Mountain Maryland Public Charter School Board Members

Yan Bao, has a PhD. in business administration and serves MMPCS’s non-profit Board of Directors as the Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. Dr. Bao is currently an Associate Professor of accounting in the School of Business at Frostburg State University.  MMPCS’s comprehensive business plan has been developed under Dr. Bao’s leadership and is informed by her experience as a Certified Public Accountant, an auditor and management consultant and Chief Financial Officer of a multi-million dollar grossing corporation. Dr. Bao is well-versed in generally accepted accounting principles and has played a critical role in establishing the financial foundation of our non-profit organization.  Dr. Bao’s policy and procedural experience in corporate settings has allowed the non-profit parent corporation of MMPCS to develop the internal controls and transparency necessary for the responsible stewardship of public funds. 

Nidhi Jain, MBA, has played a crucial role in shaping our marketing strategy and market analysis.  Ms. Jain’s expertise in marketing has been instrumental in our long-term strategic planning and in our community outreach efforts. As a financial manager of multi-million dollar private equity accounts, Ms. Jain offers the experience necessary to analyze financial profiles to identify risk and big picture benefits.  As a Senior Credit Analyst with Commerce Bank in Philadelphia, Ms. Jain was responsible for portfolio management, researching and developing lending recommendations and conducting operational and industry analyses of market conditions to evaluate risks and opportunities for growth.  Ms. Jain’s expertise in finance management has been instrumental in the development of  MMPCS’ business plan.  Her experience as a commercial real estate financial analyst has informed the board’s plan for facilities development.

Jack Wilson, who served as an educator and principal and as one of the leaders in Baltimore County’s transformation school movement, brings not only a long and accomplished career but also a great passion for education. Mr. Wilson is well-known in the education community as a leader and a visionary.  When Baltimore County schools wanted to address the problem of increasing racial isolation in public school, the school board asked Mr. Wilson lead the charge in the transformation school movement.  He became the first principal of the first transformation school in Baltimore County.  In this role, he led a school community in building an identity and culture from the ground up.  He has taught in elementary and middle schools.  Mr. Wilson’s experience and vision as an educator has been invaluable in the design phase of MMPCS’ development.  His experience as an administrator and his passion for education will enable our board to carry out the mission with clarity and focus.

Veronica Mingolelli, MS, OTR/L has spent her career working in school-based settings and has direct experience with the regulations which govern aspects of educational programming such as IDEA and the challenges of helping students meet their learning goals.  Ms. Mingolelli’s training as an occupational therapist is rooted in her background as a secondary social studies teacher and the struggles she witnessed her students experience. Ms. Mingolelli has practiced as an occupational therapist in school-based settings in several suburban and rural school districts and has supported families in community-based programming.  Ms. Mingolelli’s professional experiences give her a unique perspective on the developmental, psycho-social and neurological underpinnings of children’s skill development and the supports necessary for success. This perspective is essential in supporting the board’s mission of creating an academic design and school culture which honors every student’s abilities and supports every student’s achievement.

Jennifer Walsh Hare, Esq. is recognized as a local expert in charter school law.  Ms. Walsh Hare's legal experience has supported the development of a comprehensive and mission-centered governance system.  Ms. Walsh Hare’s broad base of legal experience includes drafting opinions for the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico, policy development for a United States Senator and community level advocacy for low-income families and children.  Under Ms. Walsh Hare’s leadership the founding board has developed a unique system of governance which will foster long-term stability and a working board of directors composed of parents and community members equipped to oversee MMPCS operations. As chair of the Governance Committee, Ms. Walsh Hare’s extensive knowledge of Maryland statutes and COMAR regulations enabled the board to develop a comprehensive governance and school operations plan which balances the pursuit of MMPCS’ vision with the regulatory compliance and legal obligations incumbent upon all public schools.  Ms. Walsh Hare’s leadership has been and will continue to be essential for strong board oversight of MMPCS operations.

