2024-2025
Board of Directors
President
Meghan Guthrie-Baker
Meghan Guthrie-Baker is originally from Southern California. She attended college in Northwest Arkansas, and then moved to Oklahoma City, OK, where she received her M.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She completed a residency in Family Medicine in Springfield, MO, where she now resides with her husband. Meghan works in a rural health clinic, in Marshfield, Missouri, during the day, and in the evening she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and interior design/old home restoration. As a product of Montessori education herself, she values the importance of the Montessori Method, and is very passionate about supporting the DGMS as a parent and board member.
Treasurer
Cynthia Barraza
Cynthia Barraza is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. She holds Montessori certificates for Elementary (6-12) and Early Childhood (3-6). She also has a B.A. in Psychology, and a Masters in Elementary Education. She is one of Discovery Garden’s founding Board Members and served our school as Head of School from 2011 to 2022. She now serves as a Board Member and is looking forward to helping DGMS with its strategic plan. In her spare time you can find her exploring town with friends and family, traveling, taking a bike ride or doing some art.
Secretary
Kristie Weidmann
Kristie grew up in the Springfield, MO area and graduated from Central High School in 1994. Kristie has been a member of the Downtown Kiwanis, an organization that supports projects for underprivileged children in the area, since 2016. She served on their board as Secretary for 2 years and has a passion for helping children succeed. Kristie joined the DGMS board in May of 2022. She's excited to use her expertise in business, leadership and fundraising to help take DGMS to the next level.
Member
Natalee Stinson
Natalee has lived in the Springfield and surrounding area for most of her life. She spends her days as a project manager for a local construction company and her evenings and spare time outdoors and traveling with her wife and son. Natalee and her wife chose a Montessori education for their son because they believe in the individualized and empowering learning environment and made the decision to serve on the board at DGMS because of the values within our school.
Member
Paul Madar
Paul S. Madar was born in Berkeley, CA, where he attended Montessori school, but he primarily grew up on a farm in northern Indiana. Paul brings a diverse background, including business, cognitive sciences, nonprofit management, music, and comparative spiritual studies. He holds a Masters of Divinity, an MBA degree, and a BS in Biology. He also studied music and audio engineering for many years. Since 2016, Paul has worked as an ACT test prep coach, specializing in focus and stress management.
Member
Liliana Owen
I am Liliana Owen; I am from Colombia, South America. Upon finishing high school, I came to the United States to master English before pursuing higher education. I was admitted to the College of the Ozarks, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Mass Media Communication. I met my husband in college, and after having two daughters, I remain a proud member of the Ozark community. Since college, my husband and I have been successfully self-employed. I am a dedicated real estate agent serving the Springfield and
Branson area. I am thrilled to announce that I recently became a grandmother to a wonderful baby boy, and I am cherishing every moment of this new role.
Head of School
Andrea Shreni
Andrea joined DGMS as a parent in 2017 where her children Madeline and Oscar attend. She is grateful for the amazing teachers who guide the Montessori principles, providing the foundation for the spark of curiosity. For several years, Andrea worked for The Boeing Company testing airplanes and helicopters as an engineer, which requires juggling lots of talent to get the job done. Locally, as Vice President of Operations for Springfield Marine, she focused on minimizing waste while bringing better benefits to employees. In the Education field, she created STEM programs to boost the confidence of students in 4th - 12th grades. She and her family love to travel to visit family in Taiwan, India, and Colombia.