Our Board of Directors

The Board is also excited to meet you!

We, as a Board, are honored to represent The Skola. We each have unique skillsets and passions that we bring to the development of this special community. The Skola Board would like to invite you to contact them at anytime! Emails are in their bio.


  • Director / Board Member / Founder

    Brooke Ober has been a speech-language pathologist for almost 20 years. She is co-owner of MindBright Therapy, specializing in social-emotional learning and executive functioning. She is passionate about helping children understand the brilliance of their unique minds and enhance connection and communication.

    brooke@larkskola.org


  • Chairwoman of the Board

    Courtney has lived in the Flathead Valley for over 13 years. She and her husband, Kelly, raise their 2 daughters, Parker and Quinn, here and could not be more excited about the evolution of The Skola in our community. She is the Chief Operating Officer for a technology company, NeuroID, and has also been a CASA and a Board Member for Tamarack Grief Resource Center.

    courtlaabs@gmail.com

  • Board Member

    Kim

    kimberly.knuth@gmail.com

  • Board Member

    Lauren grew up in Cincinnati, OH and moved to the Flathead Valley in 2012. She has served as the Director of Operations for North Valley Food Bank since 2020, and previously spent several years managing and developing programs for the Montana Conservation Corps. She is passionate about project-based learning, leadership and team development, and operational strategies.

    lauren.jarrold@gmail.com


  • Board Member

    Chris brings his knowledge and experience as a 20 year business attorney and civil litigator to The Skola Board. He is a proud supporter of youth sports and outdoor activities in the Flathead Valley. Chris and his wife, Courtney, live in Kalispell with their three children.

    chris@ctw-law.com

  • Treasurer / Board Member

    Heather has joined the board at The Skola because she is passionate about education and wants to bring her unique knowledge to this amazing, growing organization. Her professional background includes work in finance and accounting, independent film co-production and cooking in the restaurant industry. She lives with her family just north of Whitefish where her closest “neighbors” are deer and elk, birds, and cows.

    treasurer@theskola.org


  • Board Member

    As a 20-year Navy veteran, Ian brings extensive leadership and strategic planning experience. Now a Delta Air Lines pilot, his career spans small business ownership, sales management, and trusted advisory roles. Ian’s dedication to community is reflected in his work with Two Bear Therapeutic Riding Center, Children’s Therapy Center, Social Venture Partners, and the Rotary Club of Seattle. With two sons attending The Skola, Ian is deeply invested in its success and values the vibrant Flathead Valley community. His professional expertise and commitment to service position him to contribute significantly to The Skola’s mission and support its innovative educational approach.

    ian@theskola.org

The Founders’ Story

This is how Lark Skola came to be—the four founders sitting in a coffee shop excitedly sharing ideas and visions of how education could look different for primary-aged children in the Flathead Valley. We found ourselves asking, “What can a school be?”, and we left, fueled by the idea that learning didn’t have to be contained within four walls for children either.

Our amazing staff worked together to build a curriculum that focuses on academic success, social emotional growth, community relationships, and connection to nature for our students. The location of our school felt crucial in order for our overarching views of place-based learning and opportunities for students to discover themselves within the community via visiting local businesses and getting to know their city systems. Our downtown location also lends itself to getting out into our community´s natural spaces daily and conducting as much class time as we can outdoors. The final brick was laid when we secured our forest campus, which solidified our commitment to our Scandinavian roots and the idea that learning happens anywhere.

With the support of the community behind us, Lark Skola kicked off its inaugural year in Fall 2022 with fifteen families. We are so thankful for the trust and support of our community!

With Gratitude,

Brittney Crest
Brooke Ober
Kayla Nickells
Patty Johnson