Board of Trustees

Eric Gangloff has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2019, and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2018.

With a background in Electrical Engineering, Management Consulting, Executive Management, and Entrepreneurship, he brings a wealth of experience in Finance, Marketing, Strategic Planning and Complex Issue Resolution to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees.

He earned his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University in 1990, followed by Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Management in Manufacturing (MMM) degrees from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, both at Northwestern University, in 1994. Eric has been an entrepreneurial leader in Consumer and Corporate Finance for 23 years. His companies sourced & acquired over $1 billion in performing loan portfolios, and one of them, AmeriFirst, originated many billions of dollars of consumer loans prior to its sale to the USA’s largest privately-held bank, First National Bank of Omaha, in 2022.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Gangloff is also committed to promoting entrepreneurship, supporting the arts and education, and the economic development of his local community. He also serves on the board of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), and previously served on the Global Board of Directors of Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and as the Chair of the Board of Trustees (among numerous other roles) of the Reno Philharmonic Association, where he spearheaded the creation of an updated Mission, Vision and Values for the organization and led it through its 49th and 50th anniversary seasons.

Eric enjoys skiing, car racing, tennis, boating, sailing, music, theater and travel.

He has one student currently attending Sage Ridge, Forrest Gangloff, in the class of 2029.

As the Board’s President and Chair, Eric strongly believes that a quality independent school education can be life-changing. He is focused on both short and long-term strategic planning for the School. He led the team which created our Vision—“To Inspire Passion and Purpose through the Joy of Learning”. For 2024/2025, among other initiatives, he is currently working to bring more structure to our Donor Relations activity, including how we choose Emeritus Trustees. Eric is also launching a new ad-hoc committee to more deeply research Tuition Pricing, with the goals of maximizing future enrollment, enhancing the student experience, and bolstering the financial health of the School.

Karen Hovorka has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2023, and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2022. Karen currently serves as the Chair of the Leadership and Governance committee.

With over 25 years of corporate cross-industry human resources and talent strategy consulting experience, Karen brings a wealth of knowledge to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees. In her work, she conducts assessments and advises client leaders to help them optimize and transform their human resources and talent capabilities through operating model design, process optimization, technology enablement, and change management.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Karen is a long-time nonprofit volunteer, and has served on the Boards of various nonprofit organizations whose missions range from immigrant employment to the arts to early childhood development to independent school education. She was active on prior board committees focused on HR, marketing and communications, and fundraising.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cornell University, and a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

Karen and her husband have one child in Sage Ridge School’s class of 2028.

Karl has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2022, and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2020. With a background in aerospace engineering and manufacturing, he brings a wealth of experience in corporate finance and financial planning to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees.

He earned his B.S.E in Systems Engineering and B.S.Economics with a concentration in Operations Management from The University of Pennsylvania. Karl has worked in the aerospace and defense industry for 24 years, where he has held numerous roles in engineering, sales, and management at Click Bond, Inc. In Carson City, and has served as its CEO for the past ten years. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Aerosapce Industries Association and the Executive Committee of the National Association of Manufacturers.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Karl is also committed to independent education, serving on the Board of Trustees of the Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, NH. He is an ATP certificated pilot with over 5,000 flight hours and serves on the Carson City Airport Authority, and enjoys adventure travel and skiing.

As a board member, Karl chairs the Finance, Audit, and Risk Management Committee and the Development and Donor Relations Committee and is focused on strengthening the long-term financial position of the school and the successful planning and pursuit of capital projects to expand its signature programming.

Michelle Sherven has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2021 and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2018. 

She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Dickinson College. Michelle has worked in the Environmental Science Industry for 25 years. She is currently Owner/ President of WETLAB, an Environmental Analytical Laboratory.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Michelle is committed to giving back to our local community. She is active with Girls on the Run Sierras, a program that inspires girls in 3rd - 8th grade to be joyful, healthy and confident. As well as Entrepreneurs Organization, and organization dedicated to “engage leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow”. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking and reading.

She has 2 students currently attending Sage Ridge School Lauren in the Class of ’26 and Ryan in the Class of ‘28.

As a board member, Michelle is excited to bring her knowledge as a small business owner to help Sage Ridge with best practices. 

Greg Hayes joined the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees in 2024 soon after becoming a member of the Sage Ridge School community in 2022.

He draws inspiration from his experiences in the entertainment industry, seeking creative solutions to complex issues with a focus on growth. He has most recently been working with and advising start-up companies such as pocket.watch, where he architected and built their video game division into a multi-million dollar business. Prior to that, he spent more than eight years at The Walt Disney Company (DIS), where he pioneered digital distribution partnerships with platforms like YouTube and managed video game portfolios for some of the most iconic global franchises, from Frozen to Star Wars to Disneyland.
Greg holds a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and earned his MBA at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. He is a lifetime member of the International Game Developers Association (IDGA) and is an active member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA).

