Meet the board

Co-President

Sarah Laird

Sarah Laird is a wife and dedicated stay-at-home mom to four kids ranging from 3rd grade to college, three at Harmony and Salmon Creek and the fourth an alumnus. She has been a member of shARK since 2011 and is serving her second term as Co-President. Sarah is a homemaker and also works part time for the family business. Actively engaged in community and school activities, she balances family life with a passion for staying active and involved. She is always busy. She values the rich history of our school, what it provides for our children, and is dedicated to supporting it however she can.

Co-President

Gaia Farina

Gaia Farina is heading into her fifth year on the shARK board and her third year as Co-President, and she's just as excited as ever to dream big, bring people together, and make some magic happen for our school community! With a daughter in 5th grade, Gaia loves being part of what makes Harmony such a special place for kids and families.

With a background in event planning and graphic design, Gaia brings plenty of creativity, enthusiasm, and a love for turning ideas into something real. Whether she's dreaming up a new event, designing something fun, rallying volunteers, or jumping in wherever she's needed, she loves finding ways to make school life a little more memorable.

This year, Gaia is especially excited to work alongside a full and energized shARK board, with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and lots of enthusiasm for the year ahead. More than anything, she's looking forward to having fun together, building community, creating opportunities for our kids, and keeping that shARK spirit going strong!

Vice President

Jacqueline Gleason

Jacqueline Gleason joined the board in 2023 and is mother to two HUSD students. She is excited to support our school community and strengthen connections between families, students, teachers and staff. Jacqueline grew up in Colorado, a mountain girl at heart, and has lived in South America, New York and Mexico City, but has made a home in Northern California since 2012. Together with her partner Ray Gonzales, they run a seasonal, pay-what-you-can farm stand in Freestone, growing food, flowers and rainbow eggs to share with the community. With a background in food policy and food justice, she is excited to build on the strong foundation of reverence for the land our school provides. When not working in her garden or volunteering in the classroom, you can find her hiking in the redwoods or along the coast, curled up with a good book near a fire, or making art in her barn.

Treasurer

Elizabeth Gress

Elizabeth Gress is thrilled to join the shARK board this year as Treasurer. She has a daughter at the school, and is eager to dive in and support our wonderful school community. An Occidental transplant with Midwest roots, Elizabeth moved west eleven years ago with her husband Matthew, to his hometown. She brings a unique mix of skills to the board, combining a fine arts background with years of experience in customer service, financial management, relationship-building and event planning. When she's not carpooling to Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions and cheer practice, you can find Elizabeth curled up with a good mystery novel, tending her garden, or soaking up the NorCal sun at the beach.

Secretary

Jamie McKenna

Jamie McKenna LCSW is a Harmony Salmon Creek bio/step-mom to four kids in Kinder, 6th, 8th and 11th grades. She's currently a full-time parent, but has worked as a child therapist in public schools, coordinated youth development programs and directed theater productions. She is a huge fan of Harmony's incredible staff, teachers, and parents. When she isn't driving kids somewhere or chaperoning an overnight field trip, she's probably coaching with WESCO, volunteering with Plumfield Academy or hiking at Doran.

Board Officer · Welcome Committee

Marni Davis

Marni Davis is the mother of a Salmon Creek student and served as shARK President during the 2021–22 school year. She loves connecting people and supporting our Harmony community. Marni has worked in communications, higher-ed academic advising and as a drama teacher. She has a weakness for detective novels, Ethiopian food and historic schoolhouses. In her spare time she loves going on family adventures and performing as a singer with her husband Jonny, who is a pianist. A Sacramento native, Marni has lived in Berkeley, Boston, Oakland and New York, but the majestic wilderness of Sonoma County never fails to take her breath away.

Board Officer

Janean Morris Molina

Janean Morris Molina is a Bay Area native who has made Occidental home since 2019, and this is her first year on the shARK board. Her son is in kindergarten. Before coming back west she spent twelve years in New York, where she studied painting and photography and then worked in fashion photo postproduction, and later in web and advertising production. She is excited to bring that mix of tech and art to the board, helping with communications. Her two other children are at other schools, which makes her all the more grateful for the community this one has created.