Carroll Lutheran School is guided by a Board of Trustees that provides for the efficient management and operation of the school so that it may fulfill its mission to the community. The Board generally includes 12 members from throughout the central Maryland community, each of whom serves a 3-year term. The Board meets monthly and holds committee or additional meetings as needed to provide for the needs of the school and support its administration. Contact the CLS Board.

Bachelors Program for Business Administration – Western Maryland College

Mr. Dean joins our Board of Trustees with his expertise as an entrepreneur and business owner in the Carroll County community for nearly 25 years. He brings experience in the startup, growth, development, and exit of multiple companies in various technology markets, as well as several firms in related industries. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the ARC of Carroll County. He enjoys baseball, football, coaching youth sports, and spending an afternoon riding motorcycles. He grew up in a rural environment and describes himself as a farmer at heart, despite his career choice being quite the opposite. He attends St. John’s Lutheran Church in Westminster.

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Westminster MD

B.S. History – UMBC
M.S. Secondary Education – Western Maryland College

Mr. Findeisen has taught social studies at Francis Scott Key (1994-2009) and Manchester Valley high schools (2009-present) for the past 26 years. He has coached high school Track and Field for those same 26 years. More recently, Mr. Findeisen has been an adjunct professor in the Education Department at McDaniel College for the last 11 years. Mr. Findeisen lives in Westminster with his wife Robin and daughters Emma & Lara and they attend St John’s Lutheran where he teaches Sunday school. He is a fan of Ravens football, Manchester City football, Terps basketball, and whoever is beating the Yankees.

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Westminster MD

B.S. in Political Science/ Economics – Salem College
M.A. in Public Administration – University of Virginia

Mr. Powell returns to Carroll Lutheran School to serve on the Board of Trustees after having both of his children attend through the primary school. Steve brings 30 years of fiscal and executive-level management experience supporting CLS in its offering of an “excellent education formed in faith”. After serving as the Budget Director and County Administrator for the Carroll County government, Mr. Powell currently serves as the CFO of Lutheran Social Ministries of Maryland, the parent company of our sister service ministry organization, Carroll Lutheran Village. Steve and his wife Heather live north of Westminster with their two children, one of whom is attending Carroll Community College and the other Winters Mill High School. They share a passion for gardening while Steve is committed to his horses and Heather her skiing.

St. Benjamin’s Lutheran Church, Westminster MD

B.A. in Religion, Minor in Parish Education – Thiel College
M.A.M.S. – Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg

Rev. Helfer joins our Board of Trustees with her experience as a Pastor, Youth and Family Minister, and Preschool Teacher and Director. For 10 years, she served as the Director of Music and Youth and Family Ministries at Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Westminster. She then served as the Youth and Family Minister at Trinity Lutheran Church in Westminster, where she now serves as Pastor. Rev. Helfer has served as a Teacher and Director of Trinity Christian Learning Program as well as a Teacher at Little Friends of Grace. She also serves as a member of the Communications Team for the Delaware-Maryland Synod. She is married to Don and they have 2 children, ages 16 and 13. She enjoys music, reading, and crocheting.

Trinity Lutheran Church Deerpark, Westminster MD

B.F.A. in Fine Art – the University of Wisconsin, Madison
M.F.A. in Visual Communication – Northern Illinois University
Maryland Teaching Certification

Ms. Pollasch joins our Board of Trustees with experience in education and business. She has spent the last 15 years teaching middle school and high school art. Most of this time has been at Gerstell Academy in Finksburg, Maryland. She also serves the school as the Chair of the Visual Arts Department and chairs a number of committees and honor societies. Prior to being a teacher, Ms. Pollasch owned and operated a small business for 23 years. She enjoys a close relationship with her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Ms. Pollasch has been an active member of Grace Lutheran Church, in Westminster, for 9 years and currently chairs the Christian Education Committee. In her free time, she enjoys creating art, reading, history, movies, and time with family and friends.

Grace Lutheran Church, Westminster MD

B.S. in Elementary Education – Mount St. Mary’s University
M.A. in Administration and Supervision – Hood College
Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations – Notre Dame of Maryland University

Dr. Stacey Brown-Hobbs is the Director of Teacher Education at Mount St. Mary’s University. Prior to working at the Mount, Dr. Brown-Hobbs was a classroom teacher in Frederick County Public Schools where she taught in Title I, Magnet G & T, and general education classrooms. As a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, in Thurmont, Dr. Brown-Hobbs has had experience working with their preschool for over 30 years. She looks forward to working with a Lutheran school at the K-8 level. In addition to her responsibilities as Director of Teacher Education, Dr. Brown-Hobbs has worked with two colleagues on strategic planning and has led such efforts with numerous Catholic schools in the mid-Atlantic region. She lives in Thurmont with her husband Michael. They have a son Eric, his wife ShaLeigh, and a daughter Emily. Of course fur babies Harley, Ava, and Shiro cannot be omitted!

