Board of Trustees

List of 17 members.

• 

  Abani Heller P'24 & P'26 

  Board Chair

  Bio

  Abani “Abi” Heller is in his first year as Board Chair at VVS, he has served on the Board since 2023. He is father to four-year alums Finley ’24, Peter ’26 and Lauryn ’31 as well as husband to Elysia (Marsh) Heller ’88. The commitment to VVS in their family runs deep and has grown over recent years.
  
  His career highlights include running technology companies and helping leaders and founders grow their businesses and achieve meaningful outcomes. Abi has deep experience with leadership, marketing, finance, analytics and business development. He has collected professional skills and experiences for over 30 years with a variety of business types, sizes and industries. Abi is a collaborator and builder, always ready to roll up his sleeves and push forward with purpose and intention toward a shared goal.
  
  When not in service of VVS, Abani can be found helping clients grow, walking his red-fox lab Rosie, or spending time with family. He dreams of riding his mountain bike, skiing, traveling, and driving his “Steely Van” across the country in search of adventure and good vibes.
  
  Contact Abi if you have any questions about the school or Board of Trustees.
• 

  Betsy Smith 

  Bio

  Betsy Smith serves on the Board of Trustees at Verde Valley School, where she supports the school's long-term financial sustainability and strategic planning. She is most energized by contributing to a mission-driven institution that combines academic rigor with experiential and global learning.
  
  A dual-licensed CPA in Arizona and Pennsylvania, Betsy works professionally as a Budget and Grants Accountant for a large Arizona nonprofit, managing complex funding streams, compliance requirements, and multi-million-dollar budgets. Earlier in her career, she worked in investment performance reporting and data analysis, developing a strong foundation in quantitative analysis and financial modeling. She brings that analytical rigor and clarity to her board service, particularly in financial governance.
  
  With a dual degree in Mathematics and Accounting from Penn State, Betsy enjoys solving complex problems and aligning financial strategy with institutional values. She is passionate about transparency, sustainability, and ensuring that resources are thoughtfully stewarded in service of students.
  
  Outside of her professional work, she is active in community theatre and equestrian life in Arizona, experiences that deepen her appreciation for creativity, discipline, and transformative education.
• 

  Brian Morgan 

  Bio

  Brian Morgan has been a teacher and coach in boarding schools his entire career. He is now retired and a “professional volunteer” for refugees living in southern Vermont.
  
  After studying, in the UK and the USSR, he followed his wife to the United States and began teaching and coaching at a large private high school in New Hampshire while his wife taught at UNH. He and His wife are both linguists and met and married in Moscow. Brian taught in New Hampshire, both academic year and Summer School for a quarter century. Arguably his greatest joy was teaching in Summer School where he eventually became Director. At this Summer School students came from the world over to learn for the sake of learning. No grades, no credit. When he left New Hampshire, the Summer School was offering thirteen foreign languages. The most popular Summer School course, however, was and is still “The Art of Being Human.”
  
  The principal of that private boarding school encouraged him to seek a headship of a similar school. He finally found Putney School in Vermont that most resembled the New Hampshire Summer School and with an active farm in addition. After twelve years as Putney Director, Brian was hired to run a small New Hampshire boarding school. After four rewarding years there during one of America’s decennial recessions, he finally retired back to Vermont. In Brattleboro, VT he is inspired by the personal richness that the many refugees bring.
  
  Having served on the VVS Board for a while when he urged the school to adopt the International Baccalaureate Program, Brian has since followed the school’s development with interest and is eager to share his experience where helpful.
• 

  Christopher Gebhardt P'23 & P'25 

  Bio

  Christopher Gebhardt is most energized by VVS’s commitment to place- based learning, global citizenship, and educating the whole human—mind, body, and conscience.
  
  He is a pioneer in harnessing storytelling to drive social impact and currently serves as Co-founder and President of RandomGood Films and the RandomGood Foundation. RandomGood is a leading funder and producer of documentaries that tell Radically Hopeful stories—films that illuminate urgent challenges while inspiring agency, empathy, and action.
  
  Christopher developed his strategic framework at Stir, his impact consultancy, and as EVP at Participant Media, where he built digital communities and launched the agency Tag, serving partners including Disney, Intel, American Express, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Gates Foundation. Earlier in his career, he helped shape the emerging field of branded entertainment at Pepsi, Ogilvy (as head of emerging technology and innovation), and as co-founder of Integrated Entertainment Partners. He began his professional life at PricewaterhouseCoopers and holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
  
  An Edmund Hillary Fellow and Fellow of the RSA, Christopher has taught at UCLA’s Anderson School and chaired the Ad Council’s Issue Advisory Board. At VVS, he brings a strategic lens, creative problem-solving, and a deep belief in education as a force for a more just, curious, and connected world. He welcomes dialogue with those committed to helping Verde Valley School thrive for generations to come.
• 

  Chris Means '75 

  Bio

  Chris Means first arrived at Verde Valley School in the fall of 1972, graduating with the class of 1975. His connection to VVS runs deep across generations. His brother Zachary Means graduated in 1977, and his son Garrett was class of 2006.
  
  Chris’s three years at VVS were defined by transformative field trips that shaped the person he would become. On his first with Judge Mason, he lived and served alongside residents at a Phoenix Salvation Army, learning firsthand how a city functions and the importance of service to others. A second trip brought him to Oak Creek, where Sean and Anita Owen led students in meditation, martial arts, and sauna-building from sunrise to sunset. His most profound experience, however, was his senior trip with Cliff Perkins — two weeks living among sheep ranchers, jewelers, and keepers of cultural life on the Zuni Nation reservation. Sharing lamb posole, fry bread, and piki bread in people’s homes, he was also invited to observe sacred dances. These experiences ignited a deep and lasting respect for Native peoples and their traditions.
  
  Since joining the VVS Board in 2018, Chris has brought nearly 50 years of licensed building contractor experience to the Land Use Committee. He has contributed his time and energy to the Heritage Campus improvements and future SEEDLands development and the creation of a secondary access road. He remains a steadfast believer in VVS’s ethos of academic excellence, service to others, the value of physical labor, environmental stewardship, and global citizenship that will always improve the world we live in.
  
  In his spare time, Chris forages for wild mushrooms, bakes artisan breads using traditional fermentation techniques, and continues to seek for perfect untracked powder tree skiing down mountain slopes.
• 

  Darnell Donahue '87 

  Bio

  Darnell Donohue graduated from VVS and went on to obtain his undergraduate degree from Pitzer College in Claremont, California, a graduate degree from UCLA, and his Law Degree from Boston College.
  
  As a VVS student, his most memorable field trip was to Yosemite — a two- week cross-country skiing and snow camping trip that shaped his thinking, his awareness of those around him, and his appreciation for teamwork and self-sufficiency.
  
  After working in a private law firm litigating against corporations engaged in fraudulent securities practices, he developed a strong understanding of the legal obligations of corporate boards. He eventually left private practice to pursue his VVS-inspired goal of public service and currently works for the California Department of Justice investigating and prosecuting corporations involved in complex Medicare fraud schemes.
  
  Beyond his professional life, Darnell embodies the VVS guiding principle of service to humanity — raising money for the Boys & Girls Club and serving his broader community. A Chicago native, he enjoys golfing and hiking in the California sunshine and proudly serves as chauffeur to his young daughter.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• 

  Don Groves 

  Bio

  A life-long educator in the Americas and Africa, Don was a teacher and counselor at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, high school principal, and international school superintendent. Having the opportunity of living and working in other countries he gained a profound respect for other cultures and an appreciation of what Kofi Annan referred to as “shared humanity.” From working with elementary school students Don developed the skills to provide individualized approaches to learning as well as social/emotional growth. Middle School students taught him patience and the importance for having a sense of humor. At the high school level, he challenged students to soar beyond their expectations.
  
  Don earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. Post doctorate studies include coursework and seminars at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, Brown University, and State University of New York-Buffalo.
  
  His current interests include building positive international relationships through the Sedona Sister Cities Association, travel, and working to improve his community.
  
  Don gained governance experience throughout his career from being a superintendent and by serving on a variety of boards, being elected president of four of them. As a local resident, he has continued this experience as a member of several community boards and task forces.
  He previously served as a VVS Trustee from 2011-2015.
  
  Don brings to the Board of Trustees a broad perspective of education, knowledge of the role of governance, a commitment to global citizenship, and an understanding of the greater Verde Valley community.
• 

  George Gaines 

  Bio

  As a five-year boarder and graduate of an East Coast boarding school, I experienced firsthand the powerfully transformative value of a quality independent school education. 
  
  Years later, I experienced my children attending independent schools and deriving immense benefits both academically and  psycho-emotionally. I was first recruited as a parent Board member at preK-8th Baker Demonstration School in suburban Chicago. I served on that Board for five years including my last two as Board Chair. 
  
  I was then invited to be the founding Board Chair of Wolcott College Prep in Chicago, a startup independent high school for intelligent kids with learning differences, where I served as founding Board Chair for five years. More recently I served  on the Board of preK-3rd grade Monica Ros School in Ojai, California for six years (including three
  years as Board Chair). 
  
