Board of Trustees

Julie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of William & Mary with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. While at William and Mary, she played Division 1 volleyball. Her early career had many paths including sports marketing, event coordinating, and teaching internationally. She also spent several years working for Backroads, an active travel company specializing in hiking and cycling vacations worldwide where she lead trips throughout Europe and South America and eventually managed operations for nearly 30 itineraries and 50 staff members in nine different European countries.

Julie and her husband moved Bend in 2005 so that they could begin a life together living on the same continent. Here she once again pursued her passion for education and discovered Cascades Academy, a place whose mission - weaving exceptional academics and meaningful and engaging hands-on experiences - embodies both her personal and professional values.

She began as the school's Associate Head of School in 2006. At that time, Cascades Academy served about 85 students and was located in a leased commercial office space in midtown Bend. With just two full-time administrators, Julie wore many hats and oversaw most of the school's operations including admissions, development, marketing, technology support, and plenty of "other duties as assigned." Julie took over as the Head of School in 2015, and she currently serves on the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) Board of Governors.

Like many Central Oregonians, Julie loves to do anything outdoors including backcountry skiing, mountain biking, hiking, yoga, and cycling. Now, more than anything, she loves to share these experiences with her two children.

You can read more about Julie here in an article published in the "Bend Nest."

Seeking a grounded, active mountain life style, Heather and her family moved to Bend in 2021.  In uprooting their family, it was imperative to maintain an educational journey aligned with the kids’ foundation of progressive, experiential education in a community centered school.  Cascades Academy was an essential factor in choosing to move to Bend.

With a Masters in Social Work, Heather’s background, training and expertise as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is working with young people and their families.  The bulk of her engagement with adolescents is through school based programs and a residential treatment facility.  These career opportunities give Heather a solid understanding the various systems, structures and cultures  of operating within a school community and the impact and interaction of schools and the greater community.

Having spent 11 years deeply embedded in a leading southern California progressive school, Heather holds first hand experience in the importance of maintaining mission, vision and values while an institution grows and evolves.  She has intimate knowledge of community engagement initiatives and advancement processes.  

Heather is honored to serve Cascades Academy, a school where students think critically and creatively, form deep bonds with their peers and teachers and work to make an impact in their communities. 

After graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree focused on internet marketing (before Google existed), Sally took an adventurous pilgrimage across the United States that ended in Central Oregon. Once in the small hamlet of Bend, she miraculously applied her college degree at an innovative local company and eventually met her true love and hero, Adam. Together they are on the exciting journey of raising their two daughters, Lilly and Allison. (And their dog, Henry. Can’t forget him.)

When it was time for Lilly to start school, they sought out Cascades Academy for its small class size. Once a part of the community, they discovered there was much more to the school than small classes. Through the years, Adam and Sally have become more connected to the supportive community of CACO.

For several years, Sally played an active role in the Family Association. It was an honor for Sally to be recognized for this effort and asked to join the board. Through working on the board, Sally hopes to help foster an environment that continues the growth and success of the fantastic school community for many years to come.

Blair Jenkins served Cascades Academy as Head of School from 2009-2015, and then as Co-Head of School until 2016. Previously, she served as Head of School at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and has over 35 years experience as teacher, Dean of Students, and Middle & Upper School Director at independent schools in Colorado, New York, and Connecticut. Blair has served as President of the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) and as Commissioner of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accrediting agency. Blair earned her B.A. in history/government from Wells College and her M.S. in Educational Administration from Vanderbilt University.

Pratt first attended the University of the South and played football and ran track. He then transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology and graduated Beta Gamma Sigma as a member of the Dean’s List and Golden Key National Honor Society with a BS in Management Science and a Minor in Economics. His first job out of college was Assistant to the Lower School Principal, Head 7th Grade Football Coach and Assistant Varsity Track Coach at The Lovett School in Atlanta, GA. His career path then took an exciting turn toward medical for the next 10 years and he worked with Medtronic and then Biotronik as a Clinical Engineer specializing in implantable cardiac rhythm and congestive heart failure devices.

While working full time in the medical engineering arena, Pratt also was a founding partner of SweetWater Brewing Company in Atlanta, GA that opened in 1997. When his medical engineering work moved him to Portland, he met his wife-to-be, Heidi, and Oregon has been home ever since. After retiring from the medical work, the craft beer industry became a full-time job. In 2010, he moved his family to Bend to help start a third craft brewery. His daughter, Ellery, started at Cascades Academy in 2011 and graduated in 2023.

