About
Board of Trustees
Curtis is governed by a Board of Trustees. Historically, the Board has been composed of parents, past parents, alumni, and friends of the school.
The board establishes policy and works closely with the Head of School and administration to ensure that these policies are implemented. New trustees are elected by the board and generally serve two or three 3-year terms. Trustees contribute a significant amount of time to ensure the strategic and financial health of the school. Collectively, Curtis trustees bring expertise and experience from a wide variety of fields and backgrounds to bear on the work of the board.
Organization
Standing committees of the board include the Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Finance Committee, Advancement Annual Fund Committee, Planning Committee, Committee on Trustees, and Buildings & Grounds Committee. The board also has special task forces that are created from time to time to make recommendations to the full board and, unless otherwise specifically authorized, final policy approval rests with the full board. Administrators, faculty members, and parents may be invited to serve on the committees at the pleasure of the board chair and the head of school. The head of school, chief operating and financial officer, president of the Parents Association, president of the Alumni Council, and other administrators regularly attend board meetings as non-members. Trustees serve on a volunteer basis without remuneration of any kind.
2025-26 Board of Trustees
List of 18 items.
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Lee Chu, Chair
Lee is Partner and Portfolio Manager at Capital Group, the world's largest active asset manager with over $3 trillion in assets under management. Capital offers a variety of investment solutions for institutional clients and individual investors globally. The company is known for its distinctive investment approach, focusing on fundamental research, long-term perspective, and diverse perspectives within its investment teams.Read More -
Harshith Ramesh, First Vice Chair
Harshith Ramesh is a Curtis parent who brings extensive top-level executive business experience in finance, planning, and development to the Board of Trustees.Read More -
Marshall Cole ’96, Second Vice Chair
Read MoreMarshall Cole is an engaged Curtis alum and current parent. -
Steve Chang, Treasurer
Steve Chang joined the board in 2018 after serving on the board’s investment committee as a parent member since 2015. He brings extensive experience and deep expertise in investment to the board.Read More -
Karla Diaz Sayles, Secretary
A native of Los Angeles, Karla is an active member of the Curtis Community and joined the Curtis Board of Trustees in 2022. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary of the Board, as well as on the Committee on Trustees and the Buildings, Grounds, and Safety Committee.Read More -
Dilip Bhavnani
Born in Manchester, England, Dilip Bhavnani is the chief operating officer of Sunscope, one of the largest promotional products companies, where he started working while earning a bachelor of arts degree in economics from UCLA. Dilip holds more than 300 patents issued by the US Patent Office, and has another 100 pending.Read More -
Dana Coleman
Dana Coleman is the Executive Director for the Independent School Alliance, a powerful coalition of Los Angeles schools that work to bridge access gaps and expand opportunities for talented students who are underrepresented in independent education.Read More -
Talib Fakhri
Mr. Fakhri is a Curtis parent who has already been a valuable contributor to the board’s Advancement Committee. He brings extensive experience in finance, development, and corporate strategy to the work of the full board.Read More -
Ann Kono
Curtis parent Ann Kono has been a dedicated member of the Curtis community, generously giving her time and expertise through service on the Board’s Finance and Campaign Advisory Committees. She is also an active Parents Association volunteer and has supported the school in meaningful ways over many years.Read More -
Nicholas Matus
Read MoreNicholas Matus brings extensive experience in real estate, development, finance, and corporate strategy to the board and his role serving on the Finance and CLIC committees. -
Kevin Newman '83
Dr. Kevin Newman is Curtis alumnus and an educator with more than 20 years’ experience in independent schools. He is the Assistant Head of School and Collegiate Division Director at Windward School, where he has been since 2010.Read More -
Hannah Redfern
Hannah Redfern is a dedicated Curtis parent and an active member of the Advancement Committee, where she also co-chairs the Advancement Ambassador Program. She brings extensive experience in entrepreneurship and strategic growth to the board.Read More -
Sarah Shulkind
Dr. Shulkind is an engaged Curtis parent who brings valuable experience as an educator and leader in independent school administration.Read More -
Craig Varnen
Curtis alumni parent Craig Varnen is a partner at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.Read More -
Leslie Vermut
Read MoreLeslie Vermut brings to the Board of Trustees extensive experience in financial investment in the private sector as well as working with non-profits. -
Jon Wimbish
Jon Wimbish is the Head of the Middle School at Harvard-Westlake and has more than 25 years’ experience as an educator in independent schools.Read More -
Thea Andrews Wolf
Read MoreThea Andrews Wolf is a veteran television news journalist who has worked as a producer, national correspondent, and anchor for networks in the United States and Canada, including ESPN, ABC, CBS, and CTV. -
Rachel Yang
Dr. Rachel Yang joined the board in 2017. An author and educator, Dr. Yang has a Ph.D. in Technology Management, a Master of Science degree in Decision Analysis, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.Read More