B.A. in History – Western Maryland College
B.A. in Political Science – Western Maryland College
Masters in Divinity – Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary

Rev. Virgil Cain is a lifelong resident of Carroll County and is the Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Smithsburg. Maryland. He was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in 2010, the same year he graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg with a Masters in Divinity. Prior to entering the ministry, he worked in the legal field and insurance industry in Baltimore. Virgil earned two degrees as an undergraduate, a B.A. in History and a B.A. in Political Science from Western Maryland College in 1996. He joined the Board of CLS in 2017. He is married to Elaine and they have two children, Abby and Buddy, who are enrolled as students at CLS. He is an avid genealogist, historian, and collector of antiques. He enjoys gardening and raising chickens with his family.

Trinity Evangelical Church, Smithsburg MD

B.A. Speech Communication – Old Dominion University
Master of Divinity – Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
Master of Science in Counseling Education – McDaniel College, Including 60 master’s credits in Mental Health Counseling

Currently serving a second term on the CLS Board of Trustees. Ordained Pastor for 27 years. Serves as Pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Hampstead, Maryland. Counselor Intern at Carroll County Youth Services Bureau (CCYSB) 2010-2011. School Counselor Intern at Sykesville Middle School 2008-09. Married 31 years to Theresa Ann Carr with two children. Enjoys east coast travel.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Hampstead MD

BBA in Finance – Loyola College

Alex is passionate about helping others achieve clarity and balance in their financial lives. He is a founding partner and Managing Director at Kairos Wealth Advisors of Raymond James in Westminster, MD. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, Alex has been recognized four times as one of On Wall Street’s Top 25 Regional Advisors Under 40. Three times, he has been named by Forbes as a Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisor. Alex is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Loyola College. In addition to serving at CLS, Alex is a Trustee at Carroll Hospital Foundation. He previously served several terms as Church Council President at Mount Union Lutheran Church and on the Board of Carroll County Youth Service Bureau. Alex and his wife Cindy have three children—Charlie, Lydia, and Evelynn. Charlie and Lydia have each benefitted immensely as CLS students, and are excited to welcome Evelynn to CLS when she comes of age. Alex’s personal interests include physical fitness, Christian apologetics, and acoustic guitar.

Mount Union Lutheran Church, Taneytown MD

B.A. in History – Gettysburg College
J.D. – the University of Baltimore School of Law

Mr. Meachum is an attorney with offices in Westminster and Columbia. Mr. Meachum received the Leadership in Law Award in 2014 from the Baltimore publication The Daily Record for his work as an attorney and service to the community. Mr. Meachum has been on the Board of Trustees for five years. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Westminster, and a member of the Legislative Committee of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. His wife, Kari, is an Assistant Director of Development for Howard Community College in Columbia. Tom and Kari live in Westminster and attend Grace Lutheran Church. Their interests include traveling, antiques, golf, and hiking.

Grace Lutheran Church, Westminster MD

B.A. in Human Resources – the University of Delaware

Mrs. Louque joins our Board of Trustees as a stay at home mom. She has 2 children ages 16 and 18 who attended CLS for many years. During her time as a parent at CLS, she was VP and President of the Family Partnership Program for several years, volunteered several days a week in the classroom and office, and headed up multiple fundraisers for the school. Mrs. Louque and her husband Greg are members of Westminster United Methodist Church. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her daughter play travel basketball, spending time with her kids and dogs at home, and relaxing by the pool in the summer.

Westminster United Methodist, Westminster MD

B.A. In Human Studies and Elementary Education – St. Mary’s College of Md.
Special Education Certification, Reading Teacher Certification, Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner
Masters Program in Reading/Special Education and
Advanced Professional Certificate – Hood College and University of Phoenix

Mrs. Gilbart joined the CLS staff in 2009. Her previous experience includes teaching first grade in Frederick County Public Schools and being the mentor teacher for student teachers at Hood College. At CLS, Mrs. Gilbart served as the Special Education Resource Teacher and the Assistant Principal for Academics before stepping into the role of Principal. Mrs. Gilbart partners with parents who are navigating the special education process, and is responsible for the implementation of IEP’s and 504 Plans. She provides Wilson reading intervention services and coordinates Fundations instruction. Mrs. Gilbart believes that well-chosen curricula paired with outstanding instruction is the key to an excellent education for students at CLS. She works with each teacher to be certain that every child’s unique needs are met. Mrs. Gilbart and her husband have two daughters who have benefited from the rigorous academic program, enrichment opportunities, and faith-based learning at CLS.

Grace Lutheran Church, Westminster MD