leadership
board of directors
Cheryl Cox
Board Member
What attracted Cheryl to World Citizen Peace?
Cheryl believes passionately that through education, beginning with very young children, peace is attainable.
Background / Experience
As a Montessori Peace Educator for 22 years at Crystal Lake Montessori School in Woodstock, Illinois, Cheryl has been very active with the school’s peace committee.
Amy Faust Mayer
Board Member
What attracted Amy to World Citizen Peace?
She believes that the Five Peace Actions add grounding and guidance to communities around the world.
Background / Experience
Amy has experience as a Montessori educator and a Peace Ambassador.
Karen Johnson
Board Member
What attracted Karen to World Citizen Peace?
Karen is excited about helping promote peace projects, educating adults and youth in the art of getting along and serving one’s community and state.
Background / Experience
Edison High School, Augsburg College, and a master’s degree in education from St. Mary’s University, served as Karen’s foundation for teaching 4th-6th grades for 35 years. She also enjoys her cabin in Hackensack, Minnesota.
Martha Roberts
Board Member
What attracted Martha to World Citizen Peace?
As an educator of young people, the concept of building a peaceful community based on becoming an International Peace Site and working with the Five Peace Actions proved to be very engaging and effective.
Background / Experience
Martha helped lay the groundwork for the Peace Education pathway of World Citizen Peace, which provides support for staying focused on the Five Peace Actions.
Caren Stelson
Board Member
What attracted Caren to World Citizen Peace?
Experience Coming Soon…. Caren believes pursuing peace is an unfolding journey, inwardly and outwardly. Working collaboratively, guided by the five peace actions, World Citizen Peace members walk the journey together and aspire one another.
Background / Experience
Caren has been a reading specialist, elementary teacher, writer-in-residence, and now an author writing for your children and adults. She believes education and peace go hand in hand.
Flora Tsukyama
Board Member
What attracted Flora to World Citizen Peace?
Flora met Lynn Elling when several Bloomington schools were becoming International Peace Sites. She wanted to do everything she could to create this peaceful environment for the students.
Background / Experience
Flora’s children attended Bloomington schools. Flora became a dedicated volunteer parent for the Bloomington School District long after her children moved on.
staff and consultants
Dennis Hart
Executive Director
What attracted Dennis to World Citizen Peace?
Background / Experience
Lisa Krupp
Peace Coordinator
What attracted Lisa to World Citizen Peace?
Lisa appreciates how the Montessori philosophy aligns nicely with the World Citizen Peace Five Peace Actions.
Background / Experience
As a long time Montessori educator, Lisa has designed, planned, and implemented curriculum for young children. She is also very active in the American Montessori Society.
Julie Popelka
Administrative Assistant
What attracted Julie to World Citizen Peace?
Julie loves helping those around her learn and grow.
Background / Experience
Julies has a Bachelors of Arts in communicative disorders. She works with young adults, ages 18-21, who have special needs.
Melanie Popelka
Web Consultant and Newsletter Editor
What attracted Melanie to World Citizen Peace?
As a young teacher, Melanie has a passion for racial and equitable education.
Background / Experience
Melanie is a graduate from the University of Minnesota Morris with a degree in Elementary Education.
Kevin McGee
Peace Education Consultant
What attracted Kevin to World Citizen Peace?
Kevin has a passion for social justice and critical thinking.
Background / Experience
Kevin has taught in a variety of places around the world. He teaches the very young and also trains adults to increase their effectiveness as teachers.
Rhonda Vopava Geyette
Peace Education Facilitator
What attracted Rhonda to World Citizen Peace?
Building a strong community and collaboration are important to Rhonda. She focused on peace activities and literature with her students.
Background / Experience
Rhonda retired from Marcy Open School, an International Peace Site in Minneapolis.
Maddy Wegner
Peace Education Facilitator
What attracted Maddy to World Citizen Peace?
One of Maddy’s passions is to inspire young people to action through the lives and work of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
Background / Experience
Includes director of training and innovation at you thrive and director of communications for National Youth Leadership Council.