Board
Robert Chase, Director, Chairman, President
Robert Chase is a classically-educated entrepreneur, consultant, and executive with 30+ years of experience in building and growing successful enterprises. With children ranging in age from thirty- something to teens, he has witnessed the slow decline of public education. He is an advocate for freedom, critical thinking, school choice, family rights, classical education, and financial independence.
Michael Gendre, PhD, Director, Vice Chairman
Dr. Michael Gendre is an experienced humanities professor with a strong academic background in philosophy and traditional classical requirements. He has published articles, translated several books from the French, and co-authored “Aligning Values and Politics—Empowerment versus Entitlement” (2016). He has advocated for academic excellence since the introduction of Common Core and promoted advocacy for students and parents as former President of MAPIE and current President of NHPIE (chapters of US Parents Involved in Education). In March 2022, he was elected to a 3-year position on the North Hampton, NH School Board.
Linda Allard, Director, Treasurer
Linda Allard has been a dedicated resident of Exeter, NH since 1998, where she and her husband, David, have raised their three school-aged children. A committed community and education volunteer, Linda has worked tirelessly to promote foundational math skills and foster a love of reading for all children. Before dedicating herself to her family and community, Linda spent 15 years in IT consulting, bringing a wealth of experience in problem-solving and strategic thinking. Her passion for education led her to become a founding member of Seacoast Classical Academy, where she continues to advocate for classical education and family rights. Linda is deeply engaged in initiatives that support strong educational foundations and parental involvement in education.
Rebecca Bates, Director, Secretary
A biochemist by training and a Texas A&M graduate, Rebecca Bates has real-world experience as a scientist and laboratory manager working in both Academia and Biotech. She raised three children in diverse environments such as the Bay Area of California, Seattle, and Durham, NC. Along the way, she was the general contractor on two of her family’s houses, and homeschooled each of her children at some point during their elementary and middle school years. Rebecca moved to New Hampshire in late 2017 with her family and is committed to providing children with high quality data-driven education and the ability to think critically and speak freely.
William Lyons, Director
Bill Lyons earned a Mechanical and Materials Engineering degree from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in Biomechanical Engineering from the Hartford Graduate Center, affiliated with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He served as Chairman of the Board at Blackstone Medical, Inc. until its acquisition by Orthofix International, where he became Global President of Orthofix Biologics. A founding partner of Joint Medical Products and board member of Exactech, Inc., he also led Brimfield Precision Inc. as Chairman, President, and CEO until 1997. Currently, Bill consults through his firm, Third Generation Consultants, LLC, and actively invests in medical device startups.
Simcha Weller, MD, Director
Dr. Simcha Weller is an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and pioneer in Complex and Reconstructive Spine Surgery. During his career, Dr. Weller served as Chief of the Neurosurgical Spinal Disorders Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, taught Harvard Medical students, trained neurosurgery residents, and Chief of the Division of Spine Surgery at Tufts New England Medical Center. In recent years, he has dedicated himself to global medical philanthropy, helping patients with complex medical disorders from throughout the world to access the best medical care available. Dr. Weller believes that young scholars and their families should have the opportunity to access classical education.
Timothy Galitski, PhD, ex-officio, Executive Director, Seacoast Classical Academy
Dr. Tim Galitski is experienced as a geneticist, a professor at the pioneering Institute for Systems Biology, an executive at a global biotechnology company, and a school board chairman. He is a long-time promoter of academic excellence and family rights. He lives with his wife and three school-aged children in Kensington NH and is currently the Executive Director of Seacoast Classical Academy Chartered Public School.
Advisors
Patrick Abrami, Advisor
Deborah Hobson, Advisor
Cynthia Lyons, Advisor
Glenn Page, Advisor
Catherine Salterio, Advisor
Robin Tyner, Advisor
Joanne Ward, Advisor
