Mark Q. Fuentes is senior vice president and head of operations at Ashford Securities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He attended the University of Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and History. Originally from Amarillo, Texas, he has lived in the Dallas area for most of his adult life. He also spent time in Philadelphia before moving back to be closer to family.

Mark is the parent of two children who attended MCHS from 2013 – 2016. The family’s time at MCHS allowed the children to really flourish in future years of development. Overall, the Fuentes children spent more than six years in some level of Montessori education, and they are now in middle school and high school in the Dallas ISD magnet program. Mark remains involved and connected with the MCHS community and will always be a strong advocate of the Montessori approach to education. He looks forward to the opportunity to bring extensive experience in the business community, the local community, and private and public-school sectors to the MCHS board.

In his free time, Mark enjoys spending as much quality time as possible with his wife and kids, volunteering in the community, going to concerts and music festivals, watching the Texas Longhorns, playing a mediocre round of golf and enjoying time with family and friends.

Elizabeth Souder-Philyaw is an editor and communications strategist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. A former business journalist, she also advises various corporate and nonprofit clients. She is a lifelong Montessorian who has experienced the joy of a Montessori education and observed the outcomes through her three MCHS alumni children. Further, she is also an MCHS alumna.

Elizabeth serves on various nonprofit boards including Faith Commons and the Richardson Area Band Club, and she is a director with the Texas Lyceum.

Elizabeth’s journalism career included time at The Dallas Morning News, where she covered the energy industry and served on the editorial board, and Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, where she covered aviation in New York and euro zone bonds in Frankfurt. She earned degrees in journalism and Plan II at the University of Texas at Austin.

Elizabeth lives in Richardson with her husband and three pre-teen and teenage children.

James Greene is chief operations officer for a family office in Dallas, where he manages investments, foundations, and an operating business. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Stanford and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. James grew up in Northern California, and he moved to Dallas with his wife in 2006 for job opportunities and to be closer to her family.

James is a parent of three children who spent a total of 10 years at MCHS. They are now teenagers and a preteen. The older two are high school students at Townview TAG and the younger one attends St. Thomas Aquinas.

James spends most of his free time chauffeuring his boys to their various activities. (His daughter has her driver’s license and she happily does not rely on parents for rides.) James underwent a kidney transplant in 2001, and he enjoys competing in the Transplant Games of America, which is an Olympics-style competition for transplant recipients who share a profound gratitude for their gift of life.

Tony Guillen is a seasoned IT consultant with over 15 years of experience delivering innovative technology solutions across multiple industries, including healthcare and real estate. Tony offers a unique perspective on consulting engagements, skillfully addressing both technological and business challenges. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Born in Chicago, Tony attended Montessori school from ages 2 through 12. His son, Mateo, also continued the tradition by attending Montessori Children’s House in Dallas.

Beyond his professional life, Tony values learning new languages, cooking, and exploring new places with his wife and son.

Chef Andrew Marc Savoie, a native New Yorker, began his culinary journey after graduating from Baltimore International College in 1997. Eager to begin his professional training under the direction of highly regarded chefs, Andrew headed south to New Orleans to work at Dominique’s at the Maison Dupuy Hotel in the historic French Quarter. Andrew knew from the moment he worked the line at Dominique’s that he had officially embarked upon his culinary career.

Andrew’s increasing respect and passion for fine food and dining excellence led him to a series of top-rated restaurants across America: Chef Patrick O’Connell’s famous Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia, Chef Thomas Keller’s French bistro Bouchon in Yountville, California, Chef Rob Evans’ Hugo’s in Portland, Maine, and back to his New York roots where he worked under Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at his Three Michelin, Mobil five-star restaurant Jean Georges in Trump International Hotel & Tower.

After a move to Dallas, Andrew spent his time inspiring tomorrow’s chefs as culinary instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas, where he earned awards and accolades from faculty and students. While developing and challenging young professionals, Andrew also earned his MBA in hospitality management, not to mention embarking on family life with his wife Amy and their three amazing children, who all graduated from Montessori Children’s House and School.

Finding themselves in the Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas without a taqueria in arm’s reach and with a lifetime of envisioning his own restaurant, Andrew was led to his newest inspiration, Resident Taqueria. Using his vast knowledge across many cuisines, Andrew looks forward to providing the community with fresh, intriguing, delicious food that is community-based, chef-inspired and family-friendly.

Amera Sergie owns The Source Counseling, a mental health therapy private practice in downtown Dallas. She earned a master’s in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Southern Methodist University, and she’s been a practicing therapist for over 17 years. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Amera has been calling Dallas home for 20 years.

Amera is the proud parent of a preteen daughter and son who both attended MCHS. She can’t think of a better start for her kiddos than MCHS. Her family remains friends with many other MCHS families and has stayed connected to the school as much as possible over the years following graduation. Both kiddos attend Lakehill Prep. She aims to bring her experience with child development, family work, and communication and relationship building to the board. She’s excited about supporting the school and making sure the community knows how special MCHS truly is.

Amera dedicates much of her time to her family and keeping up with homework and activities. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, reading, and staying active.