The Board meets quarterly, or as necessary, to review budget, program, and other related issues. Board members serve staggered two-year terms.
Darin Perrollaz - Chairman of the Board
Darin graduated in 1982 from Lake Superior State University, Sault Saint Marie, MI, with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Wildlife, and a Minor in Chemistry. In 1988 he received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. As Vice President of Kleen Environmental Technologies, Inc., Darin develops environmental and hazardous waste management programs for manufacturing and commercial industries and is a registered environmental site assessor in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. His extracurricular activities include backpacking, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Additionally, he is a professional recording artist. Darin and his wife, Anna, have taught a Biology Lab course for high school students and in the spring of 2001 they team-taught an Outdoor School science strand. They homeschooled their two daughters who both graduated from Academy Northwest.
Nola Smith - Vice-Chairman
Nola has been in education for over thirty years. She established Pacific Learning Solutions,Inc., a tutoring service and learning disabilities instructional center, in 1986 in Arlington, Washington. She also owns and manages is The SchoolBox, an educational retail store servicing homeschoolers, teachers and members of the community interested in education. She is a founding director of 21st Century Music Ministries, established in 2003. This ministry recruits, trains, and sends young talented musicians to perform in the United States and overseas. Nola has also been recorded at Universal Studios singing in musical ensembles and solo.
Nola is the wife of Sherlund Smith, a retired police captain for Edmonds, Washington. Nola and Sherlund both enjoy horseback riding, raising Golden Retrievers, reading, and all of the blessings of God, which include four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Miles Ulrich - Treasurer
Miles has worked over 25 years in software development. He was Vice President of Technology at Wall Data and more recently a manager at Microsoft. Since leaving Microsoft in 2005, Miles has taught math, science, and computer programming. In addition to teaching for Academy Northwest, he is owner / director of Mathnasium in Redmond, WA. He also founded LightShine Software to aid non-profit organizations with IT issues. Miles has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College.
Miles and his wife, Kathy, have homeschooled since their first child was old enough. Their four children are currently aged 9 through 18. In 2006, the family went on an extended field trip for 11 months around the United States.
Barbara Laxdal - Secretary
Barbara and her husband John reside in Redmond, where they provide educational services to homeschooling families through Choice Learning Center, an affiliate of Family Academy. Their son is a graduate of Academy Northwest and the University of Washington. Barbara's organizational and secretarial skills are not only utilized by this board but she has served on the staff of Academy Northwest as administrative assistant since 1995. Her primary job with ANW is to support the daily operations of the school, facilitate and assist with teacher inservices, assist with the organization and presentation of all school activities and field trips, and coordinate the annual graduation ceremony.
Candice Broman Childs - Director
Candice is a cofounder of Family Academy, and has worked for the development and expansion of the school for the past two decades. Candice graduated Magna cum Laude from Seattle Pacific University in 1972 with a degree in Political Science. Her administrative experience and organizational skills are a great asset to this board. Candice is also the co-author of Homeschooling the High Schooler, a speaker for several homeschool conventions and a sought after speaker to local homeschool support groups and organizations. She is the mother of two adult children, both former Academy Northwest students.
Diana McAlister - Director
Diana is the cofounder of an innovative private school extension program, Academy Northwest, an Affiliate of Family Academy and of Family Academy. Currently Diana chairs the Board of Academy Northwest which matriculates between 120 and 150 students a year. A graduate of Central Washington University (cum laude) in 1975, Diana taught in a one-room public school followed by 5 years of traditional classrooms. Said experience forced the creation of an alternative type of school. A Master's degree (magna cum laude) in 1992 from Western Washington University convinced her of the need to nurture a better choice for parents and students. She has owned and operated an education consulting business serving homeschooling families since 1981. She is also the co-author of Home Schooling the High Schooler, instructor of a parent qualifying class for homeschool eligibility, teacher /speaker at homeschool conventions in Montana, Hawaii and Washington, and is a frequent speaker for numerous homeschool support groups statewide. She is married and the parent of four daughters; all of whom have graduated from Academy Northwest. Two of her daughters are now teachers as well.
Mark Erickson - Director
Mark and his wife, Sandra, live on Camano Island and have been active with Academy Northwest as learning center parents and teachers for a number of years. As a Boeing executive, he and his family, lived two years in Japan where their children attended a Japanese public school. Upon returning to the States, he resigned from Boeing, and spent the next year traveling throughout the United States with his family. Currently he is employed by Smoky Point Concrete as a salesman for ARXX Building Products (concrete filled Styrofoam blocks used for construction). Mark and Sandra have four children, including three graduates of Academy Northwest.
Robin Summerfelt - Director
Robin owns and operates Poulsbo Academy, an Academy Northwest learning center. She has a bachelors degree from Western Washington University.