School Board
Michael Amster, MD
Dr. Michael Amster is a pediatrician in Warrenton, Virginia, and the owner of Warrenton Pediatrics. Coming to Virginia in 1999 from Chicago, Michael did his residency at Virginia Commonweath University, and started with Union Mill Pediatrics in Centreville. After moving out to Warrenton, he established Warrenton Pediatrics, where he has been treating Warrenton’s children for the last 10 years. A member of the Fauquier County School Health Advisory board, Michael has worked on sleep issues, nutrition, and recreation. He has also been a member of the Child Nutrition, INC board, promoting proper nutrition in the home daycare setting. Michael is also ImPact certified, serving as Warrenton’s concussion expert, training the county school trainers and health care workers in recognizing and treating concussion. Active at Fauquier Hospital, Michael serves on the Peer review committee, and has worked to improve the nursery and the inpatient pediatric program. He attended Northwestern on an Evans Scholarship, served as an Emergency Medical Technician in Chicago for a year, and then obtained his medical degree from the University of Illinois @ Chicago. His daughter Alyssa has attended Belle Meade for the last two years.
Kit Goldfarb
Kit Goldfarb has provided communications and marketing services for 30 years. She has worked for major global organizations as well as small start-ups, primarily in the technology sector. During the tech boom, she established and ran KG Communications, a public relations and communications firm focused primarily on start-ups in the telecommunications industry. As president of KGC, she helped emerging companies establish and build corporate and brand leadership in their marketplaces. Through her work with technology companies, Kit began working with communications applications that would later become the foundation of social networking. In 2008, she switched industries and began working in global health and development, including living in sub-Saharan Africa and working in programs in areas including women’s economic development, community health services, and HIV/AIDS. During her studies and field work, she became interested in the issue of food security and sustainability in both the developing and developed world. Earlier in Kit’s career, she worked with programs focused on cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis through shared community and business activities. Kit and her husband moved to Rappahannock County in 2013. Kit has a B.A. in government from the University of Texas, Austin, and an M.P.H., with a focus on global health, from George Mason University.
Clare Lindsay
Clare Lindsay recently retired from EPA where she worked for 20 years on resource conservation issues. Ms. Lindsay led EPA’s efforts to initiate the first-ever national dialogue on electronics product stewardship in the US. This initiative led to numerous states creating electronics take-back laws. She actively participated in development of many product stewardship initiatives for packaging, carpet, office furniture, and paint. Ms. Lindsay initiated a more coordinated EPA engagement in the development of sustainability standards for product design and performance. Ms. Lindsay was one of the primary authors of a road map for EPA leadership on sustainable materials management. Currently, Ms. Lindsay serves on the Boards of the National Center for Electronics Recycling and R2 Solutions (an organization that manages an international standard for electronics recycling practices). Ms. Lindsay also serves on the Steering Committee of a new organization that is being launched called the Sustainable Purchasing Council. Before going to EPA, Ms. Lindsay practiced environmental and energy law in the private sector. She has an undergraduate degree from Smith College and a J.D. with honors from George Washington University.
Barbara Heller
Barbara Heller is an architect and President of Heller & Metzger PC in Washington, DC. She has worked on over 500 building projects including the FDR Memorial and the renovation of the Pentagon. She is a member of the Design Futures Council, the AIA College of Fellows and serves on the advisory Board of Stanford University’s Center for Integrated Facility Engineering. On her farm in Rappahannock County, she is establishing a two acre pollinator garden using sustainable practices. The mother of two adult sons, Barbara believes that education is essential to maintaining an informed citizenry and is delighted to be able to contribute to the exciting future of Belle Meade School. Barbara received a B.S in Architecture from the University of Illinois.
Tobey Wheelock
Tobey Wheelock is a web developer with a great deal of experience in helping small organizations thrive. He is a former algebra teacher and farmer and is the father of two home-schooled young adults. He is also a board member of the Businesses of Rappahannock, an organization devoted to helping county businesses succeed. He feels that all of those experiences help him guide Belle Meade Montessori School as it navigates the intersection between education, agriculture, and sustainable prosperity. Tobey has a B.A. degree from Williams College.
Michael Biniek
Mike brings a love of nature, the outdoors, wildlife. His energy and wily sense of humor make working with him an adventure. He enjoys sharing practical projects with students. Mike holds a B.S. in Biology from George Mason University. He practices sustainable, grass-based farming. He has both a theoretical and a practical interest in farming. Mike studies and practices ecological growing of food and animal husbandry. He created a heating system for the schoolhouse and the farmhouse using locally available wood. He is involved with the students as a teacher, mentor, and school trip chaperone. With his wife Susan, Mike also manage Belle Meade Bed & Breakfast and Belle Meade Day Camp. In addition, Mike served two terms on the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors.