BOARD PRESIDENT

Kauthar Rahman is the Chief Operating Officer at Meridian Institute, a nonprofit organization that works to develop and implement solutions to complicated and often controversial problems — big and small, global and local. In this capacity, she is responsible for the organization’s strategic planning, human resources, legal and business compliance, risk management, information technology, and operational functions.

Kauthar also served as Chief Operating Officer of Juvenile Law Center, where she led all aspects of the organization’s finance and accounting, strategic planning, human resources, and operations functions. She has over a decade of experience working with nonprofit organizations in key operational roles, including the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, FAVOR Greenville, and the American Red Cross. Kauthar holds an MBA from Brenau University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

A devoted advocate for holistic education and the limitless potential of young minds, Kauthar is committed to fostering an environment where children are empowered to explore, discover, and thrive as independent learners. With an unwavering commitment to student-centered pedagogy, Kauthar works alongside fellow board members to help shape the strategic direction and policies that create an educational environment which fosters individuality, curiosity, and an enduring love for learning, and one that celebrates the innate potential within every child, laying the foundation for their remarkable journey of growth and self-discovery.

BOARD MEMBER

Marion is the co-head of Capucine Montessori School, a Wildflower school for 3-6 year-olds in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which she co-founded in 2018 with Séverine Meunier. Marion is an AMS certified Early Childhood teacher for 2.5-6 year-olds. She trained at Seton Montessori Institute in the Chicago area. Marion was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil where she attended an American school from preschool through high school. She earned her Bachelors in Journalism from Boston University in 2010, and has remained in the Boston area ever since.

With an M.Ed. from the Mind, Brain, and Education program at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Marion is interested in further understanding how neural-cognitive development unfolds in early childhood and how it is supported in the Montessori setting. She has served on Montessori school accreditation teams and is interested in how we can disseminate best practices to support child development. Marion returns frequently to visit her family in Brazil and helps the Centro de Educação Montessori de São Paulo with teacher training in the summers.

BOARD MEMBER

Rossana Zapf joined The International School of San Francisco in July 2025 as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Originally from Philadelphia, she studied Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Temple University and earned a graduate degree in Reading, Writing, and Literacy from the University of Pennsylvania.

With nearly 30 years in education, Rossana has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, curriculum director, and associate head of a Friends School. A Progressive educator, she believes in building authentic connections; fostering curiosity, empathy, and joy; and trusting students to take ownership of their learning.

Rossana brings deep expertise in anti-bias/anti-racist education, literacy development, and curriculum design. She is committed to centering student and teacher voices to create a community rooted in belonging. Outside of school, she enjoys camping, hiking, karaoke, dance parties, yoga, neighborhood jogs, and cooking—especially her signature chicken adobo. Whether in a classroom or around a dinner table, Rossana brings people together with purpose, warmth, and care.