Melissa Bradford, Board President
Melissa is a founder and parent of two graduates of Tallgrass. She taught eighth grade science for seven years before becoming convinced of the value of a democratic community of self-directed education. She holds a doctorate in curriculum studies and collaborates with researchers in the field of self-directed education. She currently teaches educational leadership at DePaul University and volunteers at Tallgrass when she can.
Rick Olson
Rick has been involved in teaching and mentorship within the homeschool/unschool community for the past 13 years and strongly believes in the power of learning through art, play, and out-of-the-box methods. A graduate of Northern Michigan University with degrees in Theatre and Media Productions/New Technologies, Rick has had the opportunity to live in diverse areas of the country, acting and teaching theatre everywhere from West Virginia to Sacramento to Chicago. Rick went to conventional public schools when he was growing up. That experience led him to want to work with young people in an environment where their voices are truly heard and respected.
Tim Kwasny
Tim received his BM in music composition from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of music and his MFA in sound art from Columbia University. After spending a number of years on the east coast, working as a visual artist and composer, he returned to Chicago where he has continued to pursue art, presenting his work in galleries and theaters around the Chicagoland area. As an educator, Tim has taught classes at the University of Illinois Chicago focused in digital media literacy, history and art as well as teaching workshops in music production and history to undergraduate/graduate students at Columbia University. In his free time, Tim enjoys running, playing chess, and watching reality TV.
Michael Donatuti
Michael has been devoted to democratic education ever since he received his BA from the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies in 2016. He has been in Chicago since then, where he received his MA from the School of the Art Institute in 2018. He has worked in a number of schools, always seeking out environments that maximize student autonomy. During the summers he drives a rickshaw in the Loop.
