Board of Trustees

Darlene Fountaine brings experience in education and personal development. She founded Your Go-To Coaches and is a certified life and executive coach. She was director of admission at Westside Neighborhood School for many years, as well as a trustee. During her tenure as a trustee, she served as vice chair and established the board's advisory committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She was a trustee at the Willows Community School and served as chair of the parent association. Darlene has headed the admission directors' consortium for the Los Angeles Area Independent Schools (LAIS) and serves on the board of Southern California People of Color in Independent Schools (SoCal POCIS) as well as other nonprofit boards.

Darlene has an MBA from USC and a BA from the University of Michigan. She holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University in addition to other certificates.

Darlene and her husband Sy are proud parents of Vistamar alumnus Bradley (’15). They reside in Ladera Heights.

Why Vistamar?

"I love the spirit of Vistamar—the way it feels when you walk through the doors, down the corridors and across the campus. I believe it offers a unique high school experience that prepares students for life, not just college. I love the size of Vistamar, and that with a little effort, a student could know everyone in his class, if not the school. I love the access to teachers and the individualized attention afforded to each student. I love that students with many interests do not have to choose just one, but can explore them all. I love the fact that no one is invisible and most importantly, Vistamar’s commitment to all types of diversity."

April Spencer is a Partner with EY and has 30+ years of experience providing business insights and tax services to clients in entertainment, technology, and consumer products. In addition to serving clients, April has held several regional and global leadership roles where she was responsible for vision, strategy, execution, and operation of several large practices across multiple countries.

April earned her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Barbara and a MBT from USC. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles and on the Board of the Golden West chapter of ALS.

She and her husband, Roger, live in Manhattan Beach with their daughter Cas (Marlborough ’22) and son Jack (Vistamar ’25).

Why Vistamar?

"My son went through the application process during a period of time when everything was virtual, yet the strength of the academic program, the sense of an engaged community and the aspects that make Vistamar so unique and special still came through loud and clear. I love Vistamar’s approach to Math and Science, the small class sizes and the fact that every faculty member I’ve met has incredible warmth for the students and enthusiasm for fostering a love of learning. But what I love most is that they “get my kid”. The teachers are really intentional about finding out what makes each student unique and creating an intimate, nurturing environment where the students can be themselves as they stretch their intellectual muscles and build the skills needed to excel in college and in life."

Princess Baltimore received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. where she focused her studies on International Politics and Philosophy.  After foregoing an opportunity to enter the US Foreign Service Corps, Ms. Baltimore returned to California to be closer to her immediate family. After working 2 years in the commercial insurance industry with the Marsh & McLennan Companies, Ms. Baltimore decided to pursue a law degree and graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law a few years later. Ms. Baltimore has dedicated her legal career to the service of the most vulnerable in our communities - abused and neglected children and youth. She has worked for the Children’s Law Center of California (“CLC”), a national leader in the area of juvenile court advocacy, for 27 years in a host of roles that include everything from litigation to recruitment, program management, and fundraising. Ms. Baltimore is the proud parent of a Vistamar Viking (Class of 2024) and their dog, Archer. 

Why Vistamar?

"In these challenging times, I can’t imagine having my daughter attend a school other than Vistamar. The care and concern that teachers and staff consistently demonstrate while students try to navigate through a distance-learning environment has been phenomenal. Teachers routinely show an ability to meet students where they’re at while also encouraging students to bring their best selves to an unconventional school setting. Also, as a product of an independent school, it has been refreshing for our family to find ourselves in a school community where the notion of diversity is not just a talking point but a palpable, tangible fact of life that you immediately feel the moment that you set foot on Vistamar’s campus. Vistamar is not just producing good students, but more importantly, it is producing good citizens."

Dr. Butler is a Family Medicine Physician and HIV Specialist practicing in South Central Los Angeles. He serves as Chief Medical Officer at the To Help Everyone (T.H.E.) Clinic, a federally qualified community health center and is the Director of T.H.E Clinic’s HIV Program. He is also a faculty member of the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center at Charles Drew University.   With an additional interest in international health, Dr. Butler has lived in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer and has participated in medical missions in various parts of Africa.

Derrick is married to Gayle Butler and the proud father of three children, Derrick (Vistamar ’17), Justin, and Andrew (Vistamar '24.) He and his family live in the View Park/ Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles and are active members of the community.

Why Vistamar?

"I love Vistamar because its community fosters belonging for each student and allows the student to find their particular niche. The philosophy and curriculum force the students to take their education into their own hands and become courageous, exploratory, and confident. There is no cookie-cutter formula or a feed and regurgitate mentality here that exists at other schools. Independent thought and discovery are championed."

David Christopher is a technology executive who has spent most of his career in the wireless industry bringing new forms of connectivity to our world. He is currently the Executive Vice President of business development and strategic alliances at AT&T, responsible for the company’s largest partnerships and strategic deals. Prior to this current role, Christopher was Executive Vice President and General Manager for AT&T’s largest business, AT&T Mobility, for 4 years, and before that served as President of its combined consumer business which included wireless, fiber broadband and DIRECTV. He was Chief Marketing Officer for AT&T’s wireless business for the ten years prior to that. Before joining AT&T, he was Vice President, Product Marketing and Management at Palm. He also worked for Apple and began his career with the Sara Lee Corporation in Barcelona, Spain, and Gent, Belgium.

David currently serves as chairman of CTIA, which represents the wireless communications industry before congress, state legislatures, the Federal Communications Commission, and other federal and state agencies on matters of public policy. He has also served as Chairman of the Ad Council, which brings together the marketing, advertising and media industries to combat pressing social issues. 

He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. David and his wife Mary Beth are the proud parents of two Vistamar students, Emma (’21) and Elizabeth (’25).

Why Vistamar?

“Vistamar has a special sauce that creates confident, curious and empathetic young adults. It combines rigorous academics with the arts, sports and other activities….all with the right amount of support that fosters creativity and builds community. Students can be themselves in an environment that prepares them to succeed well beyond high school."

Mariana Eggleton has 26 years of experience as an elementary arts and Spanish teacher and tutor.  Originally from Mexico City, she holds a BA in Fine Art with a minor in Education from the Universidad of Monterrey, Mexico and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She migrated to the United States 17 years ago, living first in Texas and now in California.

Mariana has a great passion for teaching and helping others. She is active in her local community and has always been deeply involved in her kids' schools.  Besides the love she has for education and arts, she also has worked as a community manager and developing social media platforms for non profit organizations and small businesses. 

The thing that drives her the most are the love and passion she has for her son Benja (Vistamar ’26), her two younger boys, her husband and her dog.

Why Vistamar?

"Vistamar’s academic program is designed to challenge students to be the best version of themselves while fostering  a passion for learning and growing. The sense of community and belonging that you can feel among the students, staff, faculty and parents is one of the most precious things that Vistamar offers. I know the students are not only being prepared for college but are getting a great foundation for the future."

Carl is a managing director and Client Portfolio Manager for asset management firm, Nuveen. In his role, Carl serves as a primary link between the investment team and Nuveen’s client/prospective client community, supporting the firm's fixed income and multi-asset strategies. Carl graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Pepperdine University and an M.B.A. from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Carl holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation from the CAIA Association. Carl was a member of Vistamar's first 4-year graduating class. 

Why Vistamar?

"Vistamar provided me with a high energy, academically rigorous, innovative, yet intimate environment for my formative high school years. In my experience, I was better prepared than a majority of my peers in adapting to life at a challenging and diverse four year university. I couldn't have more highly recommended Vistamar to two of my younger siblings, and was proud to watch them grow in the same ways I did while attending the school. One of Vistamar's early mission statements was to ensure students feel "at home in the world" - something that has meaningfully resonated with me since my initial decision to attend the school"

Dr. Laura Konigsberg is Head of School at Turning Point School. Before coming to Turning Point in 2016, she served in the role of Associate Head of Bentley School, a dual campus K-12 co-ed day school in the San Francisco East Bay where she oversaw grades Kindergarten through Grade 8. Laura’s prior experience as English Department Chair 9-12, and Dean of Teaching and Learning K-12, was integral in enriching Bentley’s curriculum and academic program.

Dr. Konigsberg earned her undergraduate degree from Trinity College and her Masters and Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Davis; in addition, she holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and on the faculty of the Heads Network’s Women’s Leadership Seminar.

Why Vistamar?

"Vistamar encourages high school students to thrive intellectually and fosters reflection and the development of an interconnected view of the world.  I have seen this approach at its best in the VistaMath program and the senior projects."

