Board of Trustees
Volunteers fill all Catlin Gabel board positions. Trustees are carefully selected based on demonstrated service and clear commitment to the school's goals and philosophies.
Potential trustees are nominated by the committee on trustees and elected by the board. The elected board of trustees and several ex-officio board members set policy for the school and review the school's implementation of its policies.
Catlin Gabel School conducts an annual audit of its financials by an outside firm. We also share information on our annual operating budget every year with parents and guardians. Audited financials and the operation budget are on file in the school’s business office and are available for review and discussion by school community members. Please contact the Business Office if you are interested.
2024-25 Board of Trustees
Mark Holliday
CHAIR of the Board of TRustees, Board member since 2015-16
Mark graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in economics. He is the President of the investment fund Goshawk Capital. He has Director, Audit, and Finance committee experience from his current and past involvement with ten corporate boards, including Washington Mutual, Primus Telecommunications, and YRC Worldwide. For Catlin Gabel, he has served on the Creative Arts Center, Finance, and Advancement committees. He is the parent of two Catlin Gabel graduates.
NITESH SHARAN
VICE CHAIR, board member SINCE 2021-22
A board member since 2021, Nitesh holds a bachelor’s degree from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. He is currently Chief Financial Officer at SoundHound AI, where his responsibilities include Strategy, Global Finance, Legal, and Intellectual Property; he successfully took the company public in 2022. Previously he was Vice President and CFO for Nike’s Global Operations & Technology function. Nitesh is a Board Member of the Alzheimer’s Association Oregon and SW Washington chapter. He is a parent of two students at Catlin Gabel.
Marc Hill
TREASURER, New Board member
Marc graduated from the University of Oregon with a double major in marketing and management. He was the CEO of The United States Playing Card, The Coleman Company, and recently Stella and Chewy’s; he retired in February of 2024. Marc has lived all over the world, privately and professionally, and is fluent in German. He has vast experience in public and private equity-backed companies as a CEO and board member. Marc is a member of YPO, mentors young professionals, and is the parent of a fifth grader at Catlin Gabel.
Kate Warren Hall ’93
SECRETARY, board member since 2018-19
Kate received a BA in economics and an Executive MBA at the Babson College F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business, and her degrees were earned while she was also working for Cascade Corporation. She joined ESCO in 2014 to work in Mergers and Acquisitions, and joined their board in 2016. Kate is an alumna, with two children currently attending Catlin Gabel.
MAT ELLIS
Board member SINCE 2022-23
Mat is a father of three (all attend Catlin Gabel), an entrepreneur, investor, mentor, advisor, and CEO. He’s also a newly minted US citizen—hailing originally from the UK. He worked for Frito-Lay, Pepsi-Cola, and Goldman Sachs before being drawn to startups. He founded and ran Cloudability from 2011-2019 until it was acquired. Mat has served on various boards that focus on education in the US, UK, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Viet Nam. Recently, he founded FasterBetter, a company focused on making work easier and is a Managing Partner of Sunny Ventures.
lisa ericksen
new Board member
Lisa worked in finance as a regulatory compliance officer, retiring after 25 years, and is currently managing her family’s charitable foundation. She has served the school as PFA President and Vice President, and in other volunteer capacities; the Ericksen family connection to Catlin Gabel goes back to Miss Catlin’s School. Lisa and her husband are the parents of a senior and lifer, who they are raising to understand the importance of philanthropy, being active in one’s community, and honoring their Indigenous American heritage.
JOhn Gilleland
board member SINCE 2019-20
John graduated from Oregon State University with degrees in accounting and finance and a minor in computer science. He is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Campbell Global, an investment advisor specializing in natural resource and forest investments, and is the Chairman of OneFortyOne Plantations, Pty, Ltd. in Australia. John served as a trustee at Catlin Gabel from 2000 to 2013, and during this period held the positions of Treasurer, Vice-chair, and Chair. John is a parent of two Catlin Gabel “lifer” graduates.
SUSIE GREENEBAUM ’05
Board member since 2023-24
Susie is Vice President of Client Services at Sprinklr, a B2B SaaS company based in New York City. She spent six years at Nike where she led the Consumer Digital Technology Communications and Engagement team. Susie is a Catlin Gabel lifer who earned a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Oregon. She has served as Catlin Gabel Alumni Board President and a board member of Friends of the Columbia Gorge. Susie is a parent of two Beginning School students at Catlin Gabel.
