About Us

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Board of Trustees

Meet the Board

Board of Trustees

The governing body of High Meadows School is the board of trustees. The board is a self-perpetuating group of volunteer parents, past parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends, all committed to setting the course for the school’s long-term success. The board identifies and studies issues that will impact the school’s future. Through standing committees as well as strategic task forces, it focuses on governance and mission-centered areas of interest. Stewardship of High Meadows resources is a primary duty of the board, not the daily function of the school.

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Executive Committee

List of 6 members.

Javier Javier Estrella

Chair
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Javier Estrella serves as the chair of the board for High Meadows School & Camp. His family has been a part of the High Meadows community for the past five years. Isabel is in 8th grade and Ariana is in 6th grade. Before becoming chair of the board, Javier was co-chair of the Head of School & Camp Search Committee.

Javier works for SCW.AI as vice president of customer success. Javier was born and raised in Puerto Rico and holds a bachelor’s in industrial engineering and a master’s in operations research from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives with his family in Marietta.
Theresa Theresa Robison

Vice Chair
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Theresa Robison serves as the board vice chair at High Meadows, where she also leads the Governance Committee and serves on the Finance Committee. Her family has been part of the High Meadows community since 2016, and this is her fifth year serving on the Board of Trustees. Her three sons attend both High Meadows School and Camp and are in 2nd, 6th, and 8th grades.

Professionally, Theresa is head of information security at Lattice, an AI-powered people platform. She earned her BS and MS in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech and holds CISSP (security professional) and HCISPP (healthcare and privacy professional) certifications.

Theresa lives in Roswell with her husband, their three boys, and two lively puppies. In her free time she enjoys reading, creating art, and enjoying the outdoors with her family.
Tanya Tanya Squire

Treasurer
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Tanya Squire is the treasurer for the board and a member of the Finance Committee as well as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee. Tanya and her family have been part of the High Meadows community since 2020 when her daughter, London '24, started 5th grade. Tanya is a finance and accounting executive currently serving as chief financial officer of Rat Race Management. Her experience spans public accounting, financial management, and business strategy and insights, predominantly in the quick service restaurant industry.

Tanya grew up in New Jersey and graduated from NC Agricultural & Technical State University. Tanya enjoys going to the movies with her family and playing tennis. She and her family currently reside in Sandy Springs.
Margaret Margaret Lamb

Member at Large
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Margaret is a member-at-large for the Executive Committee of the board and also serves as a member of the Advancement Committee, and the chair of the Building Advisory Task Force. She has been a member of the High Meadows community since 2014 when her son Frank started 1st grade. Frank graduated HMS in 2022, so Margaret serves on the board as a parent of an alumnus. Her career started in the study of evolutionary ecology, but her interest in education led her to a path of instructional design. She worked in higher education institutions from New Zealand to the northeastern United States designing innovative curriculum specifically using educational technology. Margaret is currently combining her love of nature, the outdoors, and educating at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell.

Margaret grew up in New Jersey and has a BS in biology from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. She studied zoology at the University of Rhode Island and moved to New Zealand when she was 24. After six years and a life-changing experience, she decided it was time to come home in 2000. Margaret moved to Atlanta in 2010 to be closer to her family and enjoys the beautiful mountains, gardening (when it’s not hot!), fishing, progressive dinners on the Beltline, and all her pets.
Mary Lisa Baker

Head of School
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Lisa Baker joined High Meadows as the Head of School & Camp in 2020. As Head of School & Camp, Lisa leads planning and programming, community building, financial management, attracting and developing faculty and staff, stewardship of our campus, and carrying out our mission. She co-chaired the Strategic Planning Team and launched the Social Justice and Equity Task Force.

Lisa joined us after serving as head of Upper School at Bancroft School in Worchester, Massachussets, where she was a visionary and charismatic leader. Baker began her career in education as a middle school teacher and coach and did the practicum for her counseling degree in a middle school setting. She began her path to educational leadership as the camp director at Camp Greenway at The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia.
Zachary Zack Prescott

Secretary
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Zachary Prescott joined the High Meadows community in 2020 when his son, Charles began attending the school. Zachary is the Secretary for the Executive Committee of the Board. He also leads the Advancement Committee, is a member of the Finance Committee, and is a member of the Investment Committee. Before joining the board, Zachary was chair of the High Meadows Fund for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 school years. His sons, Charles and Henry, are now in the 5th and 3rd grades. His wife, Julia, is active in FAHMS leadership. She is the Treasurer for FAHMS and the Library Liaison.

Zachary is from the Florida Panhandle and currently lives in Roswell with his family. He graduated from the University of West Florida with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In 2004, he received his Certified Financial Planner Certification. He has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry in Atlanta with the past 18 years at Goldman Sachs Ayco.

Board Members

List of 8 members.

Leigh Leigh Borda
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Leigh Borda joined the Board of Trustees in 2024 and currently serves on the Advancement Committee. Her family joined the High Meadows community in 2018. Her son, Ace, is in 3rd grade and her daughter, Tallulah, is in 2nd grade. Ace is also a High Meadows camper. Before joining the Board, Leigh was active with the High Meadows Fund, serving as the chair and as a grade-chair. She has also been a Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 2/3 room parent.

Leigh is Vice President of People at Fullmind. Prior to Fullmind, Leigh led the Corps Member Selection Team and the Professional Recruitment Team at Teach For America. She holds a degree from Columbia University.
Derek Derek Deskey
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Derek Deskey has served on High Meadows School’s Finance Committee for several years. His family has been a part of the High Meadows School and Camp community since 2005. He has two children who attended High Meadows School from preschool through 8th grade, graduating in 2016 and 2017. Derek currently works in finance as senior manager of pricing at Verizon supporting pricing for wireline U.S. government customers. Prior to joining Verizon in 2003, he had worked in various finance positions at Nortel Networks and TBS.

