BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Meghan Newberry, Board Chair
Since elementary school, Meghan has had a passion for education. Although she does not teach second grade, as she once thought she would, her career path has provided her with numerous opportunities to train, coach, and support.
Currently, Meghan is a Talent Development Leader at CSC in the Digital Brand Services division where she focuses on supporting colleagues during every step of their career journey, as well as leadership coaching and supporting and implementing strategic initiatives focused on retention and engagement.
Prior to CSC, Meghan was the Director of Communication, Alumni Engagement and Development Support for Leadership Delaware, Inc. (LDI), a program she graduated from in 2015. Her career journey has also included roles in leadership, training, fulfillment, project management, and customer service.
Meghan has been fortunate enough to be surrounded by incredible mentors throughout her career and feels passionate about sharing her lessons learned through serving as a mentor to youth and young leaders in the Delaware community. In addition to serving as Board Chair at First State Montessori Academy, Meghan also sits on the Board of Opera Delaware and is a member of CSC’s Strategic Equity Alliance (SEA).
In addition, she owns, and is the lead photographer for, Meghan Newberry Photography. Photography is a passion which allows her to capture special memories for families and give back to the state in a unique way. She lives in Wilmington with her two sons, and their sweet pup!
Lindsay Abraham
Lindsay was elected to the Board of Directors of First State Montessori Academy in December 2023. As a lifelong Delawarean, she was excited when FSMA opened, blending an authentic Montessori education into a public-school atmosphere in Wilmington. She was thrilled when her first child entered FSMA as a kindergartener in 2017.
Lindsay has a background in clinical laboratory science and received her Bachelor of Science from University of Delaware. She worked in clinical chemistry, hematology, and microbiology labs for Christiana Care, St Francis Hospital, and Astra Zeneca prior to supporting the NanoDrop product line for Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2011.
Lindsay lives in Wilmington with her husband and their three kids. She is a passionate community member serving on committees for her neighborhood, swim team, Delaware Art Museum, the North Brandywine Swim League, and FSMA PTO. She also volunteers on deck as a certified Stroke & Turn Official for USA Swimming. In her spare time, she enjoys being outside hiking, running, swimming with her kids, and reading on the beach.
Matthew Bender
Matthew Bender joined the FSMA Board in August 2023. During his career, Matthew has held leadership roles in financial services focusing on management, marketing, planning, and strategy. He also has extensive experience mobilizing corporate volunteer groups and leading charitable fundraising and outreach activities.
Matthew graduated cum laude with a BA degree in Economics and German from the University of New Hampshire. He also earned an MBA degree in Marketing and International Management from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.
Originally from New England, Matthew lived in several regions of the United States and overseas before relocating to Wilmington in 1999. Since his arrival, he has established roots in the community and embraces it as his adopted hometown. He and his wife are believers in the benefits of a Montessori education, and they are delighted their son – and the Wilmington community – can enjoy them at FSMA.
Ryan Bucari
Ryan Bucari was elected to First State Montessori Academy Board in September of 2025, bringing a wealth of leadership and operational expertise to the board. With over a decade of experience in client services, strategic operations, and business analysis, Ryan enjoys leveraging that experience to help improve people, organizations and business processes.
Ryan’s career and devotion to places like CSC, Leadership Delaware, First State Montessori and Junior Achievement of Delaware allows him to help guide organizations through complex issues with solutions that focus on delivering exceptional experiences.
Whether it is in an office, a board room, a classroom or on the football field, Ryan believes in fostering environments where all people and children can thrive through curiosity, independence, and respect—values that align closely with the Montessori philosophy.
Outside of “work” Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 amazing kids. He loves cooking, Philly sports, politics, house projects, and anything outside.
Emily Burton
Bio coming soon.
Kristen Gideon
Kris is a passionate social good entrepreneur based in Wilmington, DE, holds a solid educational background in Biology. With expertise spanning entrepreneurship, nonprofit co-founding, and leadership encompassing workforce development, human resources, and strategic planning, Kristen has over seven years of experience in founding a local startup that has had a significant statewide community impact. Her extensive study of various learning styles fuels her enthusiasm for the Montessori approach. Serving as a board member, she aims to leverage her entrepreneurial experience to introduce fresh ideas and support the existing strategic plan.
Originally from New York, Kristen is proud to call Delaware home. She resides in Wilmington, DE, with her husband and two wonderful little boys, Malachi and Noah. Kristen enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She and her husband share a true passion for traveling and believe it’s the best form of learning. They have made it a priority to travel to several new countries a year, and their two children have experienced world traveling since they were babies.
Aysha Gregory, Esq.
Aysha Gregory is a dedicated attorney and accomplished former Division I athlete whose career reflects exceptional discipline, leadership, and public service. She currently serves as a Senior Assistant County Attorney for New Castle County.
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Aysha is a proud graduate of Brandywine High School, where she excelled both academically and athletically. In recognition of her outstanding athletic achievements and contributions to the sport, Aysha was inducted into the Brandywine High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Delaware Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2024.
Aysha is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, Delaware, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
Beyond her legal work, Aysha is deeply involved in her community and professional organizations. She has served on the Board of Student Disabilities Advocate, Inc., and previously served as a Board Member of the Limen House, co-chairing the organization’s 2nd Annual Amethyst Ball Fundraiser. She was also a long-time volunteer with the Relay for Life of Wilmington, American Cancer Society, where she has held multiple leadership roles, including Sponsorship Chair and On-Site Activities Chair. Additionally, Aysha has been an active member of the Multicultural Lawyers and Judges Section of the Delaware State Bar Association, serving as Vice-Chair of Public Relations and Secretary.
