About NFS

Governance

The governing board at Newtown Friends School, called the School Committee, is composed of up to 21 members, each appointed for a term of three years. At least 50 percent must be members of the Religious Society of Friends. The Head of School is an ex-officio member of the School Committee, and administrative personnel and faculty representatives are regularly invited to attend its meetings.

The School Committee’s primary responsibilities are fiduciary and strategic, concerned with the school’s financial health, strategic planning, and adherence to the mission.

School Committee Responsibility

Seeing that the school operates in the best interests of its students, teachers, and parents, reflecting the long-standing interest of Friends in education.
Ensuring that the school continues to demonstrate Friends values.
Planning for the school’s long-term health and sustainability, especially through financial oversight.
Establishing and reviewing policies necessary to the successful operation of the school.
Overseeing and nurturing the Head of School, the School Committee’s sole employee. (The Head of School is directly responsible for the daily operation of NFS.)
Maintaining active standing subcommittees—current committees are concerned with administrative oversight and counsel, finance, board development, Quakerism, equity and inclusion, advancement, marketing and membership—as well as ad hoc committees as needed.

School Committee Members

List of 11 members.

Veronica Wetherill
Bio
Veronica is a member of Newtown Meeting and a parent of two students at NFS, in the classes of 2017 and 2020. A former international trade and immigration lawyer, she worked in political journalism at USAToday and on the communications team at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. More recently she has worked with non-profits handling grant writing and communications and also serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Veronica is a graduate of Princeton University and holds a joint JD/Masters in International Affairs degree from Georgetown University.
Steven Bacher
Bio
Steve is a member of Newtown Meeting and has a child in the NFS class of ’23 and an NFS graduate in the George School class of ’23. His career has been in the nonprofit, higher education and government sectors, in management, marketing and grant writing. Positions he has held include Co-Founder and Managing Director of Vortex Repertory Company in Austin, Texas, Executive Director of Cape May’s Center for Community Arts and Director of Digital Marketing for Bucks County Community College. He is a member of the NFS Diversity Committee and Newtown Meeting’s Children’s Religious Education and Peace & Service Committees. A passionate advocate for environmental sustainability, he co-founded Bucks 350.org and helped organize the Bucks Environmental Action Coalition. He holds a B.A. in English/Theater from Wesleyan University and an M.F.A in Drama (Directing) from The University of Texas at Austin.
David Henderson
Bio
David is a parent of two children at NFS, in the classes of 2019 and 2021, and a Principal of HHG Development Associates LLC. Building sustainable and vibrant communities is the passion that drives David Henderson’s real estate development career and informs the design of his projects. Roebling Center, a 475,000 SF mixed-use development in Trenton, comprises residential lofts, Class A office space and restaurant/hospitality, all arrayed around a central courtyard programmed with arts and festival events. Past projects include conversion of the Adam Exton Cracker Factory into residential lofts, and restoration of residential and commercial structures in downtown Trenton. Prior to real estate development, David specialized in K-12 school facilities development and design. David is a Registered Architect in NJ, NY and PA, and a LEED AP with a specialty in building design and construction. David is President of the Trenton Film Society, board member of Trenton Downtown Association and member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church vestry. David received a Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.
Rohan Arjun
Judy Fellows
Bio
Judy is a member of Newtown Friends Meeting, where she has served on various committees, including as clerk of Adult Religious Education and Conference Grants Committees. Her son, Andrew, attended Newtown Friends School and is now a member of the George School class of 2019. A past officer of the NFS Parents Association, Judy now serves as VP of Programming for the George School Parents Association, and is an active volunteer in the Admission and Development offices at GS. Prior to leaving her business career, Judy held various management positions in the insurance industry. She received her BS in Business Administration, with concentrations in Finance and Management, from Cedar Crest College.
Alex Roinishvili Grigorev
Bio
Alex, a parent of an NFS student (‘28), is the President of the Council for Inclusive Governance (CIG) where he facilitates talks of political and ethnic leaders from the Balkans and leads programs on resolving bilateral disputes, fostering democratic governance, enhancing regional accord, and advancing minority inclusion. He works with the U.S. State Department and various European ministries of foreign affairs. An expert in diplomacy, Balkan politics, and ethnic relations he has been working in the Balkans since 1991 and, prior to heading CIG, he was the Executive Director of the Princeton-based Project on Ethnic Relations. Alex holds various degrees in international affairs and history from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the Harriman Institute, the Central European University, the State University of New York, as well as a mediator’s certificate from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
Amy Peruzzi
Rachel Renshaw
Karen Robinson
Erica Stockton
Deborah Watts
Bio
Deborah is a musician and career educator with over 35 years of experience directing orchestras and jazz ensembles in Independent Schools in Michigan, Virginia, and New Jersey. Currently, she chairs the Performing Arts Department and directs music at the Hun School of Princeton. She is a member of Newtown Friends Meeting and serves on several committees there. Deborah holds a B.M. degree in cello performance and a M.M.T. degree in music education from Oberlin Conservatory of Music.