Elisabeth Lesser received her BA from Occidental College and her MBA from the University of California at Irvine. After several entrepreneurial experiments, in 1999, she founded Siena Healthcare Solutions, a medical MSO which provided physician groups with a range of business services including strategic and operation consulting, private cloud IT hosting and IT support, as well as medical billing and collection. She has simultaneously been committed to the community, serving in leadership positions for several regional non-profits over the past 25 years including Center for Nonprofit Management (Board Chair), The Cancer Support Community Los Angeles (Board Chair), Peninsula Heritage School (Board Treasurer), and the Manhattan Beach Badminton Club (Board Secretary).  She is also a member of the Everychild Foundation Grant Screening Board and formerly chaired the Annual Fund Campaign at Chadwick School.

Elisabeth is married to David Lesser, and they are the proud parents of two college-aged children – Matthew (Lafayette College ’23) and Meagan (Pitzer College ’25). They have lived in Manhattan Beach for over 25 years.
 

Why Vistamar?

"I have loved Vistamar since my first tour of the campus over a decade ago. It is a small and nurturing environment, so students feel safe and supported as they explore new interests and take charge of pursuing their own passions. Simultaneously however, it is broadly diverse, reflecting the big tent of cultural and economic diversity that is Los Angeles. I love that Vistamar challenges students with a deep and robust curriculum without the pressures found in many other regional independent schools. Add to this, the approach to life after Vistamar provided by the Life Planning department and Vistamar provides an unparalleled high school experience. Our children ultimately chose different educational paths, but my love of Vistamar has only deepened over the years, and I am thrilled to now be a part of the community as a Board member"

Lorin Liesy is Director of Product Management for Capital Group’s institutional retirement business, overseeing product strategy and business management functions for the broad retirement and insurance market. She has worked at Capital Group since 1992 and is currently active in the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts as well as mentoring younger associates.

Lorin is a graduate of Occidental College with a degree in Diplomacy and World Affairs. She is a Southern California native and lives in Manhattan Beach with her husband, Doug Dust, and two children (Vistamar ’21 and ’23). She enjoys supporting her kids’ passion for volleyball and musical theater, as well as rooting for the Dodgers and Rams with family and friends.

Why Vistamar?

“I love Vistamar’s supportive and welcoming community, which gives students the comfort to be their authentic selves and the confidence to explore the individuals they will become. Vistamar’s commitment to fostering independent thinking through a collaborative approach to learning provides students with a strong foundation for their future endeavors.” 

Jessica Martin is an author, consultant, and national speaker. Prior to her current work, she was a co-founder and CEO of a women-owned education consulting business, and a YMCA and rec center youth basketball coach. Additionally, she had the privilege of working as an elementary educator at the UCLA Lab School, supporting school communities as a literacy staff developer at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University, mentoring new teachers as a resident advisor at UCLA Center X, and as a global professional development provider at Chapters International. Jessica earned a BA from CSUN and a MA from CSUDH. 

Jessica and her spouse are raising four children, one at Vistamar, ‘26, and a Betta fish. They are active members in their neighborhood and school communities.

Why Vistamar?

"As a new and Black-multiracial family, we experienced first hand a genuine and sincere commitment to developing a positive awareness of racial, ethnicm and cultural identities, pursuing culturally relevant pedagogyand curriculum, and understanding and critiquing social inequities.

Our interactions with other families, students, staffulty, PAVE council members, and administrators lead us to believe that Vistamar stakeholders strive to create a psychologically safe environment where the tenets of equity, justice, belonging, and individuality are embraced and valued."

Sandy is the Director for the Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach - Court Referral Community Service Program. She oversees six offices and coordinates the community service efforts which allow misdemeanants the opportunity to contribute service to their communities in lieu of a fine or jail sentence. She also coordinates the Hospital and Morgue (HAM) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) classes. These classes expose offenders to the lasting damage caused by substance impaired driving, with the aim of creating an empathy and understanding that will change their thinking and behavior, preventing future offenses.

 Sandy is married to Joseluis Montalvo and the proud mother of two children, David (Vistamar ’23), and Sophia (Vistamar ’25). She and her family live in Los Angeles and are actively involved in their community.

Why Vistamar?