Outside of her professional and community commitments, Aysha enjoys spending time with her family and friends, creating lasting memories together.
Karlin Larkin
Karlin Larkin joined the First State Montessori Academy Board of Directors in 2025, bringing a career that spans early childhood education, K–12 instruction, and large-scale organizational change. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Udall Consulting Services, where she partners with executives across healthcare, education, technology, and the public sector to translate complex data into clear stories, build leadership capability, and lead agile, people-centered transformations.
Karlin began her career supporting Early Head Start programs in the U.S. Virgin Islands before moving into the classroom as an educator in Baltimore City Public Schools. She later served in school and nonprofit administration and coaching roles, working alongside principals, instructional leaders, and cross-functional teams to strengthen teaching practice and organizational culture. These experiences shaped her humanistic approach to growing people, centering relationships, dignity, and voice, which now anchors her change management work and informs how she designs sustainable systems that help both adults and children thrive.
Beyond her professional work, Karlin is deeply engaged in community leadership. She is a member of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, and has spent more than a decade volunteering with Braven as a leadership coach and mentor for emerging young professionals. Across these roles, she focuses on expanding opportunity, access, and belonging—seeing inclusion not just as a principle, but as the foundation for sustainable impact. A proud FSMA parent, Karlin enjoys live music, traveling, and celebrating her Caribbean heritage with her husband and their two children.
Anabelle O’Malley
Anabelle O’Malley, an FSMA teacher representative on the board, lives in Wilmington and has a 19 year old son who is currently studying at the University of Delaware. Anabelle has been an educator for over 30 years. She received both her Master’s Degree and Bachelors in Education from the University of Delaware. Anabelle has taught preschool through third grade, including Multi-Age, Gifted and now Special Education. Her passion has always been Literacy Education and she served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Delaware teaching reading courses to undergraduates. Presently, she works with K-3 children to support them with their reading, math and social/emotional skills. She has taken countless hours of professional development so that she can provide the most current research based practices for her students. But, most of all, she loves building relationships with the children and their families and sharing in their learning journey. She has been at FSMA since 2016 and truly feels that this is her home.
Anabelle has served in leadership positions in a variety of ways throughout her life, beginning in high school where she was on the Student Council, to her involvement with the Talleyville Jaycees and later serving on her son’s Boy Scout Executive Board as well as the Conrad School of Science’s PTO Board. She is excited to represent the FSMA faculty in her new role on the Board.
When she isn’t in the classroom, Anabelle loves spending time with her son, being at the beach, cooking, paper crafting, playing with beauty products, shopping and hitting the gym.
Matt Petrin
Matt Petrin was elected to the FSMA Board in Sep 2020. He is a CPA with over 26 years of experience in Financial Services, most recently as Controller and then as Head of Business Planning and Analysis at Mercury Financial. Matt lives in North Wilmington with his wife and two children who are currently enjoying a Montessori education at FSMA. In addition, Matt has been serving on the Citizens Budget Oversight Committee for the past year. He also serves on the Siegel JCC Board of Directors.
Matt is originally from Indiana but has been a happy Delaware resident since 1989. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Purdue University. In his spare time, he enjoys golf, basketball, chess, travel and playing with his children.
Rebecca (Becky) Phillips
Becky joined the First State Montessori Academy Board of Directors in 2019. Her involvement with FSMA began on the planning committee for the school’s five-year celebration fundraiser, and she has since become an active advocate and proud parent of two FSMA students. Prior to her board service at FSMA, Becky spent five years on the Board of Directors for the Cancer Support Community of Delaware (CSCDE).
With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit business development, Becky’s passion for philanthropy influences both her professional pursuits and personal commitments. She is driven by the opportunity to build meaningful relationships and make a lasting impact in her community.
A Delaware native, Becky lives in Wilmington with her husband, their two children, and their dog, Clarke. Outside of her fundraising work, she enjoys trips to the shore, biking with her kids, and hosting gatherings for friends and family.
AliShah Watson
AliShah is a passionate advocate dedicated to the empowerment of underserved communities particularly in black and brown neighborhoods that are culturally deficient. She is the founder of Culture Restoration Project, Inc., a nonprofit based in Wilmington, Delaware that serves nearly 400 youth per year with in-school and out-of-school enrichment. AliShah has served as Executive Director since its inception and built an organization that is committed to providing culturally competent educational and arts-based programs and services to the community.
In addition to her work with Culture Restoration Project, AliShah is also the co-founder of Asaawa Consulting, LLC, a Wilmington-based company specializing in community-based cultural consulting and education. Leveraging her educational background in Africana Studies and Ethnic and Cultural Studies, she brings a wealth of knowledge to support community engagement and advocacy.
AliShah’s commitment to community service extends beyond her organizations. She previously served as an Advisory Board member for community outreach and engagement at the University of Delaware’s Africana Studies Department. Her expertise has been instrumental in developing curriculums and youth enrichment programs that prioritize self-understanding and healthy cultural norms as essential components of building thriving communities.
As a devoted wife and mother to two remarkable daughters, 6-year-old Orisha and 1-year-old Oyana, AliShah embodies family and community values. Her role as an educator, curriculum writer, and advocate reflects her unwavering dedication to cultural and social development.