Pratt and his wife have continuously supported Cascades Academy in many rolls ranging from Co-Head of the Parents Association to Head Varsity Track Coach. Pratt is honored to be on the board and looks forward to helping an institution that has brought so much joy and opportunity to his life. Go Steelhead!

Jeremy brings his passion for education, marketing, communication, strategy, and design to the trustee role. Having helped organizations navigate change, effectively position in crowded and dynamic markets and find their brand voice, Jeremy brings a unique skill set to the trustee role for an independent school.  

Jeremy has held several board positions throughout his career most recently as a mayoral appointee to the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board. He has volunteered on local, state and national organizations spanning real estate development, educational planning, public private partnerships and local land use policy.   

In 2020 the Agraz family moved to Bend after 25 years in San Francisco where Jeremy worked in various leadership roles for national and international architecture practices. He runs a nimble strategy consulting practice focused on helping small firms in the built environment scale their business. 

When he’s not working he and his wife are driving their kids to some part of Oregon for one sporting competition or another or spending time on the trails and slopes and on the occasional tennis court and skate park. 

As parents of two children attending Cascades Academy they have seen firsthand what this amazing school is capable of doing. 

Central Oregon has long been called home to Tiffany, who spent the second half of her childhood growing up in Sisters. After earning a degree in journalism from the University of Oregon, she set off for San Francisco, where she built a career at several well-known advertising agencies. Eventually, the mountains called her back, and she and her husband, Kiefer, chose to plant roots in Bend.

When Tiffany and her family settled in Bend, she embraced the opportunity to reinvent her career by starting a property management company in 2017. It was a big shift from her background in advertising, but one that offered the opportunity to support others in creating a sense of place and belonging — values that also matter deeply to her as a parent and community member.

When it came time to choose a school for their two young boys, Tiffany and Kiefer were drawn to Cascades Academy’s vibrant energy, tight-knit community, and emphasis on learning beyond the classroom. They appreciated the small class sizes, the school’s mission to foster curiosity and belonging, and the hands-on approach to education. Their oldest son began his journey at Cascades Academy in Pre-K, and their whole family has loved being part of the school community. Tiffany is actively involved with the Family Association and helps organize social events throughout the year.

When she's not at a school event or working, you're likely to find Tiffany cheering on the Ducks during football season (Go Ducks!), getting lost in a good book (or three), snuggling with her two pups and kitty, or planning her family’s next SCUBA diving adventure.

Jessica is a teacher, mother, partner and passionate supporter of Cascades Academy. She seeks to bring the perspective of over 20 years as an instructor of Spanish at the community college and university levels, as well as her time teaching in independent schools, to her role on the board of trustees. 

A native Bendite, she grew up water skiing at the lake, swimming competitively and spending time with family.  She left Bend in 1992 to pursue her educational goals in Hawaii, Washington and ultimately finished her Master’s Degree in Spanish at the University of Oregon. During those formative years, her passion for travel, cultural values and language led her to a love of teaching Spanish.

When Jessica returned to Bend with her husband and two sons in 2014, they sought out a small school environment for their children and were thrilled that travel and out-of-the-box thinking are central to Cascades Academy’s mission.  During the 10 years her boys have attended the school, Jessica has had the opportunity to be a faculty member and a family association rep, to head the auction committee and now is honored to serve as a trustee.

Bio coming soon.

Barb and her husband Dan moved to Bend in 2017 when Barb became the Director of Admission for Cascades Academy.  Barb knew that Cascades was where she wanted to work the first time she toured the school, and she spent 4 wonderful years helping families learn about the school and welcoming new students to the school community. 

Barb retired in 2021 to spend more time enjoying all of the amazing outdoor activities that Bend has to offer, and to travel with her husband. Since retiring, Barb has traveled, enjoyed Bend, and volunteered with the Humane Society of Central Oregon, currently serving on their Board.  She has also taken up fitness dancing, and has recently become a dance instructor.  She and Dan have also just welcomed their first grandson.

Kirk’s career blends a global perspective with data-driven innovation. A Texas native and military child, he grew up in Germany before studying voting behavior and public policy analytics at Texas A&M University. After postgraduate work at the Bush School of Government, he joined analytics roles in New York City before making history at Bank of America as its youngest Senior Vice President. There, he led consumer analytics and data science, earning two David Ogilvy Awards and spearheading initiatives in the U.S. and China. Kirk then joined Apple, where he had the privilege of leading data science and analytics for Apple Retail, Online Stores, and Payments & Commerce for nearly 12 years, delivering insights and analytics that drove transformative customer experiences. In 2022, Kirk and his family moved to Bend, Oregon, to embrace their passions for overlanding, hiking, and skiing. His 9-year-old daughter is a proud third grader at Cascades Academy, where she thrives in the vibrant school community.

