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Facilitators
Facilitators
A Facilitator is a staff member who supports learners' self-directed journeys by creating conditions for curiosity, connection, and growth. Rather than directing what or how students learn, facilitators offer guidance, ask questions, help resolve conflicts, and make themselves available.
Program Director and Facilitator
Philly ALC School
Trish (she/her) is the Program Director and Lead Facilitator of the Philly ALC School. Trish brings over twenty years of experience teaching young children in Quaker and Montessori schools, and was one of the founding members of Philly ALC—helping to build the community from the ground up. Her deep roots in child-centered education have shaped her belief that children learn best when they are trusted, supported, and given the freedom to follow their own curiosity. As Program Director, Trish brings that same spirit to the Philly ALC School every day, weaving together the threads of community, creativity, and self-direction into a space where every child can thrive.
Program Director and Facilitator
Roots at Awbury
Meg (she/her) is the Program Director and Lead Facilitator of Roots at Awbury. Meg has been an educator since 2006 and developed an early passion for non-traditional learning spaces. An artist herself, Meg found her niche in arts-led education as she pioneered new programs in children's art & science museums and Moonstone Preschool in Philadelphia. Meg's pedagogical development is heavily influenced by her experiential learning as a mother to her three wild and free children, who show her daily the value of letting a child lead the way. Meg's journey brought her to Roots, which has allowed her to envision a new world of child-led, community-centered education. As Program Director, Meg aims to lead with curiosity, kindness, and a fearless human spirit as she co-creates a space where children can develop into the fullest expression of themselves.
Agile Learning Facilitator
Abby (she/her) facilitates at both the Philly ALC School and Roots at Awbury, splitting her time between day-to-day facilitation and the outreach and community-building work that helps both programs grow. She has a background in marketing and carpentry. A former camp counselor and peer writing & speaking consultant, she knows how to hold space for kids and bring people together.
Assembly
Assembly
The Assembly is our organization's governing body: parents, staff, students, and community supporters who share collective responsibility for the community's direction, policies, and long-term health. The Assembly meets regularly throughout the year to review finances, set policy, and elect the Assembly Officers listed below, who carry out its work between meetings.
The President prepares the agenda for Assembly meetings, presides over them, and helps keep the group's work moving between meetings.
The Secretary sends meeting notices, keeps minutes, and maintains the Assembly's official records, so decisions stay documented and easy to find later.
The Treasurer oversees the organization's finances and tax filings, and reports on the organization's financial health to the Assembly.
The Student Advocate makes sure student voices and feedback are represented in Assembly decisions, even when students themselves can't be in the room.
Resource People
Resource People
A Resource Person is a community member who shares their skills, knowledge, and passions with our learners through regular offerings: classes, workshops, projects, and other activities that enrich our learning community. Interested in doing the same? Partner with us.
Asher (they/them) leads a weekly music offering at the Philly ALC School, where learners explore their own musical interests and goals. Whether a kid is picking up an instrument for the first time or already has songs in mind, Asher helps them find a way in.
Gabe (he/him) of Spruce Hill Chess leads math games and chess offerings at the Philly ALC School, alternating between the two. Chess has become a favorite among beginners and avid players alike. In his math sessions, a playful approach to numbers makes even reluctant mathematicians curious.
Maya (she/her) brings fun to the Philly ALC School with STEAM offerings, where kids paint, build, and experiment. Recent projects include mosaic-style collages, slime-making, and a toothpick-and-marshmallow tower challenge that tested gravity, balance, and everyone's willpower around the building materials.
Volunteers
Volunteers
A Volunteer is a community member who gives their time on an ongoing basis to keep our programs running, helping with day-to-day operations, special projects, and the practical work that makes our spaces welcoming.
Alice (she/her) led garden mornings at the Philly ALC School in spring 2026, when learners started seeds indoors, moved them to the community garden, and harvested at the end of the term in June. She also coordinates and joins special projects, including two murals at the School. Alice loves talking about unschooling and permaculture, and she is happy to do either with anyone who asks.
Allie (she/her) manages the Philly ALC School's library and keeps the behind-the-scenes stuff running, from the website to the everyday tools that hold school operations together. Her professional background is in library systems and information management, which shows up in how she thinks about organizing spaces and resources for staff and students alike. She believes a well-organized school is a happier school, and she likes being part of making that happen.
Eden (she/her) is no stranger to building and maintaining community spaces, whether that means showing up with an offering, contributing to social media and outreach, or deep cleaning the toilets. As the longtime owner of a local community play space, she brings a passion for supporting Philly families at all stages of life and learning. Her favorite days are on the farm as a volunteer with Roots at Awbury, quietly observing the incredible unfolding of a day led, decided by, and radically for, kids.
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Nancy Golumbia
Nancy Golumbia
Board President
Nancy, President of the Philly ALC Board of Directors, has been one of Philadelphia's most dedicated advocates for self-directed education for over two decades. Her roots in this community go back to 2002, when she helped found the Philadelphia Free School, a Sudbury-model democratic school that opened its doors in 2011. That long journey from vision to reality reflects exactly the kind of patience and commitment she brought to Philly ALC, which she co-founded alongside David O'Connor, Trish McBride, and a group of families in 2018.
In her professional life, Nancy is Director of Research Data at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she has managed research computing infrastructure since 2009. She brings that same systems-thinking and problem-solving energy to her board work, helping ensure that Philly ALC has the organizational foundation it needs to grow and thrive.
David O'Connor
David O'Connor
Board Member
David is a member of the Philly ALC Board of Directors and one of the school's founding voices. In 2018, he co-founded Philly ALC alongside Nancy Golumbia, Trish McBride, and a group of families who believed Philadelphia deserved a self-directed learning community, and then spent years helping build it from the ground up as a lead facilitator.
David brings a rich background as a theater artist to everything he does. A Barrymore Award winner, he has directed and designed productions across Philadelphia for decades and served as Resident Director at Philadelphia Young Playwrights. He also taught theater at the University of Pennsylvania and spent years as a facilitator at Philly ALC. His work in theater and his work in education have always shared the same core belief: that people learn and grow best when they feel fully seen and trusted.
Trish McBride
Trish McBride
Board Member
Trish is a member of the Philly ALC Board of Directors and the Program Director of the Philly ALC School. She was there at the founding in 2018, helping build Philly ALC from the ground up alongside Nancy Golumbia, David O'Connor, and a group of like-minded families.
Trish brings over twenty years of experience teaching young children, with a background rooted in Quaker schools including Plymouth Meeting Friends School and Frankford Friends School. Beyond her work at Philly ALC, she serves on the Greater Philadelphia Diversity Collaborative Advisory Council, reflecting her commitment to education that is equitable and inclusive.
Whether she's shaping the day-to-day rhythm of the school or helping guide its long-term direction, she brings deep experience and genuine care to everything she does.
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