Greg will apply his experience driving innovation and growth for both large and small organizations to his role at Sage Ridge, building upon its five value pillars. He is currently most passionate about and committed to strengthening the pillar of community. He sees many opportunities to work with a variety of stakeholders to expand the school’s appeal to new constituencies as well as to enhance recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty and staff with the goal of continuously improving the student experience.

Greg and his wife Paige are looking forward to seeing their daughter Morgan graduate with the Sage Ridge class of 2026.

Matthew has recently joined the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees, and has been a member of the Sage Ridge School community since early 2023. With a background in finance, M&A, urban and regional planning and leadership, he brings a wealth of experience in asset management, master planning and finance to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees.

Matthew grew up in Sydney, Australia and attended one of Australia’s oldest independent schools, Barker College. He earned his officers commission from the Royal Military College Duntroon (Canberra) and completed his qualifications in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New England (New South Wales) and an MBA in International Business. Over the last 32 years, Matthew has worked in national security, regional planning, and, most recently, in investment banking across Australia, Europe and North America where he was a partner in an infrastructure fund specialisingspecializing in marine ports and freight rail infrastructure.

Matthew was seconded to the US in 2007 to establish an investment capability in transport M&A. His family relocated from Incline Village to Reno to benefit from the unique educational capabilities at Sage Ridge School. Matthew enjoys skiing, mountain biking and international travel with his wife Minh and their two children. He has one student currently attending Sage Ridge in year 9.

As a board member, Matthew is focused on improving school facilities, serving as an advocate for the school community and promoting awareness of teenage mental health.

Karen Purcell, PE, has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2024. 

She is the founder, owner, and president of PK Electrical, Inc., a prominent electrical engineering, design, and consulting firm based in Reno, NV and Denver, CO. With over 35 years of experience in the field, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Widener University. In 2015, Ms. Purcell was appointed by Governor Sandoval to the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and continues to serve as a board member.

Karen is a passionate advocate for women in STEM and authored the book, Unlocking Your Brilliance: Smart Strategies for Women to Thrive in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), drawing on her experiences in a male-dominated industry to inspire confidence in young women pursuing STEM careers. In addition to this, her firm hosts two annual scholarships through the Nevada Women’s Fund to support woman pursuing a degree in STEM.

Karen's leadership and achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2012 Reno Gazette-Journal’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, being named Northern Nevada Business Weekly's Most Influential Leader to Know in 2021, and the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada’s Philanthropy Hero in 2023. She is actively engaged in her community, serving as Board Chair for the JUSTin Hope Foundation, which supports families and individuals with disabilities. Karen also contributes her expertise to industry organizations, holding a board position with American Council of Engineering Companies Nevada.

As a board member, Karen is dedicated to identifying opportunities that actively immerse students in STEM initiatives. This encompasses providing exposure to professionals in STEM fields, creating opportunities for engaging in STEM-focused activities, and fostering connections with the local community through STEM involvement.

Cheenu Sandhu has a bachelor's in computer science and has been a full-time Real Estate professional since 2009, assisting clients in buying, selling, and investing. Her commitment to offering the most comprehensive and professional marketing, technology, and expert market knowledge, and supporting the highest standards of service and representation has made her a market leader in our community. 

“I was recently asked what my greatest asset is and it didn't take long to answer. Besides having knowledge about the real estate market/business, negotiation skills, and sales experience, my main asset is my people skills. Being able to converse with any individuals, blending in, and making people feel comfortable are my greatest strengths."

Cheenu co-chaired the spirit wear program from 2020-2022 and leads the Parent Ambassador program at Sage Ridge. Cheenu and her husband Angad have two daughters at Sage Ridge,  Nanki Sandhu (Class of 2025), and Nimmer Sandhu (Class of 2030).

Appointed: 1998, Founding Member. Currently, CEO Chargerback, leader in lost and found solutions for the hospitality and travel industry Founder, Ex-Chairman & CEO Computing Resources, Inc. Managing Member, Evergreen Capital LLC Mr. Webster founded Computing Resources, Inc. (CRI) on April 1, 1978 as a general purpose data processing service bureau specializing in automating accounting functions, with a primary focus on payroll processing for small businesses. Forming strategic marketing alliances with financial institutions in Nevada, California and the mid-west, CRI gained momentum in the 1980s by providing unparalleled customer service and investing in cutting-edge technology. CRI developed several innovations during the 1980’s including: phone-in payroll, automatic payroll, and around the clock 24/7 customer support. Mr. Webster’s continued vision allowed CRI to gain national recognition as the nation’s fourth largest quality payroll services provider, servicing over 100,000 businesses nationwide. During CRI’s 21 years as a privately held company it enjoyed record revenue and net income growth compounded annually of 22.9% and 30.5% respectively. CRI established itself as an industry leader in generating the highest profit margin per payroll transaction processed. In 1997, CRI embarked on an exciting new payroll services venture with Intuit—the makers of QuickBooks and Quicken financial software. CRI successfully integrated its proprietary tax and electronic direct deposit processing systems with QuickBooks and QuickBooks Pro. In March of 1999, CRI announced it had agreed to a merger with Intuit. Mr. Webster served as Chairman and CEO of Intuit’s payroll division (CRI) until March 2000. Mr. Webster has extensive experience developing; implementing and marketing technology based transaction-processing systems. Areas of expertise include: accounting, credit authorization, ACH payments, payroll and payroll tax systems. Mr. Webster formed Evergreen Capital LLC during 1998. Evergreen Capital is an early stage investment company that focuses and invests in start-up Internet, service oriented and biotech companies. Mr. Webster currently serves as board Chairman of Inzap Inc and Capital Resources, Inc. Mr. Webster is also a founder, Vice Chairman and director of Heritage Bank of Commerce (HTBK) located in San Jose, California. A resident of Reno, Nevada since 1972, Mr. Webster is currently Chairman of the Board for the National Automobile Museum, The Harrah Collection, and Chairman of the Board for the Nevada Policy Research Institute and past Chairman of the Financial Advisory Board for the City of Reno. Other civic affiliations include Vice Chairman, Sage Ridge School board, the Rotary Club of Reno, and Executive Board member of the Nevada Area Council for the Boy Scouts of America.
 

