Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees, governed by the City and Country school by-laws, is responsible for the financial health of the School and under advisement from the Education Committee, for the hiring of the principal. Voting membership includes representatives from the staff, alumni, parent body, and friends of the School. Committees reporting to the Board include Finance, Development, Strategic Planning, Communications, and Building. The Board meets on a monthly basis; an Executive Committee may meet prior to Board meetings to review issues and to set the agenda for monthly meetings.
2011-2012 Trustees
Alison Berke joined the Board of Trustees in 2011. She has served as Parent Association Vice President (2007 -2009), Community Outreach Representative (2006 – 2007), and Parent Association Representative (multiple years, beginning in 2001). Since 2009, Alison has worked with administrators and staff helping to plan and promote the annual “Meet the Grads” event. An active volunteer in the downtown community, Alison is a member of the Board of Directors of Greenwich House, Inc. and of the Barrow Street Nursery School, a division of Greenwich House. Alison founded a public relations consulting concern that has developed and produced videos for public and private institutions. Alison and her husband Barry currently have two children ('15, '18) at City and Country School.
Alf Blitzer, a long-standing Trustee and son of a C&C alum, served as the chair of the Board’s Development Committee from 2006 until 2011. He has been an IT executive for over 25 years and had roles on the national board of City at Peace and the board of directors of the Greenwich Village Little League. Alf’s son attended City and Country from the 2s-13s, graduating in 2009.
Lauren Clark is one of two Teacher Trustees currently sitting on the Board.
Lauri Freedman has served as a Parent Representative every year since 1999. She led the PA as a Vice President and President; she also co-chaired the School Spring Benefit twice. Beyond C&C, Lauri serves on the Steering Committee for Greenwich Village High School, the Board of Trustees of the Rockhouse Foundation and the Education Board of the Whitney Museum of American Art. Lauri and her husband Doug live in downtown Manhattan with their three children–all of whom are current or past City and Country students.
Stuart Gold joined C&C’s Board in 1992 and served as its Chair from 1999-2005. Stuart is a litigating partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP with specialties in communications law, securities law, employment law and antitrust. He is the parent of two City and Country alumnae ('01, '04).
Julie Hadley is the parent representative to the Board. Julie has been an active parent volunteer with two children (‘15, ‘18) at C&C for nine years, during which time she has held a number of roles, including a Group Representative, an Annual Fund Representative, Co-Head of the School Shop, and volunteer in the Admissions Office. Julie formerly taught Pre-K and kindergarten in NYC schools and currently co-owns La Mano Pottery, a working ceramics studio in Chelsea.
Lisa Baker Horner has over 24 years of association with City and Country School. She has worked as an assistant teacher, a Group teacher and, finally, she served as the Director of Admissions for 11 years. She now heads the Archives Committee for the Board. Lisa was also a parent at C&C. Her two children attended the 2s through the 13s and graduated in 2001 and 2004.
Frederick J. Knecht has been Board Chair since 2006. He is the father of two alumni ('07, '11). Fred is a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling in New York, where he practices corporate and securities law. Fred also worked for many years as a lawyer at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. He received his law degree from Stanford Law School and a bachelor's degree from Tufts University. He also studied at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and worked for the U.S. government in foreign policy before practicing law.
Catherine Krupnick is an at-large Trustee and C&C alumna (’59).
Molly Lippman is one of two Teacher Trustees currently sitting on the Board.
Eric Van Lustbader grew up in Greenwich Village and graduated from City and Country in 1960. He is the author of more than 25 best-selling novels, including The Ninja, First Daughter and Last Snow. In 2001, he was chosen by the estate of the late Robert Ludlum to continue the Jason Bourne novels. Eric chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and produced the current Strategic Plan for Growth of the School.
D. Edward Martin, a long-standing Trustee, serves as the Board’s Treasurer and chairs its Financial Committee. An accountant and consultant by profession, Ed heads Eisner LLP's Not-for-Profit Industry Group (working with a number of NYC’s prominent independent schools) and has a widely respected expertise in not-for-profit auditing and other financial services. He is also an adjunct professor at both Baruch College and Pace University, sits on the board of governors at the Accountants Club of America, and chairs the audit committee of the Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System. Ed’s two sons both started in the 2s and graduated the School in 2002 and 2007.
Leah Modigliani joined the Board in 2009 and chairs the Board’s Investments Committee. She also serves on the Board’s Finance and Diversity Committees. A Harvard Business School graduate, Leah is an Institutional Portfolio Strategist with a focus on the US stock market. Leah has one daughter (2017) in the School.
Barry Munger, a photographer, is a City and Country parent of children in the classes of 2011 and 2014. A native of Los Angeles, he attended Stanford University, and worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor in Los Angeles before moving to New York City in 1990.
Ellen Breslow Newhouse made her career in fashion and beauty journalism and marketing before choosing to become a full-time mother (Nate, 2012) and enthusiastic City and Country volunteer. During her eleven years in the School community, she has served as a Group Parent Rep, PA Secretary and Benefit Committee Chair. She was invited to join the Board of Trustees in 2008 and was appointed Chair of the Communications Committee the following year in order to spearhead a successful rebranding effort for the School. As the newly appointed Development Committee Chair for the Board, Ellen will now focus on growing the School’s fundraising initiatives while maintaining involvement in the communications and marketing arenas.
Jennifer Sage was born and raised in Greenwich Village and attended City and Country School with her sister and five cousins, graduating in 1970. After earning degrees from the High School of Music and Art, Harvard College and the Yale School of Architecture, she pursued her architectural career, working initially with world-renowned I.M. Pei. In 1994, she opened Sage and Coombe Architects with partner (and C&C parent) Peter Coombe. As chair of the Board’s Facilities committee, Jennifer has advanced all aspects of the School’s physical plant improvements, campus expansion and ongoing renovation.
Paul Salmon first came onto C&C’s Board as Parent Trustee, serving two years. He rejoined as an At-Large Trustee in 2008. In addition to operating restaurants in New York, Paul is the founder and chair of Rockhouse Hotel in Negril Jamaica. He founded and runs Rockhouse Foundation, building and supporting elementary schools and libraries in Jamaica. Paul has two children at the School (2013, 2018).
Robert Savage joined C&C’s Board in Spring 2009. He is also currently serving his second year as Parent Chair to the Annual Fund, last year bringing in the School’s highest results ever. Robert is the President and Co-founder (with his wife) of Nanette Lepore, Inc., a fashion company. He also sits on the Board of the Greenwich Village High School. Bob and Nanette’s daughter (2012) has been at City and Country since the 2s.
David Strah currently chairs both the Committee of Trustees and the Diversity Committee for the Board and is a former Parents Association co-president. An author (Gay Dads: A Celebration of Fatherhood), David speaks nationally on topics related to child rearing and same-sex parenting. He also brings his experiences in fund-raising, real estate development and diversity to the C&C Board and to the School at large. David has a son ('12) at the School.
Kate Turley celebrated her 10th year as City and Country Principal in May 2009. In addition to overseeing all aspects of the operations and management of the School, Kate serves in numerous roles on the NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools) Board of Commissioners, as well the NYC Guild of Independent Schools. Kate also sits on the boards of Lycee Francais de New York and the Barnard Foundation of New York.