Nkenge Harmon JOhnson, JD ’93
Board member since 2016-17
Nkenge received a BS from Florida A & M University, an MBA from Trinity University in Washington D.C., and a JD from Howard University School of Law. She served as a strategic staff member in communications, campaigns, constituency outreach, and legislative matters for several members of Congress, and as a Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative in the Obama administration. Currently she is President and CEO of the Urban League serving Oregon and Southwest Washington.
JULIET HILLMAN ’09
Board member since 2023-24
Juliet is a Catlin Gabel lifer who serves on the boards of Oregon Ballet Theatre and Converge 45, and is the Board Chair of the Hillman Family Foundations, which includes the Juliet Ashby Hillman Foundation. The Foundation is committed to partnering with organizations that help mitigate the many risk factors that may impact a young person's ability to reach their full potential, and works to cultivate a healthier, more culturally vibrant, environmentally sustainable, and economically stable future for the Portland region.
alex ho, PH.D.
Board member since 2016-17
Alex earned a BA in Biology from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from Oregon Health & Science University. Born into a Taiwanese family and raised in Tokyo, Alex has utilized his multi-lingual skills and scientific background as a consultant for Japanese and Taiwanese companies to promote and market technological products and ideas in the U.S. Alex and his wife, Nicole, have two children that attended Catlin Gabel, and both are active volunteers at the school.
ROBERT D. KELLY, PH.D.
Board member since 2023-24
Rob is the 21st President of the University of Portland, and the first layperson and first person of color to lead that institution. He has held senior administrative and teaching positions at Loyola University Maryland, Loyola University Chicago, Seattle University, and Union College, among other institutions. Rob holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, education policy, planning and administration from the University of Maryland; a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont; and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola University Maryland. Rob is a parent of two children, one of whom is a Catlin Gabel student.
gretchen keys
new Board member
Gretchen completed her Doctor of Dental Surgery at Baylor College of Dentistry, and relocated to Portland in 1995. She now collaborates with her husband to develop design concepts for multi-family housing projects. Her philanthropic work includes co-founding Fortify Families, a non-profit focused on housing at-risk families. She has also been a board member of the Classic Wines Auction and chaired the American Cancer Society’s annual gala. Gretchen is the parent of a Catlin Gabel graduate and a current Upper School student.
JUNE KIM
Board member since 2023-24
June earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College and a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University. She has worked as a business journalist at BusinessWeek and SmartMoney, and has had work published at various news outlets including the New York Post, and Newark Star-Ledger. June has served on the PFA in various roles. She has three children, one of whom is currently enrolled at Catlin Gabel.
Indira Nallakrishnan
Board member since 2015-16, Board Chair 2020-23
Indira graduated from University of California-San Diego with a pre-law major and a minor in ethnic studies. She worked for the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for its Commission on Educational and Cultural Exchange, and contributed her expertise to the Singapore American School. Indira is currently a member of the Tufts University President’s Council. In addition to her work on the board, she has served Catlin Gabel as a PFA representative and auction co-chair, and as a member of the Executive Council, the New Family Integration Committee, and the Diversity Action Council. She is the parent of two Catlin Gabel graduates and one current student.
Eneida Nemecek, MD
board member SINCE 2019-20
Eneida received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Puerto Rico, a masters in Epidemiology from the University of Washington, and a masters in Business Administration and Healthcare Management from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). She is a Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Oncology at OHSU, directs the Bone Marrow Transplant program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and co-directs the Northwest Marrow Transplant Program at the Center for Hematological Malignancies of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Eneida is the parent of one graduate and one current student at Catlin Gabel.
CHris park '14
NEW board member
Chris is vice president of Westhood, Inc., an investment company whose portfolio includes The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club. As a student at Catlin Gabel he served on the Board of Trustees as Student Association President; he went on to attend Princeton University and graduated with a degree in public and international affairs. Chris began his development career at Nike where he was the owner’s rep and lead project manager for the LeBron James building at World Headquarters. Chris enjoys traveling and spending time with family.
KIA SELLEY
board member since 2023-24
Kia has a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of California at Davis. She has held executive leadership roles as Portland Parks Director, Gresham Planning Director, and Executive Director of the Gresham Redevelopment Commission. Kia currently serves as Board Chair of the Portland Parks Foundation and as a governor-appointed board member of the Oregon State Landscape Architect Board. She has also served on the Lan Su Classical Chinese Garden Board and on the Oversight Committee for the Portland Japanese Garden. She is the parent of a Catlin Gabel Upper School student.
Tyler Silver
board member since 2018-19
Tyler graduated with a B.A. from DePauw University and received his M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Lewis and Clark College. He currently serves as Distribution Trustee for his family's foundation, the Silver Family Foundation, which focuses on transitional youth development programs that offer in-depth, long-term investments, mentoring, and opportunities for motivated, low-income youth. Tyler is the parent of one graduate and has three children currently attending Catlin Gabel.
LAURA TREMBLAY, MD
board member SINCE 2020-21
Laura received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford University Hospitals. Laura practiced as a primary care physician and also worked as a medical safety officer at Sanofi Genzyme, monitoring drugs on the market and in clinical trials. She has four children; one is a graduate and two children currently attend Catlin Gabel.
Jason Zidell '97
NEW board member
Jason is a fourth-generation Portlander with a family tradition of philanthropy and community involvement. He attended Catlin Gabel from third grade through high school. He is the immediate past president of Portland Jewish Academy and Mittleman Jewish Community Center, as well as the board chair of the Jason E. Zidell Foundation. Jason is also the founder and president of the Argonaut Group, a real estate investment company based in Portland.
Ex Officio Board Members
Tim Bazemore
Head of School
Tim earned his BA in history from Middlebury College and a master's degree in history from the University of Pennsylvania. He started his career teaching humanities at Chestnut Hill Academy, a boys K-12 school in Philadelphia, and served as admissions director and head of the middle school. He then became head of school at New Canaan Country School in New Canaan, Connecticut, a position he held for 14 years. He and his wife Lisa have two sons.
Jay Mahajan
EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBER
Jay earned his MBA from University of Southern California and his BS in Management from Pepperdine University. He is currently a Market Manager with Wells Fargo Advisors for the Oregon market. Jay previously served in leadership positions for Wells Fargo in southern California and Washington, D.C., and was a Financial Advisor at Smith Barney and Prudential securities. Prior to joining the financial industry, he served in the U.S. Air Force as a Law Enforcement Officer. Jay has served on the boards of the San Diego and Washington D.C. Chapters of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He is the parent of two Catlin Gabel Upper School students.
robin Janssen
Parent Faculty Association President
Approaching her 10th year as a Catlin Gabel parent, Robin has participated in a variety of Catlin Gabel volunteering roles, including co-chairing the Gala, Art Auction lead, serving on the PFA Executive Council, and co-leading the Neurodiversity Affinity and Discussion Group. Robin has found volunteering over the years to be very fulfilling experience; she partners with openness and curiosity.
MAUREEN REED
Faculty-Staff Forum President
Maureen earned a BA in English and Art History from Rice University and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in American Studies from the University of Texas. Since joining the Catlin Gabel faculty in 2018, she has taught Upper School English and Social Studies, supported student writing for the College Counseling office, and served on the Equity Design Team. Her career includes teaching at Lewis & Clark College and Minnesota State University, and a Fulbright lectureship at the University of Regensburg in Germany. Maureen is the parent of one Catlin Gabel graduate and one current student.
ERIC MANDEL '99
Catlin Gabel ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PREsident
Eric holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Pennsylvania in international relations and a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University. He worked for The Community Preservation Corporation in New York City, a nonprofit affordable housing and community revitalization finance and development company. He returned to Portland in 2019 and currently works at the real estate development company Killian Pacific. Eric is a parent of a Lower School student.
TYLER GEORGE '25
Catlin Gabel Student Association President
Tyler has attended Catlin Gabel since kindergarten and has a long-standing family connection to the school through his brothers, mother, and uncles. He has experience with student government, having served as a co-class president in his freshman year and treasurer in his junior year. He serves as a Catlin Gabel student ambassador, Communicare Club leader, and captain of the Mock Trial team, and competes on the Catlin Gabel track team.