sonoma State University.
Kelli Lewis – Director of Student Support Services
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Kelli brings over two decades of experience in education, with a strong commitment to supporting student achievement across diverse learning needs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University and relocated to California in 2002, where she went on to complete both Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Severe Special Education credentials at Sonoma State University. She also holds an Extensive Support Needs Bridge Authorization.
Following ten years of classroom teaching, Kelli transitioned into educational leadership. She has cleared her Administrative Services Credential and currently serves as the Vice Principal and Director of Student Support Services at Sebastopol Charter School. In this role, she draws upon her comprehensive background in special education and student support to enhance inclusive practices and ensure that all students receive the resources they need to thrive.
Kelli is the proud parent of a college-aged child and values time spent outdoors. She has been actively engaged in the Waldorf education community for the past four years.
Jenn Neylon – Chief Operations Officer
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Jenn joined Sebastopol Charter School in December of 2021, following her return to her hometown of Sebastopol. Jenn has held various diverse leadership roles in both public and non-profit sectors and has over 25 years of experience, which includes Human Resources, Fiscal and Administrative Management, facilities oversight, and Risk Management. She has her A.A. Degree in Business Management and her B.S. Degree in Human Resources Management. She holds certifications in both Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Human Resources (HR) training from the Charter School Development Center, as well as OSHA 30 General Industry and ServSafe Manager Examination Certifications. In her spare time, Jenn enjoys spending time with her daughters, gardening, volunteering and playing tennis.
Kristi Darling – Office Manager and Enrollment Director
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Kristi comes to Sebastopol Charter after spending the last two years as Administrative Coordinator at Live Oak Charter. Prior to her time with Live Oak, she was in management after being a stay-at-home mother when her two boys were small. A Sonoma County native, she earned her BA in Liberal Arts at Sonoma State University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and her two fluffy cats.
Dori King – School Secretary
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Photo and bio coming soon!
Charter Foundation
The Charter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public nonprofit corporation. They use the funds they raise to cover the gap in expenses between what the state provides and what it costs to maintain our school’s facilities, hire high quality faculty, and implement the meaningful Waldorf programming that makes up our curriculum. Click here to learn more about the Charter Foundation
Ashley Schroth-Cary – Community Engagement and Development Manager
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Ashley Schroth-Cary is a holistic nutritionist who studied at Bauman College and San Francisco State University. Her background is in emergency response, having worked as an EMT/firefighter and a ski patroller. However, she found her true calling as a nutritionist. She has spent the last eleven years helping build wellness programs in Sonoma County focusing on nutrition, exercise and stress management. In these programs she has done extensive work with 1:1 patient and client nutrition counseling, group workshops and cooking classes as well as individual and group exercise training.
Ashley is a 5 time certified personal trainer who has worked as a group fitness trainer as well as a personal trainer. She is also a sports nutrition specialist. She is passionate about helping people eat healthier, train better and stress less. When she isn’t working, she enjoys being with her 2 daughters, husband and dogs, usually doing something outdoors or figuring out a way to sneak away to Lake Tahoe. She has a passion for healthy cooking and loves to help others ignite their passion as well.