 “I love Vistamar because it is a community where everyone feels welcome. I see my children being challenged and the fabulous faculty has a connection with the kids that pushes them towards personal growth. I love the fact that my kids are happy and they want to be there. I know that academics can be challenging, but I see the kids thriving on it. I know they will be ready and well prepared for whatever awaits them in the future. Vistamar is a well-rounded school with top faculty, excellent academics, a wide range of activities, a very diverse population, and a safe and friendly environment.”  

Marcela is a Professor of Architecture and Environmental Design at Los Angeles Trade Technical-College (LATTC) and founder of UCLA Extension Courses:  Transforming Community and Design for Social Justice. She holds a Bachelors in Architecture from USC and a Masters of Architecture/Building Science from Columbia University. She is currently the lead for the Los Angeles Mayor's Workforce Initiative for the Green New Deal for the AEC Industry Cluster - Careers by Design LA. 

Her expertise melds STEAM, technology, innovation, and social justice.

For 10 years, she was the Knowledge Architect for the $9 billion building program at Los Angeles Community College District. She envisioned and implemented the largest Virtualization building information modeling/geographic information system (BIM/GIS) in the nation following National Intelligence Standards. Her expertise is Metaverse, Digital twins for social mobility.

At NASA’s Knowledge Management, she was a principal investigator for the Cyber-Physical Systems National Science Foundation Grant, and is a recipient of the California Governor’s Award in Geospatial Technologies and National Park Services. In 2022, she was the AIA LA Presidential Award Educator of the year.

Marcela's integrated model using STEAM was identified as a catalyst solution for Higher Education by Climate Neutral Campus Report, United Negro College Fund Building Green, and the Kresge Foundation. She recently received the LABS award for best program of the year for DEI.

She holds a Bachelors in Architecture from USC and a Master of Architecture/Building Science from Columbia University. She has also completed a Harvard GSD edX Architecture Imagination Certificate.

Marcela is the parent of Vistamar Viking, Jack, ‘12. 

Why Vistamar?

"Vistamar is leading a new model for high school education by embracing interdisciplinary learning and real-life application. Art is explored through the lens of science, and science is viewed as an ecosystem in which to live in harmony with the planet and address the many challenges humanity faces today. Students gain a sense of belonging to a community that will stay with them forever.”

Julie Smith-Clementi is an Architect in Los Angeles with over 30 years of experience. She approaches architecture in a holistic way, integrating all aspects and scales of design.  Her background includes 20 years as CEO of the product design company, notNeutral, focusing on the Specialty Coffee Industry.

Julie and her husband/business partner, Frank Clementi, have recently started their own firm that expands beyond architecture into a multidisciplinary practice including landscape, interior design, product design, and urban design. 

Julie and Frank have two daughters, Emilia and Nina (Vistamar ’21) and are 30 year residents of Venice, CA.  Prior to joining Vistamar’s board, Julie was on the Building and Grounds committee helping with the development of the Viking Commons.  She held a similar position at Westside Neighborhood School and was the architect for their Gym, Science, Art and Child Care Center renovation. 

Why Vistamar? 

“I believe in the mission of the school to provide an expansive education that celebrates different points of view and exposes the students to varied perspectives. I appreciate the access students have to the faculty and the administration. The education at Vistamar is individualized and accessible. And I love how the arts are celebrated in this close-knit community.”

Nick is a co-founder of Armory Group and is the Chief Executive Officer and Portfolio Manager of Armory Capital Group, LLC. Nick has over 25 years of experience analyzing and investing in the debt of middle market companies. Prior to founding Armory, Nick was a Partner at Trust Company of the West’s (“TCW”) $15 billion Leverage Finance Group where he was the head of the distressed funds. At TCW, he was responsible for the firm’s investments in middle market debt, including discounted and distressed par loans, unsecured debt, high yield bonds and other securities. Prior thereto, Nick was a Principal at Crescent Capital, where AUM grew from $100 million to $1.5 billion, until purchased by TCW.  From 1987 to 1992, Nick was an attorney at Latham & Watkins and was involved in a wide variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and corporate financings for below investment grade companies. Nick has a J.D. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Carleton College.​

Nick is the parent of Jessica '25 and lives in Manhattan Beach.

Romayne is the founding Board Chair of Vistamar School and served on Vistamar's Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2013. She is a Partner and Director of Education Strategy at Mission Minded, a strategy, branding, and consulting firm working with nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions.