Board of Trustees

Meade Thayer has almost 50 years of experience in service to independent schools as a trustee, administrator, teacher, and consultant. He recently retired as an independent school consultant focused on governance, admissions, and financial aid assessments. Meade previously served as Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (1998-2014), Director of Financial Aid Services with the National Association of Independent Schools (1989-1998), and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Friends’ Central School (PA) (1979-1989). In addition to his role as Trustee at HRS, he currently serves on the Alumni Council of his alma mater, St. George’s School (RI), and volunteers his time with The Clothesline at the West Seattle Food Bank. 

Crystal Lockwood is an Asset Allocation Analyst at Principal Financial Group in Seattle. She has a history of strategically analyzing investment strategies for funds with more than $15 billion in assets. Her work includes researching market trends, staying current on regulatory changes, and evaluating economic indicators. She is adept at analyzing, planning for, and mitigating potential impacts to keep fund performance at optimal levels. Crystal is the parent of two recent graduates of HRS.

Winston has served on the Hamlin Robinson School board since 1989, including two terms as Board President. As Executive Director of the Slingerland Institute, Winston was instrumental in the founding of the school in 1983 and has observed the amazing benefits the school has provided for children and their families over the past 40 years. He was also a founding board member of the Prentice School for dyslexia in Orange County, CA and served a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the International Dyslexia Association. He is currently President-Emeritus of the Russian Chamber Music Foundation. Winston holds a BA in Mathematics, an MA in Secondary School Administration and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Iowa. After 15 years at City University, Winston retired in 2006, preceded by a long career in education, serving as math teacher, high school principal and superintendent. Winston enjoys classical music, travel, reading, and family.

David Brannon-Cirone is a parent of an HRS alumna, and has extensive experience in non-profit board management, academic advising, and volunteer coordination. He most recently served as chair of the Development Advisory Committee at University Child Development School (UCDS), where he established and managed working groups focused on elevating advancement and community engagement efforts. He was a member of the HRS Elevating Our Impact capital campaign cabinet cultivating donors and generating community participation and previously served on the HRS development advisory committee.

Shad Bris is a current parent of two HRS students, one in the Middle School and one alum. He serves on the HRS Finance Committee and is committed to bringing DEIB to the forefront. Shad is a U.S. Bank Senior Vice President, leading the Seattle/Vancouver/Portland/Utah Deposit & Payments Commercial Real Estate Department. He’s an experienced leader with a proven track record over more than two decades of business banking sales. He has a passion for empowering and developing others. His personal purpose statement is: “To add value and positive influence to every interaction with family, friends, clients and colleagues.” 

Katie Burgess, a Hamlin Robinson School alumna, serves as Director of Marketing at Strike Graph, a Seattle-based compliance management startup. She has held various leadership roles focused on developing innovative strategies to drive growth and engagement. Motivated by her own academic journey, Katie is committed to serving the HRS community in gratitude of the significant impact the school has had on her life. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from the University of Portland.

Elaine Christensen is a mission-driven and student-focused educational leader with nearly 30 years of experience in independent schools. Since 2020, Elaine has served as Head of School at Open Window School. From 1999 to 2020, she was a key leader at Lakeside School, serving as Director of Middle School and Director of Professional Development. At Lakeside, she led initiatives such as creating affinity and alliance groups, establishing a Maker Space facility and programming, and leading a comprehensive Curriculum Review. Elaine holds a M.Ed in Private School Leadership from Columbia University, a M.A. in English Literature from Middlebury College, and a B.A. in English from Northwestern University. 

Juan Cortés is the co-founder of Matter of Culture, a training and coaching consultancy that helps build exceptional places to work. He has spent his career helping organizations across the globe build cultures that promote employee development and engagement. For 20+ years, Juan has led L&D, OD and DEI efforts for many organizations in industries including advertising, digital marketing, hospitality, biotech, fintech, media, entertainment, retail and publishing.  

Asha is a current HRS parent and school administrator with 20 years of experience in education, athletics, and community engagement. She has served countless students through her work in developing student programs and outreach efforts. She is currently in her first year as Director of Outreach for Student Experience at Seattle Academy. 

Jimmy Hung is a Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, managing juvenile court cases and collaborating with courts and the community on juvenile justice issues. He has 25 years of experience in prosecuting felony cases and is actively involved in promoting race equity and social justice. Jimmy has served on several advisory boards, including the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice and the American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Task Force. He is actively involved in the community through his service on the boards of CHOOSE 180, MUST, and BELONG Partners. Jimmy holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law and a Bachelor's in Political Science from the University of Washington. 

Howard Nakase is a proud parent of a recent HRS graduate and a dedicated advocate for youth and Asian-affiliated organizations. He has served in both operational and executive board capacities with the Seattle Asian Sports Club, an organization committed to fostering community engagement, leadership development, and volunteerism among youth in the greater Seattle Asian-American community.

Professionally, Howard is a Senior Maintenance & Construction Program Manager in the Facilities Department at the University of Washington. He oversees teams responsible for preserving many of the University's most iconic landmarks, including Drumheller Fountain, the Quad’s cherry trees, and the historic Suzzallo Library.

Howard earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University and continues to channel his experience and passion into strengthening both his professional and local communities.

Sarah Pan is the current parent to a Level 3 student at HRS. She is Senior Director of Finance at Microsoft and has held various leadership positions over the past 17 years, including CFO of Microsoft Business Operations and CFO of Microsoft China. Sarah serves on the HRS Finance Committee and she is passionate about using technology as a platform to enable every child to reach their full potential.  

Alan has been on the board of Hamlin Robinson School since its inception in 1983. Alan has been involved in two-way radio and wireless communication systems his entire life and for the past 30 years, he has owned or managed companies involved in installing and maintaining communication systems. Alan holds a BS from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University. Outside of work, Alan’s interests include hiking, boating, scuba diving, computers, music, wine, scotch whisky, travelling, geology, wildlife and pets. He is a member of the Tacoma Yacht Club, The Point Defiance Zoo Society, The Washington State Historical Society and the Tacoma Glass Museum.

Heather is the parent of two Hamlin Robinson School alumni and is a Special Education Advocate in the Puget Sound region, specializing in dyslexia/SLD. She serves on the leadership team of Decoding Dyslexia Washington (DDWA) and holds memberships in the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and the Washington Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (WABIDA). As a founding member and administrator of Washington state's largest online dyslexia support group, she helps provide resources and connection for nearly 3,000 families in this community. Heather advocates for policy changes affecting the dyslexia community in Washington State, including her work supporting the passage of E2SSB6162, which established universal literacy screenings for all public school students in kindergarten through 2nd grade. She has served on OSPI's SLD Work Group and remains committed to improving educational experiences for students with learning disabilities, working to ensure they receive appropriate support and services so they can succeed.

Sam Uzwack brings a wealth of experience as an educator and a leader. Since 2023, he has served as the Head of School at Eastside Preparatory School. Prior to assuming this role, he served in various leadership positions at Eastside Prep, including Head of Middle School and Associate Head of School for Middle School & Student Support Services. In addition to his administrative experience, Sam also taught at The Northwest School in Seattle and Noorvik Aqqaluk High/Junior High School in Alaska, and has served on the Board of Trustees at The Little School. He holds a Master’s in Teaching from the University of Washington and a B.A. in History from James Madison University.  

As the Chief Medical Officer for Kinwell Medical Group, Dr. Mia Wise is responsible for the clinical program, care management, and population health strategies as well as strategic partnerships across the network and business operations. She has more than 15 years' experience as a physician, medical director, and medical officer.

Ozy has over a decade of executive leadership experience in nonprofit healthcare and has supported a variety of services, including primary care, pediatrics, and surgical specialties. She is a hands-on leader driving the deployment of progressive programs and services throughout the Seattle area. Ozy is currently the Vice President of Operations at the 47^th Avenue Foundation. Her desire to serve our community and foster development opportunities for children with dyslexia motivated her to become a board member.

Stacy Turner has served as Head of School at HRS since 2018 and has served on the school’s senior leadership team since 2009. With over 24 years of experience in the field of education with a focus on dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, he works to build and enhance programs that meet the educational needs of students who struggle with reading, writing, math, and oral language. He has been a member of the International Dyslexia Association since 1994 and has served as WABIDA Board President, Treasurer, and Secretary. He has also served on the Branch Council Executive Committee as the Western Region Representative, mentoring seven IDA branch presidents. He has a strong commitment to IDA and effective structured literacy instruction for all students. Stacy’s background in education, commitment to the mission of the school, experience on various not-for-profit boards, and dedication to the students and families of Hamlin Robinson School, ensure the continued success of the school and its legacy.