The Montessori Regional Charter School is governed by a no more than 9 member Board of Trustees who each serves a three year term of elected office.
Melvyn Nair, President
mnair@mrcserie.org
Mel has been with Community Care Behavioral Health since 2011, most recently as a Systems Analyst. He holds a BS in Psychology and an MS in Information Technology and Business Administration. Melvyn joined the MRCS Board of Trustees in August 2018. Melvyn Nair lives in Fairview with his wife and two children, one in elementary and one in middle school. He is also an avid drone enthusiast and passionate about all things electronic.
Kaley Getz, Vice President
kgetz@mrcserie.org
Kaley Getz joined the MRCS Board of Trustees in February 2021. As the daughter of an elementary school teacher, she has seen all sides of traditional public schooling. Being a new mom, the idea of child-led learning methods is something she finds very intriguing and is excited to learn more about during her board term. Kaley is a Tax Supervisor and CPA at McGill, Power, Bell, and Associates, LLP where she has worked for the past two years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Economics from Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Mrs. Getz married her high school sweetheart in 2018, and together they have one human child and three fur children.
Dr. Jill Merritt, Secretary
jmerritt@mrcserie.org
Dr. Jill Merritt joined MRCS Board of Trustees in January 2018. Jill teaches many of the special education and early childhood courses at Gannon and often supervises students on field placement. She has been the president of The ARC of Erie County, Wesleyville Borough Council and has served on school boards in the Erie area. She has recently gone through Orton Gillingham training in an effort to help her students better teach reading. She is the advisor to Gannon's student group GUSEC and they frequently participate in activities in the community that provide opportunities for those with disabilities. Prior to teaching at Gannon, she taught in special education for many years in a public school in Ohio.
Dr. Ashley Sullivan
asullivan@mrcserie.org
Dr. Ashley Sullivan joined the MRCS Board of Trustees in January 2021. According to Dr. Sullivan, "I am excited to serve as a Trustee for such a vibrant and growing academic community. The school has offered a warm, welcoming environment where my future teachers can learn about Montessori education. I look forward to contributing to a dynamic school that offers rich educational experiences for both the MRCS students as well as my college students." Dr. Sullivan has been an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Penn State Behrend since 2014. Prior to taking the position at Behrend, Dr. Sullivan was a kindergarten teacher and curriculum writer at Harford Public Schools in Connecticut. Dr. Sullivan has a Ph.D. in Curriculum in Instruction- Early Childhood Education and a Master's in Social Work, both from Arizona State University. Dr. Sullivan is married and has two children- Willow and London. She loves to bake, read, and do puzzles with her children.
Jason Lavery
jlavery@mrcserie.org
Jason Lavery joined the Montessori Regional Charter School Board of Trustees in January, 2022. He is the proud parent of three MRCS alumnus, who are doing very well in life, which MRCS helped them prepare for. Jason founded and operates Lavery Brewing Company in downtown Erie. Jason sits on a few other boards currently: The Lake Erie Ale Trail, the Brewers of Pennsylvania and the Brewers Association. Jason earned a bachelor degree in History and a Master's Degree in Communications and Marketing, both from Edinboro University, and has been married to Dr. Nicole Lavery since 2004.
Dr. Kristina Semeniken
ksemeniken@mrcserie.org
Dr. Kristina Semeniken joined the MRCS Board of Trustees in January, 2022. According to Kristina, “I am excited to serve on the Board of Trustees for MRCS and look forward to contributing to this community.” Dr. Semeniken is currently a psychiatrist at UMPC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor. She obtained her medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also has a Master’s of Science in Medical Education. She is a mother of 3 children, all of whom currently attend Montessori Regional Charter School.
Guy Goodman
ggoodman@mrcserie.org
Guy Goodman joined the MRCS Board of Trustees in January, 2024. Guy has over 20 years of experience in higher education working at institutions across the United States. Before coming to Erie, he served as Dean of Student Enrollment Services at South Mountain Community College (Phoenix, AZ), where he oversaw the admissions and initial enrollment processes within Student Affairs along with all student conduct concerns. Prior to his time in Arizona, Mr. Goodman was a member of the staff at Illinois Central College for 15 years where he progressed from the transfer advisor position to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Guy and his family are actively involved in serving the communities in which they live through various outreach opportunities and board activities. Previously, he participated on the Quest Charter School board and the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Peoria County board. Guy earned his B.A. degree from Knox College (IL) and his M.A. degree from the University of Iowa.