  It has been incredibly rewarding to work with others to help strengthen these schools to more effectively fulfill their missions. As the number of quality schools declines, nurturing those remaining becomes increasingly important. It’s of great importance to me to help strengthen Verde Valley School to more effectively and sustainability fulfill its mission.
• 

  Hassan Majid '86 

  Bio

  Hassan Majid is a proud Verde Valley School alumnus from the Class of 1986 and currently serves on the Board of Trustees. After earning his MBA in Finance from Drake University, Hassan built a dynamic career that began in the travel industry as the owner and manager of a successful agency and later transitioned into financial planning with AXA Finance. Today, he applies his analytical skills as a self-employed stock trader, combining business insight with strategic investing.
  
  Hassan credits Verde Valley School with shaping his sense of independence and providing a lifelong community of friends from around the world. He believes every student deserves the same opportunity to grow, explore, and connect through the unique VVS experience—and is dedicated to ensuring that legacy endures for generations to come.
  
  Born in New York City and raised in Illinois, Hassan now calls Chicago home. He enjoys music of all kinds, especially outdoor concerts on warm summer nights. On occasion, he even works at music festivals for the fun of meeting new people and discovering new sounds. When he’s not listening to live music, Hassan finds balance and peace in his daily workouts. For him, life is good—and made even better by giving back to the community that helped shape it.
• 

  James Colen P'29 

  Bio

  James Colen feels blessed, and from a young age he felt an abiding desire to give back to the world. His mother, a remarkable single mom, worked tirelessly to provide her three boys with a private school education — a sacrifice that shaped James profoundly. He has long believed that education carries lasting and profound ripple effects, capable of transforming not just individuals, but entire communities. After reading about Heartlight Education in Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations with God, James became convinced that mindful, intentional education is one of the most powerful ways to improve the world. He devoted two years to working with Heartlight Education to help found schools, including one in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. At VVS, James sees the field expedition program, grounding everyday chores, intimate care and vibrant international community investing value into students’ everyday lives.  In this extraordinary environment, combined with rigorous academics, together they create something truly special. James graduated from Harvard in 1990 and spent two years as a professional gambler, rising to number six in the world at backgammon.  He has since channeled his analytical mindset and discipline into trading stock options, starting with six formative years on the American Stock Exchange, a career that continues to this day. He and his wife Lisa are the proud parents of three sons.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ He looks forward to connecting with other members of the community at large as they settle into life in Sedona.
• 

  Jeneda Benally '92 

  Bio

  Jeneda Benally is a Diné (Navajo) musician, cultural practitioner, and human and land rights advocate dedicated to education, cultural preservation, and youth empowerment. A 1992 graduate of Verde Valley School, she brings to the Board of Trustees a lifelong commitment to community and service.
  
  Jeneda began her career as a founding member of the Native American punk band Blackfire and currently performs internationally with her brother in the award-winning duo Sihasin. Through her music and cultural work, she has shared Indigenous perspectives around the world, fostering cross-cultural understanding and respect.
  
  A traditional practitioner of Navajo medicine, Jeneda works alongside her father, a respected Navajo medicine man, and serves as a cultural consultant for museums and institutions. She is also an advocate for human rights, environmental stewardship, sacred site protection, and youth leadership. Jeneda Benally is the founder of the award-winning radio program Indigenous YOUth Nation. Through her work, she has trained and mentored youth in producing their own podcasts and radio shows, equipping young people with media literacy skills and amplifying Indigenous voices.
  
  As a trustee, Jeneda is passionate about helping students realize their full potential and values the transformative educational foundation that Verde Valley School provides. As a student at Verde Valley School, she cherished connecting with peers from around the world, many of whom have become lifelong friends. Jeneda truly hopes that you and your family will explore the red rock campus and see for yourselves why Verde Valley School is such an unparalleled life-changing educational community!
• 

  Jim Richards 

  Bio

  Jim Richards was raised with the philosophy of “just do it” long before it was a Nike slogan or his teaching career began. He joined the Board in April 2025. Born on base in Nuremberg and raised in Southern California, Jim earned his BA, MA and PhD at UC Berkeley, then spent 15 years at its cancer research lab, and was published in the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences. Though he loved the lab work, he yearned for more dynamic opportunities. When someone suggested teaching, he passed the certification test and went home to discuss it with his wife Marilee. A social worker, she warned him off, concerned the high school environment might be stifling after decades in an intellectually rigorous career.
  
  Instead, he taught at Alameda High before becoming a founding faculty member at the Arthur Andersen Community Learning Center, where he and five original colleagues built experiential, progressive programs. Physics students of mixed grades and abilities learned together, using creativity and common sense to solve real problems.
  
  Ten years later, Marilee ran into Kevin Warren on a Sedona vacation. They visited campus and Jim applied, was quickly hired, and they started in 2001. Before long, spud guns and a machine shop had become living labs. His STEM curriculum grew to include IB and AP courses, and he was once interviewed by the BBC for teaching cooking with insects. His favorite course was Theory of Knowledge. Field expeditions to Canyon de Chelly and the Wilderness were perfect outlets for this avid outdoorsman. His years at VVS were Kismet.
  
