Board of Trustees  

Welcome to Park City Academy!  Our Board of Trustees, listed below, is a dedicated group of parents and community leaders from all walks of life.  In the broadest sense, the Board of Trustees holds in trust the future of Park City Academy as well as its present.  In keeping with principles stated in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Trustee Handbook, the collective work of this Board serves today’s PCA community as well as those to come.

The Park City Academy Board of Trustees is responsible for setting policy and supporting Charles Sachs, the Head of School, as he carries out that policy.  Additionally, the Board assumes fiscal responsibility for PCA.  In doing so, it assists in making decisions that preserve the financial base of the school.  Currently the Board is in the process of creating both short- and long-term strategic, financial and facility plans that will insure that the school has the most up-to-date curriculum, the latest technology and adequate resources allocated to the physical structure as we enter an exciting new phase of school growth.

We welcome you to visit Park City Academy and experience first hand the academic excellence and wonderful sense of community that defines our school!

Donna Gruneich
Chairman

Roger Armstrong | Marketing

I am serving my second year on the Board of Trustees for PCA.  Our family relocated to Park City in 2005 from Encino, California, looking for a much higher quality of life; I am pleased to say that we found it.  I am an entertainment attorney and maintain a private practice in Park City and continue to represent actors, directors, screenwriters, book authors, producers, production companies and motion picture financiers in the film, television and publishing industries.  My wife Beth has served on various committees at Park City Academy and she is also the membership director at Promontory.  We are both becoming more actively involved in the support of arts and entertainment initiatives in Park City and Utah, in general.  I also have a daughter who is a junior at the UCLA school of Theater, Film and Television.  I am a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Erin Egan | Facilities

My son and I moved to Park City five years ago because of access to exceptional adaptive sports (skiing) with the National Ability Center.  My two daughters are grown and on their own.  We have certainly been the beneficiaries of great school systems throughout my children’s school years.  It is now my turn to gratefully pay it forward. 
I am active with fundraising efforts for the National Ability Center locally and Free Wheelchair Mission on a more global front.  My role with the PCA board will focus on Facilities, specifically in working with Planning and Zoning.  I’ve had a real estate practice for the last 23 years.  During that time I developed residential subdivisions, have a general contractors license (2nd female in Utah in ‘88) and have been through most every stage of the entitlement process.  I look forward to serving on the board and seeing Park City Academy flourish.

Katrina Fornof | Parent Faculty Association

I have been a Utah resident for over 16 years and a Park City resident for over seven years. I fell in love with Park City Academy upon my first visit to the school. Two of my children are in the fourth grade and I have one child in Kindergarten. I feel strongly that my children are receiving the best education available. I am a member of the Executive Board of The United Way Women's Philanthropic Network and a member of The Alexis de Tocqueville Society of The United Way of Salt Lake. I am also a sustaining member of The Junior League of Salt Lake. I have been involved in various activities at the school during the five years that my children have attended. I am looking forward to a fun and successful year as PFA President for 2008-2009.

Donna Gruneich | Chairman

Our family moved to Park City from the New York City area in 2005 after having a second home here for over 8 years.  Our two youngest children, Alex (5th Grade) and Anna (3nd Grade), attend PCA; our eldest daughter, Allison, attends Treasure Mountain Middle School (8th grade).  Prior to having children, I spent my career in the workforce on Wall Street as a Convertible Bond Sales/Trader.  Since that time my career has focused on parenting and volunteerism.  I have served on many boards ranging from Boards of Trustees of schools and non-profit organizations to Parent Teacher Organization Boards.  My range of duties has included fundraising (chaired five major events), strategic planning and updating by-laws, as well as student and teacher handbooks.  I was the Vice-Chairman of a school board conducting a Director Search and Chairman of the same board during the new Director’s first year of employment.  I look forward this new era in PCA’s history as Charles Sachs begins his tenure as Head of School.

Fran Johnson | Emeritus

Co-Founder and Head of School from 1989 to 2001.

I have always loved education and taught in the Park City School District early in my career. When my son, David, was in second grade, we felt he would benefit from private education. He and I both moved to the Carden Memorial School in Salt Lake in 1981. When he was killed in 1982, I was devastated, As I healed, I decided to found a private school in his memory because he had loved the Carden School he was attending. In 1989, Patricia Russell and I opened Carden Academy, A non-denominational Christian school. We had 32 students that first year, including Pat's and my daughters, and the tuition was $2,700. We began at the Landmark Inn, and were able soon to build the first part of the current building with five classrooms, offices, and the multi-purpose room. Later we added the Library and auxiliary wing and experienced several name changes. As the school has grown, we have had other Heads of School, but my heart has always been with the school. In the spring of 2007, I was thrilled when the Board of Trustees asked me to serve as an Emeritus Member. Although I do not have the health to be very active, I always enjoy my opportunities to be at the school. My grandchildren currently attend PCA, and I feel we are poised for tremendous expansion and continued excellence.

