Our Board
The South Coast Montessori Board of Directors exists to advance the school's mission by providing counsel and advice. The Board is ultimately responsible for all financial, legal, strategic planning and policy issues.
"Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”
- Maria Montessori
Michael McLernon
President
Michael is a Human Resources professional with 20+ years of experience in consulting and serving as an internal leader focused on employee compensation and benefits. Originally from New Jersey, Michael relocated to Santa Barbara in 2013 where he and his wife were pleased to enroll their two children in South Coast Montessori.
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Rick Drake
Vice-President
Rick is retired from more than 40 years of Montessori classroom teaching. He holds diplomas from both AMI and AMS as well as a graduate degree in education from UCSB. He continues to teach origami to both adults and children.
Bailey Miller
Treasurer
Bailey is an experienced corporate manager that has spent 10+ years building educational technology and is a best-selling author of digital textbooks for computer programming and engineering. He has a doctorate in computer science from the University of California, Riverside, and was previously employed at SpaceX and John Wiley and Sons. He currently is a technical consultant for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Parent of primary and elementary children at SCM.
Autumn McFarland
Secretary
Autumn is a mother of two and a wife and has a deep love of all things education. She has a Masters Degree from the University of Colorado, Denver in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Human Development and Child Psychology. The Montessori (AMI) philosophy is near and dear to her heart and her goal is to provide a space where you and your children can feel safe and supported. She is a graduate of Montessori schools herself and the parent of a current Toddler student.
Leah Shannon
Member At Large
Leah Sahagun is a Montessori alumnae, parent and the current Primary teacher at South Coast Montessori. She received her AMI Primary training from the Washington Montessori Institute in 2001, as well as, obtained her Masters in Montessori Education from Loyola University of Maryland.