Steve Welch has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2016, and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2011. With a background in Finance, Accounting and Operations he brings a wealth of experience in Strategy, Finance, HR, Operations and Project Management to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees. 

He earned his undergraduate BS Finance degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Indiana University. Steve has worked in large petrochemical and oil refining and marketing operations in various roles all over the world for over 35 years. His positions of responsibility included CFO Gas & Power, CEO Petrochemicals, and COO US Refining & Marketing, where in various roles he was responsible for $90+ billion in sales, workforces of 40K+ and many multi-billion dollar construction projects. 

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Steve is committed to improving child welfare, supporting the arts, and education and development of young business leaders. He enjoys being outdoors, skiing, art, music and international travel. 
Wife Robin and he had two students who have graduated from Sage Ridge, son, Jordan, SRS class of 2014 (Purdue University 2018) and daughter, Madeleine, SRS class of 2016 (Georgetown 2020) . 

As a board member, Steve is focused on working for the long term success of Sage Ridge through maintaining and improving Academic Excellence, expanding and improving facilities available to students and growing enrollment long term. He believes Sage Ridge is uniquely positioned to develop outstanding leaders who will shape the future of Northern Nevada and the world. 

Rick Welcome has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2012, and a member of the Sage Ridge

School community since 2005. With a background in Medicine and Healthcare, he brings a wealth of experience in to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees.

He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from UCLA. He graduated from Medical School from the University of California Irvine and completed his Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. Dr. Welcome also completed an Interventional Radiology Fellowship at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. Rick has worked in his group’s private practice at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center here in Reno since 2000 for 24 years, where he has helped to implement and provide state of the art diagnosis and treatment to the patients of our community. He has served as the President of his group for the past 4 years.

In addition to his/her/their professional accomplishments, Rick is also committed to Boy Scouts of America and served as an adult leader during the time his sons both became Eagle Scouts.

He enjoys traveling with his wife and family, skiing, hunting and off road travel, and golf.

He and his wife Mary Ann have 2 former students who have graduated from Sage Ridge, Andrew Welcome Class of 2012 and Brandon Welcome Class of 2014.

As a board member, Rick is focused on the finance committee and has tried to attend and contribute to many fundraising events over the past 19 years.

Abbi Whitaker has been a member of the Sage Ridge School Board of Trustees since 2024 and a member of the Sage Ridge School community since 2023.

With a background in public affairs, marketing, and public relations, she brings a wealth of experience in public relations, donor relations, fundraising, and community outreach to the Sage Ridge Board of Trustees.

She earned a Journalism degree from the University of Nevada and has worked in the community for over two decades. Abbi runs The Abbi Agency, an integrated communications firm that works across tourism, government, and nonprofit sectors. The Abbi Agency is a certified B-Corp and believes strongly in being connected to and involved in the communities it serves.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Abbi is committed to serving on the boards of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, The Nevada Independent, and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. She also sits on the Northern Nevada advisory board for Nevada State University and chairs the branding council for the Las Vegas Global Economic Development Alliance. Abbi has received several awards for her work in the community and the public relations industry including Reynolds School of Journalism Distinguished Alumni of the Year 2023, PR News 2020 Honoree, Regan Community Giver of the Year 2019, TMCC Alumna of the Year 2018, University of Nevada Young Alumni of the Year Award 2016, Citizen Planner of the Year 2016, 2014 NCET Presidents Award, AMA Influencer of the Year 2013, 2012 Reno Gazette- Journal and YPN 20 Under 40, and Reno Gazette-Journal Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist 2011.

Abbi has one student currently attending Sage Ridge, Eden Whitaker who will graduate in 2028.

As a board member, Abbi is focused on connecting Sage Ridge School to the community, raising awareness of the school's many programs and opportunities, and helping foster new relationships.