Laura Witt serves as our non-profit expert and offers essential guidance and insight on non-profit governance, policy and procedure. As Executive Director of the Local Management Board, she has worked closely with community groups across Allegany County and is closely acquainted with the needs of children and families and the resources available to meet them.  Ms. Witt has developed and managed a $1.2 million budget, managed staff, developed agency policy, ensured compliance, overseen grant management and collaborated with state level agencies for local program development.  Ms. Witt’s experience has been critical in the development of our non-profit business plan, policies and system of governance.  As chair of the Operations Committee, Ms. Witt brings essential expertise in the areas of management and policy development which will be critical in the implementation and oversight phases of operations.

Michelle Mathias has worked in corporate project management overseeing multi-million dollar information technology projects.  Her project planning, budgeting and management skills have enabled our board to work efficiently with clear timelines and knowledge of dependencies within project areas.  In her work coordinating software development projects, Ms. Mathias has developed the skills to bridge the gap between teams with varied skill sets from the business side to the technology side of a project.  Ms. Mathias serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors and her work is essential to the efficient and effective management of the Board’s duties. Ms. Mathias’ business acumen and professional experience will continue to be critical for successful implementation of MMPCS’ operation plan and long-term board oversight. 

Portia Sloan is an acclaimed scientific illustrator and photographer who has worked for major museums and publications including the American Museum of Natural History and Primedia History Group. As Art Director of the prestigious Primedia History Group, Ms. Sloan was responsible for the design and lay out of a monthly book publication on topics ranging from the Lewis and Clark expedition to General Lee and the Civil War.  As part of her job, Ms. Sloan worked closely with scientists, artists, text editors and production planners to ensure an excellent end product.  Ms. Sloan’s professional skills and experience have brought a skilled and focused leadership to the process of crafting MMPCS’ marketing strategy and she designed the MMPCS logo shown on its webpage and informational brochures. Ms. Sloan has also served as the key facilities researcher and resource for facilities guidelines and regulations.

Melinda Thoele, MSW has brought the breadth of her experience as a community organizer to the MMPCS board. Ms. Thoele was educated as a community organizer and has worked in a number of locations across the globe on behalf of marginalized children and families.  Ms. Thoele has worked in education at multiple levels, including elementary, middle school and college level courses.  She is presently an adjunct professor at Frostburg State University and Allegany College of Maryland.  Ms. Thoele has a firm belief in the collaborative process and is an experienced mediator. She has taken professional approach to building community partnerships that have enabled the MMPCS board to assess community needs more fully and to build a deep network of partners who have expressed enthusiasm for on-going collaboration with MMPCS.

Jen Amendolara is an Americorps veteran who has spent her career working in community-based programs with children and teens. Beginning in 2007, Ms. Amendolara initiated the Montessori elementary expansion at a local Montessori school.  She was responsible for such varied duties as recruiting board members, creating community needs surveys, and assisting with the budget.  Ms. Amendolara’s experience and community service expertise have helped her to identify the needs of children and families in our community and key and on-going resources that are available to serve those interests.  Her natural skill for developing connections in the community has been essential in the recruitment of qualified professional founding board members capable of putting the MMPCS vision into action.

David Mingolelli is a Physician Assistant who works in the Emergency Department at Western Maryland Regional Medical Center.  He has many years of experience in school, community, and hospital settings promoting children’s health and engagement in life roles.  In these settings Mr. Mingolelli’s professional practice has been influenced by his belief that children’s development and adaptation cannot be divorced from their social, emotional and physical contexts.  Mr. Mingolelli’s professional experiences and philosophy have helped shape the MMPCS vision and mission.  Mr. Mingolelli has been responsible for the development of the MMPCS website and has served as the primary technical liaison with the marketing committee in developing strategies to effectively communicate MMPCS’ mission and educational program to the Allegany County community.  Mr. Mingolelli has also served as an active member of the facilities committee in identifying potential facilities, ensuring code compliance and developing relationships with property owners.