Derek grew up in Los Angeles, CA, as well as Oak Harbor, WA, and graduated with a BA in Economics and Political Science from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He also has an MBA in international business finance from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Derek and his wife, Barbara, currently reside in Marietta. Derek has an adventurous and competitive spirit as evidenced by sailing in several long distance races, playing ALTA tennis, and enjoying the outdoors.
Katie Katie Johnson
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Katie Johnson is on the Governance Committee and the Buildings & Grounds Task Force. She is the mom of a High Meadows Day Camper. Katie currently serves as a Senior Consultant for The Redwoods Group. In this role, she provides risk management services and guidance for youth serving organizations such as YMCAs, Camps, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Jewish Community Centers. Prior to joining Redwoods, Katie worked at the American Camp Association for eight years. Before this, Katie worked at resident and day camps as a director throughout Washington, Oregon, and California.

Katie grew up in Oregon and has a heart for the outdoors, youth development, and keeping kids and families safe in organized settings. She has a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego and an M.S. from Aurora University. Katie lives in East Cobb with her family and a houseful of pets.
Robert Bud Lichtenstein
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Bud Lichtenstein joined the Board of Trustees in 2024. He previously served as High Meadows’ Interim Head of School during the 2019-2020 school year. His tenure marked a bridge between the leadership of Jay Underwood and current Head of School, Lisa Baker. Bud came to High Meadows with 40 years of leadership experience at progressive schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.

Since his formal time up on the meadow, he continued to serve High Meadows as one of the tri-chairs of 50th Anniversary Planning Committee.

Bud and his wife, Kathy, live in Marietta where their two grandchildren, Poppy and Briggs, also reside. Other than spending lots of time with those little ones, Bud currently teaches English as a Second Language at Chattahoochee Technical College in Acworth. He also is a regular volunteer Trail Docent at Chattahoochee Nature Center.
John John Monahan
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John Monahan joined the High Meadows board in 2024, and his family has been part of our community since 2020. John’s two boys are in 1st and 4th grade this year.

John is an educational professional with 20 years of experience. He has served in numerous roles, including classroom teacher, coach, advisor, administrative board member, grade chair, dean, and director of a program on civil dialogue. He is currently the director of testing at Westminster School.

John graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in history and government. He has master's degrees from Columbia University in teaching and Georgia State in policy with a finance concentration.
John lives in East Cobb with his wife, Lily, and their kids. He enjoys listening to audiobooks and podcasts and helping around the yard.
Mital Mital Patel
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Mital Patel was born and raised in Mississippi. She went to Louisiana State University for her bachelor of science, then moved to Chicago to complete her doctorate in optometry from Illinois College of Optometry. She moved to Atlanta where she finished a residency program in ocular disease. Mital bought her first practice in 2012 and has grown to three different locations. Being an entrepreneur has kept Mital on her feet and always learning and growing from new challenges.

Mital currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and is on the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee and the Buildings & Grounds Task Force. Her family has been a part of High Meadows since 2018. Her son is in 5th grade and her daughter is in 3nd grade. She enjoys outdoor yoga, riding on her Peloton, traveling, and hiking with their goldendoodle dog named Odi. Her favorite guilty pleasure is chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. Mital and her husband enjoy the High Meadows approach to learning and the loving atmosphere.
Katherine Kate Pearson
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Kate Pearson joined the Board of Trustees in 2020. She currently leads the Board Communication Task Force and is member of the Finance Committee. She loves watching her children Andrew (4th grade) and Eleanor (1st grade) grow in their love of learning through play and exploration as part of the High Meadows community.

Kate is the Associate Director of Policy at the Global Immunization Division at the Centers for Disease Control. She holds a master's degree in International Development from the University of Denver and bachelor's degree in political science from Berry College. She resides in Alpharetta with her husband, Ben, their children, and five cats. In her free time, Kate is an avid distance runner and Disney fanatic. She loves to spend time with her family and explore new places.
Brian Brian Waldman
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Brian Waldman is a member of the Board of Trustees and serves on the Finance Committee and the Advancement Committee. His family has been part of the High Meadows community since 2020, with a daughter in 5th grade.

Brian serves as the chief investment officer at Peachtree Group, leading the firm’s investment, asset management, and portfolio management functions.

Brian grew up in New York and is a graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, where he completed a dual concentration in real estate and finance. In addition, he serves as a board member for the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities. He resides in Brookhaven with his wife and children.

The High Meadows community celebrates and perpetuates each individual’s quest for knowledge and skill, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural environment. We empower each to be a compassionate, responsible, and active global citizen.

Age 3 through Grade 8 | Authorized IB PYP World School
1055 Willeo Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 | (770) 993-2940 | info@highmeadows.org

About High Meadows

Welcome

Explore Our Campus

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Discover High Meadows

Board of Trustees

Meet the Board

Board of Trustees

Contact Us

Executive Committee

List of 6 members.

Javier Javier Estrella

Theresa Theresa Robison

Tanya Tanya Squire

Margaret Margaret Lamb

Mary Lisa Baker

Zachary Zack Prescott

Board Members

List of 8 members.

Leigh Leigh Borda

Derek Derek Deskey

Katie Katie Johnson

Robert Bud Lichtenstein

John John Monahan

Mital Mital Patel

Katherine Kate Pearson

Brian Brian Waldman