Back to School Night was such a wonderful success — thank you to all the families who came out to connect, support, and celebrate the start of our school year.
Now it’s time to take the next important step: voting for this year’s Hammer Montessori Foundation Board Members. Below you’ll find information on all the candidates. Please take a moment to read about each of them before casting your vote.
Both Katy Bosworth and I are also up for election this year, as we filled board roles mid-year last school year and now need to be formally voted in.
Your participation ensures that our Foundation is strong, transparent, and representative of our amazing community.
Cast your vote here: Hammer Montessori Foundation Board Vote 2025–2026
Lynn So - Vice President - New Board Member:
"I would love to serve as VP of the HMF because I truly care about our kids, our families, and our school community. As a nurse, I’m used to listening to people, advocating for their needs, and finding solutions that work for everyone. With two children attending Hammer, I understand firsthand how important it is to make this school the best it can be for all our students. I believe every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and encouraged to succeed. My background has taught me how to problem-solve, stay calm under pressure, and work well with people from all walks of life. I also know how important it is to use resources wisely, support our teachers, and make sure parents feel included and heard. I want to bring both my professional skills and my perspective as a parent to this role. Most of all, I’m ready to put in the time and effort to help our school grow stronger for every family."
Jasmine Llamas - Co-Treasurer - New Board Member:
"My name is Jasmin Llamas mom to a Hammer 2nd grader. I am hoping to serve the Hammer community in the role of co-treasurer for HMF. I value all the student enrichment programming and hope to enhance and expand our offerings. As a psychologist, I am particularly interested in activities that can build social and emotional health and have a long history working with nonprofits to apply for funding opportunities. I also hope I can bridge potential collaboration opportunities between SCU (where I work with therapists and educators in training) and Hammer. I see this as both a potential mechanism for additional funding streams and chance for increased programming. Above all, I look forward to working with more of the Hammer community and finding ways to help support all the strong leaders here."
Katy Bosworth - Secretary - Existing Board Member to Officially Vote In
"Katy Bosworth is parent to a second grader at Hammer and a former Intel process engineer, currently enjoying a second life catching up on 15+ years of exercising & hobbies (I feel like a kid again!).
HMF plays a critical role for Hammer: not only does it fund important programs for the school that would otherwise not exist, but it works to create a sense of camaraderie and belonging for all students and their families. Two years ago, I felt that HMF could be doing a better job communicating that, so I built the HMF website to fill that void. We now have a public forum for our minutes, our budget, our by-laws, and the HMF board roles & responsibilities. This sends a clear message not only to our community but to the broader world (especially prospective families!) that we exist, we use our donated budget responsibly, and we build a sense of belonging. I stepped into the open secretary position last year, and this role meets my love of creating order out of chaos: publicizing our agenda before meetings, recording & posting minutes, making sure we are aware of and in compliance with our by-laws, and of course sharing this all to our community."
Kristen Vlietstra - President - Existing Board Member to Officially Vote In
"Hi, I’m Kristen Vlietstra, a Hammer Montessori parent who never planned on being president of the Foundation but stepped into the role because I care deeply about our school and community. I grew up in a family that provided both emergency and long-term foster care, and my aunt spent 30 years working for CPS, so I’ve always had a strong love for children and a deep sense of responsibility to give back. That value has carried through my entire life, from extensive volunteer work in my broader community to the ways I serve here at Hammer. On the board, I try to bring organization, creativity, and follow-through so that ideas can move from “what if” to something real and useful. I believe the best work happens when we listen to one another, collaborate, and celebrate the small wins that add up to meaningful change. I know I can only do this role justice with the help of our amazing volunteers, both on the board and throughout the school, and I see my position not as a title but as an opportunity to keep serving our teachers, families, and students in ways that make a visible difference every day."
Kristen Vlietstra
President
Hammer Montessori Foundation
contact@hammerfoundation.org