Board of Trustees

Patricia Laverty-Rolf, President

Patricia Laverty-Rolf has been a parent of two children at our school for 12 years. For the first 8 years, she was actively involved with Parents’ Council, including 2 years as Vice President, and as a member of the Maintenance Committee. In 2006, Patricia was elected to the Board of Trustees. In her first year she served as Trustee at Large, for the last two years she served as Vice President of the Board and as Acting Chair during the periods of the President’s absence. For eight years Patricia has been a member of the Parzival Group, our community’s anthroposophical study group, which founded the Kelowna Waldorf School in 1982. On account of her background as a Registered Nurse, Patricia will bring to the presidency her extensive experience in organizational structure and inter-personal relationships. Patricia is committed to participating in a collaborative effort to deepen the awareness and understanding of our school’s spiritual and physical organization in light of its special mission as a true Waldorf School, based on Rudolf Steiner’s insights into human development. She also was fundamental in creating a Tuition Program that is enabling more children to experience Waldorf education and more families to join our community, which in turn is resulting in enriched programs, higher teacher salaries, overall.

Gabriele Knodel, Vice-President

Gabriele Knodel is Trustee at Large since 2009. She has been part of the Waldorf Community since 2007 and her son Kurtis is attending the grade program. Gabriele also volunteers her expertise in Public Relations for the school, chairing the PR & Fundraising Committee. Gabriele has worked in marketing for over 22 years for various companies, helping them become known and successful in their businesses and endeavours. Her experience as a board member spans 8 years; all were not-for-profit groups. 

Jens Gessner, Treasurer
Jens Gessner has been a parent and volunteer at the school since 2002. He joined the KWS Board of Trustees in 2005 and currently serves as ‘Past President’. Jens concentrates on policy work, the school’s governance structure and financial issues.

Rainer Wilkins, Secretary

I was born in Achern, Germany and spent my formative years in Toronto, Canada where I attended York University and studied Economics in French. I have been in Kelowna for seven years with my wife and two children. My eldest son is attending Waldorf ECE for his second year. I am a Certified Sommelier and the Brand Manager of Gray Monk Estate Winery in Lake Country.  As an avid musician proficient in guitar, saxophone and vocals I celebrate teaching and performing music for children and adults alike.

I firmly believe in the pedagogy of the Waldorf School and Rudolph Steiner and have seen first hand the benefits of “education from the inside out” in my own family.

Ron Ficke, Trustee At Large

Ron Ficke is Trustee at Large since 2009. He has been with the Kelowna Waldorf School since 1984. His four children all attended the school. Through his over 20 years as a Waldorf parent he has many wonderful memories of class plays, community events and especially the 10+ class trips he was able to participate in. During the early years he took part in building the school desks which was a five year project. Ron served on the board in the late 1980's and again at the end of the 1990's for a total of seven years. Now that his children have all finished their Waldorf education he looks forward to a continued involvement with the social mission of Waldorf education.

Jason Herbert, Trustee At Large

Originally born in Ottawa, Ontario, I had lived all my life out east until we moved out to

Kelowna this summer. I have worked in the service industry since the age of 15 and

along the way I have used my teaching skill set to mentor employees in the retail industry, assist government staff become more proficient at using their computer software programs, become a nationally certified basketball coach coaching young girls and boys up to university level as well as become a facilitator with the RCMP before retiring at the age of 39 in January 2009. I am now a successful entrepreneur whose organization has impacted 10 thousand lives over the last 5 years and now looks to assist more people “Dream Even Bigger” dreams on the west coast and internationally. However, my true joy comes from laughing with my two wonderful boys named Ben and Sam and partnering with my beautiful wife, Daniele, who now serves on the Waldorf parent council.

My intention is to contribute my ideas and support to the future success of Waldorf and it’s students for years to come.

Sarah Stanford, Trustee At Large

With a background in performing arts and educated in the legal field, Sarah has carved a career in personal and business finance; a profession which has included helping multi-national corporations and numerous non-profit organizations plan and implement employee benefits and fair compensation programs for their employees. Sarah moved from Calgary to Kelowna in 2011, following her heart to unite with her life partner and their magnificent Grade Two Waldorf child, Charlotte. Commencing involvement inCalgary with the movement to end homelessness, Sarah has maintained this conscious connection through volunteerism locally with Kelowna’s Inn From The Cold homeless-shelter organization. Sarah enjoys playing guitar and is an avid percussionist. Kelowna has also become a perfect backdrop for Sarah's passion for photography and dragon boating. She looks forward to the opportunity to contribute her enthusiasm and ideas to the KWS board, fulfilling her desire to learn and support the living Waldorf philosophy by being directly involved with the community which so beautifully inspires Charlotte.

Cindy Taylor, Faculty Representative

Cindy graduated from McGill University with a degree in Education in 1980. She has led a colorful life since then. She has traveled, lived in the bush and on a sailboat, and raised three daughters with her husband. She is a Chartered Herbalist and has studied Jin Shin Do Accupressure. Cindy was attracted to Waldorf education when her youngest daughter entered a Waldorf kindergarten ten years ago. She graduated from the four year Summer Intensive Waldorf Teacher Training program at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California in 2003. Cindy is now an experienced Waldorf teacher, having taught Handwork, Kindergarten, and middle school. She loves working with children and enjoys the challenges of her work with colleagues and administration. 

Marion Speier, Faculty Representative

Bio coming soon.