  He retired in 2016 to the Village of Oak Creek, and he and Marilee traveled to the Galápagos, Australia, Machu Picchu and beyond. He has two grown sons and is exploring cooler summer homes with his dog Gina. He daily misses Marilee, his wife of 50 years, who passed in 2020.
• 

  Monte Warren '09 

• 

  Rachel Dushoff '79 

  Bio

  Rachel considers Verde Valley School her heart’s home. Her earliest memories are of visiting family friends on campus. Born in Phoenix, and raised there and in several other states, she graduated as a three-year senior, having spent her freshman year on a family sabbatical in France.
  
  An Acting major at Emerson College, she later earned a BA in Music, Voice at ASU. Rachel worked in entertainment since being bit by the bug in the children’s chorus of Carmina Burana. Her favorite working credit came in a workshop production with Sondheim and Furth on an early rewrite of Merrily We Roll Along.
  
  After moving to LA, she booked comedy shows, worked with Spinal Tap on their Break Like the Wind Tour, and moved on to the sitcom Good Sports. At E! Entertainment Television she appeared on Talk Soup occasionally, while serving as executive assistant to the SVP of Marketing.
  
  She married in the Chapel at VVS, trading coasts from Los Angeles, CA to North Myrtle Beach, SC, where she managed an Electrical Contracting company and became a Real Estate Broker in 2005, earning recognition in local and state leadership. She still stepped out to sing in jazz clubs, on cruise boats and both private and sacred venues.
  
  Rachel returned to the Southwest in 2015, where she bakes sourdough, works as a Photographer and Fine Craft Artist, and contemplates a new definition of retirement. She sees her varied skill set as a benefit to the Board’s creative endeavors. An avid archivist, she has compiled family histories since her teens and hopes to help assemble a permanent archive for VVS.
• 

  Sarah Wiehl P'27 

  Bio

  With a career spanning engineering, civic leadership, and conflict resolution, Sarah brings a multidisciplinary perspective to the Board of Trustees. A licensed Civil Engineer with over 20 years of experience specializing in green and sustainable design, she applies analytical rigor and a growth mindset to all her projects. She is also a LEED accredited professional.
  
  As Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Sedona, Sarah plays a key role in shaping sustainable development and land development codes, balancing community needs with long-term vision. This public service has deepened her commitment to collaborative problem- solving, transparent governance and thoughtful development that focuses on a sense of place.
  
  Today, Sarah brings her experience into a new chapter as a high-conflict divorce consultant, guiding individuals and families through some of life’s most difficult transitions. With a focus on strategic communication and emotional resilience, she helps clients navigate conflict with clarity and dignity.
  
  Above all else, Sarah is a mother. Parenting her son has been her most meaningful role in life and the experience that has most deeply shaped her heart, empathy, perspective, strength and wisdom. In her free time, she finds joy in cooking, reading, traveling, volunteering, and being outdoors — but it is motherhood that continues to ground and guide her every day.
  
  Sarah is passionate about building bridges—between disciplines, communities, and people—and is honored to serve on the Board to help steward its mission and values. She welcomes connection and communication, both positive and constructive, so please reach out.
• 

  Shirley Collado 

  Bio

  Dr. Shirley M. Collado is a national higher education leader who serves her communities as a trustee on many boards, and through advisorships and honorary positions. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Collado serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of College Track, the most comprehensive college completion program in the nation. Prior to joining College Track in 2022, Dr. Collado was the ninth president of Ithaca College from 2017 to 2021, and was named President Emerita of the college in 2022.
• 

  Sierra Wilson P'27 

  Bio

  Sierra Wilson is a Southwest native. She spent years as a wildland firefighter in Arizona. During her two pregnancies, the second with her toddler in tow, she served as a fire lookout in towers overlooking the Sedona area. These experiences shaped her resilience, independence, and respect for the natural world. As the parent of a current VVS student, with her second child expected to enroll in 2027, Sierra oDers both an alum and a parent perspective. She is a graduate of Fountain Valley School of Colorado another independent, college-preparatory boarding school with roots and a mission closely aligned with Verde Valley School. Specifically, both place value and emphasis on experiential education and global citizenship. Sierra serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees and brings experience in school governance and board leadership. She previously served eight years as Board Chair and Secretary of La Tierra Community School, a Title I public charter Expeditionary School in Prescott, Arizona. Her focus there was on governance, fiduciary oversight, policy development, and administrator support. Committed to thoughtful stewardship, transparency, mission-driven governance, and school sustainability, Sierra values the unique educational environment Verde Valley School provides and welcomes opportunities to connect with members of the school community.