Dayna Kenniston | Strategic Planning

I am pleased to begin my tenure with Park City Academy’s Board of Trustees. My husband and I relocated to Utah in 1999 from Sherman Oaks, California due to his position with the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee. Although our plan was to return after 3 years, the lifestyle, sense of community and schools were too enticing to move back.
My career focused at the director level in the business management sector of both the theme park industry (I held positions with Universal Studios, Sea World and Six Flags) and in higher education (UCLA). My new focus turned to parenting and volunteering with various philanthropic organizations in Park City and I’ve served on many boards such as WomenAid (raising funds for abused women and children) and with the Park City Soccer Club. Our son, Drew, attended PCA for 4 years and is now a 9th grader at TMIS. Our daughter, Alyssa, is currently in her 3rd year with PCA in 3rd grade.
In the six years I’ve been affiliated with the school, I’ve served on numerous committees, including Development, Marketing, Search Committees, Curriculum, etc. I also served on the PTA and chaired or co-chaired 4 school auction fundraisers. Most recently I’ve chaired committees that developed the school’s Community Values statement and the School Mission PNAIS section. I played soccer in college, have coached many of my children’s teams over the years and I am a certified soccer referee. My role with PCA’s Board of Trustees will focus on Strategic Planning and I look forward to working with a diverse committee to put the schools financial, organizational and educational goals into a more specific short-range and long-range plan of action.

Alfred Lutter | Technology

There is no more worthy goal to support than the education of our children and I have been pleased to serve on the board of trustees of Park City Academy since 2006. My company, Lutter Consulting has provided management and technology consulting for the past 22 years.  I have served on several other corporate and non-profit boards.  As chair of the Technology committee of the board, my current focus is to provide our school family with the technology they need to succeed in today's wired world. 

Karen Marriott | Alumnae Relations

I have been a parent at Park City Academy for nine years.  My daughter Kendall graduated from 9th Grade last year; Sydney is now in 8th Grade and Sam is in 1st Grade.  I have served on the Board at PCA for the past two years as Chairman of the Fundraising Committee and working on Development for the school.  This year I will be overseeing our large fundraiser in March, The HUNT at Park City Mountain Resort.  I grew up in Maryland with my three sisters, attending an all-girls private school there for 10 years.  I understand the complexities of independent schools and have a great love for Park City Academy, its teachers, students and parents.  I am excited about the changes at PCA and renewed my commitment to work diligently to ensure the success and integrity of our school.

Sheri Ellison Page | Secretary

My husband, Mike, and I fell in love with Park City Academy the first year our son, Nick, began Preschool. Nick is now in 1st Grade and each year has been a joy. My professional background is in accounting, both in the public and the private sector. Most recently I was Manager of Finance for a medical supply company in Florida before moving back to the West five years ago. It has been my pleasure to volunteer at PCA as the previous Treasurer of the PFA, as a Hunt committee member, and as a Room Parent. In addition, I am currently a member of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation Gala Committee and a Board member of the JLA Jeremy Golf and Country Club. Our family together enjoys the wonderful activities Park City has to offer – skiing, golfing, running, hiking and Sundance. I am honored to be involved in the PCA tradition.

Teri West | Governance

My husband, Dick, and I are Utah natives.  We have two children in college and our son Jake is in the 3rd Grade at Park City Academy.   My work career was for 19 years with a Fortune 500 company in the oil and gas industry where I negotiated contracts with oil and gas producers and was a Manager of the Marketing and Contract Operations Divisions.  I have been an active volunteer at PCA since Jake started in Jr. Kindergarten.  In 2006, I became a member of the Board of Trustees and spent much of my time heavily involved in the Head of School Search.  In my free time, I enjoy skiing or golfing.  I am looking forward to another school year and feel very positive and enthusiastic about the future of PCA!

Nancy Tallman | Development

Our family moved to Park City from Manhattan Beach, CA in March of 2003.  This will be our fifth year attending Park City Academy.  Both of our children, Lance (3nd Grade) and Whitney (2nd Grade) began their PCA education in Junior Kindergarten.  I have chaired 3 fundraisers, including the 2006 Park City Academy Auction fundraiser.  As President of the PCA Parent Faculty Association (PCA-PFA) for 2007-08, I worked in close coordination with the Board of Trustees and expanded the involvement of parents and faculty in the planning and implementation of our PFA programs.  We streamlined our efforts during that year by focusing on fewer programs of higher quality and established 3 evening PFA meetings to make it easier for working parents and faculty to attend.  I am a full-time realtor affiliated with the Keller Williams Park City Brokerage and also volunteer my time with United Way, Glenwild Golf Club and Park City Community Church.