Matthias Kurwig is the co-founder and CEO of Enervee, an innovative clean-tech company driving energy efficiency and sustainability. Previously, he contributed to technology-driven economic development in Hawaii, supporting the establishment of the Maui Research & Technology Center. Matthias then founded the digital marketing agency Planetactive, which was acquired by Ogilvy, where he subsequently served as Global Chief Operating Officer.

Originally from Germany, Matthias holds a degree in media design and print technology. He lives in Bend with his family, including his two daughters who attend Cascades Academy. Matthias believes passionately in bringing innovation to education, viewing it as essential to preparing children for a rapidly changing world shaped by advancements in AI and responses to climate change. He sees these challenges as opportunities for growth, creativity, and positive transformation.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Bobby grew up a decorated swimmer and competed in NCAA Division 1 at the University of Virginia.  Bobby later graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.S. in Finance and then travelled throughout South America via motorcycle prior to starting a professional career. 

Having worked in solar energy since 2006 and battery storage since 2013, Bobby is a renewable energy developer and leader.  With a background focused on industrial scale power infrastructure, Bobby has developed robust skills in real estate, permitting, construction, financing, and operations.  

In 2024 Bobby, his wife Brenna, and 3 children relocated to Bend after many years in San Francisco.  Their family is thrilled with Bend, the Cascades Academy community, and the abundance of outdoor activity nearby. 

Peter moved to Bend with his family in November 2024 from the Los Angeles area. He spent 31 years in state and local government in California, as an attorney and policy specialist. Most recently, Peter developed government ethics reforms for a large public water utility. He also practiced water law and litigated complex natural resources cases with the California Department of Justice. He attended UC Berkeley for college and University of Washington for law school. 

Peter is an avid skier and musician, as well as a youth soccer coach and coaching instructor. He has admired Cascades Academy for many years and is thrilled to have the opportunity to support its development. 

BJ Westlund was part of the 2007 graduating class from Cascade Academy (back when the school was on Studio Road) and went on to attend the University of Portland, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in marketing and management. Following his studies, BJ moved to Washington, D.C., for an internship and ended up working in the U.S. Senate for six years. During his time in the nation's capital, he gained valuable experience in federal policy, legislative affairs, and the intricacies of government operations.

In 2017, BJ returned to Central Oregon and took on the role of Field Representative for the U.S. Senate, where he worked closely with Central Oregon communities and local leaders. Today, BJ works at Farmers Conservation Alliance, an organization focused on helping irrigation districts across the western United States modernizing aging infrastructure to become more water and energy efficient. His passion for public service remains central to his work.

Jenny traveled across the country from her native California to Burlington, Vermont to earn her BA in Art History from the University of Vermont. She continued her travels east to London earning a post graduate degree from Sotheby's in the Fine and Decorative Arts. She returned west and continued graduate work at the University of Wyoming before settling with her husband in Bend in 1994.

Jenny is no stranger to the educational community of Bend. She worked at a private school when she first arrived in Oregon and taught Art History at Central Oregon Community College before shifting gears in 2003 to become one of the founding board members of Cascades Academy.

Craig Ladkin, a FOCUS Managing Director, has twenty-five years of experience managing complex financial transactions between private, public, and non-profit sectors in a variety of industries and international jurisdictions. He has advised on transactions from the very large - for clients such as the World Bank, IFC, the Treasury Departments of more than a dozen OECD nations, along with their state-owned and power and utility companies, down to the very small - angel level investments, small city urban renewal projects, and private school campus development.

Mr. Ladkin holds an MBA in International Finance and Marketing from the London Business School in London, England and a B.Sc. in Geotechnical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of British Columbia.

Mark was born and raised in New York City and also attended college out east. After graduation he took on a variety of jobs including working at a casino in Lake Tahoe. Seeking a change of pace, he returned to New York and developed, operated, and managed a small group of restaurants for 10 years.

As his career as a restaurateur continued, Mark moved out west again to start restaurants in San Francisco and Salt Lake City.

Mark is passionate about Cascades Academy and its mission. He sees CACO as a community that appreciates all aspects of a young person's potential: mind, body, and spirit. Prior to his role as Business Manager, Mark served on the Board of Trustees, ensuring that these aspects are held in a dynamic balance, each as important as the other.