Our Board of Directors
Munjal Munshi
Board President
Munjal has been a Casa parent since 2020, when his son Aiden joined preschool. Munjal joined the board in 2021. He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a B.S in Finance and Accounting from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He currently works in Product Marketing in the software industry with prior experience in sales, business development and consulting roles. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching sports (Go 49ers, Warriors & Giants!), and watching disaster documentaries.
David Fortune
Board Vice President
David has been a Casa parent since 2021, when his twins joined the primary program. David joined the board in 2023. He holds an MBA and JD from New York University and a B.S in Accounting from the University of Alabama. He currently works in Business Development at an insurance startup and has previous experience in financial technology, ecommerce, consulting and law. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing darts, playing music and cooking.
Archana Purushotham
Treasurer
Archana majored in Finance & Accounting in India and has been in the tech industry, working with Finance organizations for over 20 years. She specializes in bridging the gap between Finance & Technology.
As a Montessori parent since 2012 and a Casa one since 2018, when her son Arnav started Upper Elementary, she believes that this is possibly one of the few ways we can lead children into a more peaceful future. She thinks that developing young minds into leaders of tomorrow who are also lovers of peace will be key to the future of this beautiful earth we all call home. Any school can teach science, math, geography, language, etc. but doing so in an empathic manner while also creating awareness for our environment is what impressed her about Montessori and Casa di Mir specifically.
Archana loves to travel and explore new places. Discovering the joys of hiking in the beautiful outdoors of the Bay Area has been a revelation to her lately and she hopes to continue doing it well into the future!
Kavitha Parmesh
Secretary
Kavitha moved to the Bay Area from her hometown in Toronto in 2015. Since then has been focused on finance and strategy driving efficiencies in processes and reporting in various industries including software, hardware and services. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying and cooking new cuisines and traveling across the globe (30 countries and counting!) with her friends, husband and now baby in tow!
Jane Mulcaster
Board Member
Jane is a technical communications specialist in the software industry. She has led, managed, and helped develop technical documentation teams for more than 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in English and Career Writing.
Jane is a lifelong volunteer who serves organizations that uplift humanity and drive civic engagement. The Mulcasters joined the Casa community in 2014 when their daughter started first grade. Jane became a board member in 2019.
“Casa di Mir Montessori School is a unique and authentic Montessori experience built on the values of peace, integrity, and justice. I am deeply motivated to help build a stable stewardship that supports Casa’s leaders, preserves the integrity of the school’s mission, and delivers Casa into a thriving future.”
Jane loves exploring the outdoors, reading, and traveling with her family.
Sonya Ahuja
Board Member
Sonya holds a BSEE from San Jose State University and has spent her career specializing in Operations, Human Resources and Employment Investigations in several large technology companies. She also volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley and has spent countless hours fostering and caring for puppies and dogs. While Sonya does not currently have children at Casa, she is passionate about education and her own children attended a Montessori school when they were younger.
Sonya enjoys spending time with her family (which include 4 dogs), walking, traveling and reading.
Thomas Sroka
Board Member
Thomas Sroka, originally from Buffalo, New York, holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Niagara University. Alongside his wife, he is the proud owner of local Tae Kwon Do schools. Thomas is a firm believer in the power of a growth mindset, emphasizing the importance of building character, habits, and skills for personal happiness and communal success. In his leisure time, he enjoys golfing, playing hockey, and savoring delicious Korean cuisine.
Deborah Shing
Board Member
Deborah has been a Casa parent since 2022. She holds an MBA from UC Davis and a B.S. in Management Science from UC San Diego. She has over a decade of experience in Operations in various industries including nonprofit, education, tech startups, and video games.
Deborah strongly believes in instilling in children a joy in learning and confidence in their own abilities. She has been so impressed and enamored with the supportive, nurturing, and inclusive environment that the staff and community at Casa have created both for the students and community at large.
Born and raised in San Jose, CA, Deborah enjoys discovering all the culinary diversity that the Bay Area has to offer and traveling with her family.
Christian Whitchurch
Board Member
Christian and the Whitchurch family have been at Casa for 3 years with their son Elliot. In his day job, Christian is the director of the Human Systems portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit, developing technology for defense personnel covering a wide area of problem sets from safety and survivability, training and simulation, to prevention and treatment of combat injuries. With 15 years of government service, Christian is a strong advocate for thinking beyond conventional processes to delivering new technologies that can help our warfighters succeed and survive.
Prior to moving west three years ago, Christian and his family lived in Virginia, where he served in several roles within the military science and technology community. Christian’s side gigs included parachute rigging and sports photography. When he’s not working, Christian enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and long bicycle rides.
Ali Malik
Board Member
Ali has been a Casa parent since 2019. He holds a Master of Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin. He has been working in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years.
As a proud parent of two Casa di Mir students, Fatima and Zoha, Ali has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of independent exploration, hands-on learning, and individual growth, all nurtured within a supportive and collaborative community.
Ali loves hiking, backpacking, and running. He is on the trail every Saturday morning and always has some backpacking trips in the works.
Ryan McDougal
Board Member
Ryan has been a Casa parent since 2023. He holds a B.S. in Marketing & Law from Indiana University and attended Vancouver Film School for Animation & Visual Effects. He has 15 years of experience as a creative, technical, and operational leader in the entertainment industry, specifically films, commercials, and game cinematics. He currently works for a startup, helping to develop holographic display technology.
Ryan is passionate about education and the power of intentional environments. He is continually impressed by the expertise and care on display, daily, by the staff and community at Casa.
When Ryan isn’t working, he loves spending time with his family, finding ways to create overcomplicated Halloween costumes, reading, and going for long runs.