Leelanau Montessori Board Members
Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy has a governing board of directors.
The board meets on the third Wednesday of the month at the Leelanau County Government Center located at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay, MI.
The board meets on the third Wednesday of the month at the Leelanau County Government Center located at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suttons Bay, MI.
Sarah Bordeaux - President
Fundraising Committee Chair
bordeauxs@leelanaumontessori.org
Sarah is originally from Saginaw, Michigan and made the move to Leelanau County in 1996 to pursue an education in nursing. She attended Northwestern Michigan College school of nursing. She has worked at Tendercare of Leelanau as a CNA and an activities team member. She now is a full-time homemaker and extremely active with The March of Dimes organization, representing the Traverse area as The Ambassador family of 2011. Sarah resides in Lake Leelanau with her husband Joshua, and their three children. They co-own the VI Grill in Suttons Bay, MI.
Fundraising Committee Chair
bordeauxs@leelanaumontessori.org
Sarah is originally from Saginaw, Michigan and made the move to Leelanau County in 1996 to pursue an education in nursing. She attended Northwestern Michigan College school of nursing. She has worked at Tendercare of Leelanau as a CNA and an activities team member. She now is a full-time homemaker and extremely active with The March of Dimes organization, representing the Traverse area as The Ambassador family of 2011. Sarah resides in Lake Leelanau with her husband Joshua, and their three children. They co-own the VI Grill in Suttons Bay, MI.
Sarah Lutke - Treasurer
Finance Committee Co-Chair
lutkes@leelanaumontessori.org
Sarah was born and raised in Northern Michigan. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Finance and Marketing. Sarah spent 11 years working in the investment industry in San Diego, CA and Chicago, IL before returning to Suttons Bay with her husband Steve and their son Logan (8) in 2014. They co-own and operate Hop Lot Brewing Company in Suttons Bay with Steve’s brother Drew. Steve and Sarah have expanded their family over the years and added Cole (5), Ryder (2) & Harper (2) to the mix. Sarah enjoys the outdoors, listening to music, traveling and spending time with her family.
Finance Committee Co-Chair
lutkes@leelanaumontessori.org
Sarah was born and raised in Northern Michigan. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Finance and Marketing. Sarah spent 11 years working in the investment industry in San Diego, CA and Chicago, IL before returning to Suttons Bay with her husband Steve and their son Logan (8) in 2014. They co-own and operate Hop Lot Brewing Company in Suttons Bay with Steve’s brother Drew. Steve and Sarah have expanded their family over the years and added Cole (5), Ryder (2) & Harper (2) to the mix. Sarah enjoys the outdoors, listening to music, traveling and spending time with her family.
Anita Abbott - Secretary and Vice President
Governance Committee Chair
nitaabbott@gmail.com
Anita Abbott, her husband Bill Chaney and their two children moved to Leelanau County in 2014, and were delighted to find a public Montessori option for their kindergartener in their new hometown. Over the years, while her son was at Leelanau Montessori, Anita served on the Grants Committee and the Facilities Committee, and enjoyed volunteering in the classroom and on field trips. Anita served as an officer and an attorney in the United States Coast Guard, and is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Georgetown University Law Center.
Governance Committee Chair
nitaabbott@gmail.com
Anita Abbott, her husband Bill Chaney and their two children moved to Leelanau County in 2014, and were delighted to find a public Montessori option for their kindergartener in their new hometown. Over the years, while her son was at Leelanau Montessori, Anita served on the Grants Committee and the Facilities Committee, and enjoyed volunteering in the classroom and on field trips. Anita served as an officer and an attorney in the United States Coast Guard, and is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Georgetown University Law Center.
Tom McConnell - Trustee
Marketing Committee Chair
tom@mcconnellassociates.com
Tom lives near Leland and is the owner of McConnell & Associates, a Traverse City marketing communications firm that was founded in 1981. McConnell & Associates handles clients that manufacture products and provide services for local, regional, national and international marketplaces. Tom has served as Vice President of the Traverse Advertising Club and also currently serves as Board Vice President of The Old Art Building in Leland. He has a BFA from Art Center College in Los Angeles, California.
Marketing Committee Chair
tom@mcconnellassociates.com
Tom lives near Leland and is the owner of McConnell & Associates, a Traverse City marketing communications firm that was founded in 1981. McConnell & Associates handles clients that manufacture products and provide services for local, regional, national and international marketplaces. Tom has served as Vice President of the Traverse Advertising Club and also currently serves as Board Vice President of The Old Art Building in Leland. He has a BFA from Art Center College in Los Angeles, California.
Derenda LeFevre - Trustee
Academic Excellence Committee Chair
derendalefevre@gmail.com
Derenda lives in Lake Leelanau with her husband Dave and daughter Agens. They moved from downstate to Leelanau County in 2020 and were happy to find a public Montessori school to continue Agnes' Montessori education.
Professionally, Derenda is a nationally certified Recreational Therapist specializing in Community Reintegration for people with disabilities and advocating for Universal Access in our communities. She earned her Disability Inclusion Specialist Certificate in 2022 and completed her training in Montessori for Dementia and Aging in 2020. Derenda is also a Title Track's Understanding Racial Justice Alumni.
Derenda worked previously for Oakland County Parks and Recreation, holding MParks committee leadership roles in Therapeutic Recreation and Youth & Teen Committees as well as the Michigan Disability Sports Alliance.
Derenda joined the LMPSA Board in 2023 and is especially focused on expanding anti-bias, anti-racist and access resources at the school.
Academic Excellence Committee Chair
derendalefevre@gmail.com
Derenda lives in Lake Leelanau with her husband Dave and daughter Agens. They moved from downstate to Leelanau County in 2020 and were happy to find a public Montessori school to continue Agnes' Montessori education.
Professionally, Derenda is a nationally certified Recreational Therapist specializing in Community Reintegration for people with disabilities and advocating for Universal Access in our communities. She earned her Disability Inclusion Specialist Certificate in 2022 and completed her training in Montessori for Dementia and Aging in 2020. Derenda is also a Title Track's Understanding Racial Justice Alumni.
Derenda worked previously for Oakland County Parks and Recreation, holding MParks committee leadership roles in Therapeutic Recreation and Youth & Teen Committees as well as the Michigan Disability Sports Alliance.
Derenda joined the LMPSA Board in 2023 and is especially focused on expanding anti-bias, anti-racist and access resources at the school.
Deb Kuhn - Trustee
Academic Excellence Committee
kuhnd@leelanaumontessori.org
Deb Kuhn and her husband Ray moved to Leelanau County in 2008 after raising their family in Bath, OH and Highland Park, IL. They live on their farm near Cedar where they grow wine grapes and raise sheep. Deb recently retired from her duties as a speech-language pathologist, assigned to several schools in the region over the years. Deb worked alongside the Leelanau Montessori staff from 2010 - 2015 to support their students with communication needs. Deb developed a great respect for the Montessori program and witnessed first hand the opportunities for growth and development amongst the students.
Deb has previously served as a board member for Leelanau Children's Center, and the Coming Together Project in Akron, OH before joining the Leelanau Montessori board.
Academic Excellence Committee
kuhnd@leelanaumontessori.org
Deb Kuhn and her husband Ray moved to Leelanau County in 2008 after raising their family in Bath, OH and Highland Park, IL. They live on their farm near Cedar where they grow wine grapes and raise sheep. Deb recently retired from her duties as a speech-language pathologist, assigned to several schools in the region over the years. Deb worked alongside the Leelanau Montessori staff from 2010 - 2015 to support their students with communication needs. Deb developed a great respect for the Montessori program and witnessed first hand the opportunities for growth and development amongst the students.
Deb has previously served as a board member for Leelanau Children's Center, and the Coming Together Project in Akron, OH before joining the Leelanau Montessori board.
