REDWOOD PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL
Email us at dibiboard@redwoodprep.org
We would love to hear from you with any questions, comments, or concerns.
MEET THE DREAM IT. BE IT.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
James Woolley - President, jwoolley@redwoodprep.org
Hello to my fellow Redwood Preparatory School people! My name is James Woolley and I was elected to serve as school board president. I’m an educator by trade but for the last 3 years I’ve been taking on the role as a stay at home dad for my 1, 3, and 6 year old children! My goals as president are to ensure that the board functions properly, serve as the spokesperson of the board, and to maintain visibility with constituents of our school.
Emily Hobelmann - Vice President, ehobelmann@redwoodprep.org
Emily Hobelmann is a self-employed writer and consultant providing various support and administrative services to businesses in California and beyond. With years of experience helping entrepreneurs find success in highly regulated industries, Emily has developed a broad technical expertise and relatable writing styles. Emily grew up in Southern California, and she moved to Humboldt County in 2005 to attend Cal Poly Humboldt for a master's degree in applied mathematics. She met her partner Eric while living in Southern Humboldt in 2015, and they moved to Fortuna in 2017 to start a family. Their son Henry is in the TK class at Redwood Prep this year, and they are looking forward to their two younger kiddos — Joanne and Matthew — following in their big brother’s footsteps in the very near future!
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Gnesa Kirchman- Treasurer, gkirchman@redwoodprep.org
I moved to Humboldt county in 1997 to attend HSU and then to Fortuna in 2004 after graduating
with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology. I have worked at Costco since 2002 mostly in their
shipping and receiving department. I live here with my husband Bill and three children Lilli, Liam
and Izzy. I have been a parent at Redwood Prep. since 2013 when my oldest daughter Lilli
started kindergarten. She graduated from there in 2022 and is attending Academy of the
Redwoods. Our other children, Liam and Izzy, still go to Redwood Prep. Outside of school we
enjoy doing a variety of activities from horseback riding, and Girlscouts to Backpacking and
multiple sports. I look forward to serving on the board and continuing to make it a great school
choice for families.
Diane Garrison- Secretary, dgarrison@redwoodprep.org
Steve and I moved to Fortuna from Southern California 6 years ago. We are blessed to be living in this beautiful area near our daughter Kim and her husband Eric and 3 wonderful grandchildren.We enjoy this community and our involvement with Rotary, Soroptimist, PEO and the United Methodist church. I retired from a career in Early Childhood Education. I have been a preschool teacher, a preschool director and a liaison between a for-profit preschool and a church. After getting settled in Fortuna I was offered an aide position at Redwood Prep in our daughter Kim's class. I worked at Redwood Prep for 2 1/2 years and loved every minute. I fully support the vision of Redwood Prep and have witnessed first hand the positive impact this school provides to children on a daily basis. I am pleased to be able to serve Redwood Prep now as boardmember.
Sarah lourenzo- Member, slourenzo@redwoodprep.org
Sarah is a Humboldt County native with deep roots in our community. She attended Humboldt State University for a bachelor’s in psychology, completed a master’s in healthcare administration from West Coast University in Southern California, and is currently employed as a Northern California regional healthcare administrator. Sarah has a bright young daughter named Eveana who is currently in kindergarten. Sarah knows the importance of a well-rounded academic experience and is excited to contribute to Redwood Preparatory’s academic success.
Kyle Shamp- Member, kshamp@redwoodprep.org
Howdy! I moved to Humboldt County in 2013 from Kerman, CA - a small farming town in the central valley where I grew up. I have a masters degree in Ag Education and spent my first 9 years in Humboldt as the Ag Mechanics teacher for Eureka High School. In 2022 I became the Welding Professor at College of the Redwoods. My wife and I have two children currently attending Redwood Prep, Vivian & Everett. When not working you can find me in a Hawaiian shirt, straw hat, and flip flops at my kid’s sports/activities or traveling with my family. I’m looking forward to being on the board for an opportunity to strengthen the connection between the parents and the school.
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Sarah Williams- Member, swilliams@redwoodprep.org
Having grown up in Humboldt County, I have a deep-rooted connection to our community and a passion for education. My career in the education field began at Cutten School in Eureka, which allowed me to gain valuable experience working directly with students, supporting their academic growth, and overseeing programs that nurtured their development beyond the classroom.
My passion for traveling has taken me around the world, broadening my perspectives and reinforcing my commitment to fostering a supportive and enriching learning environment. Now settled in Fortuna, and a proud parent of two daughters—a kindergartener and a preschooler—who both inspire me daily. This is my second year as a parent at Redwood Prep, where I am dedicated to ensuring that not only my children but all students have the opportunity to thrive. I am enthusiastic about being involved in the school, contributing to the success and well-being of our entire school community.