Staff

Maria Darie
Executive Director
Maria Darie is the Acting Executive Director and Director of Finance and Administration at Presidential Classroom. Ms. Darie joined Presidential Classroom in October 2007. Since joining the organization, Ms. Darie's priority is to help design and implement initiatives to strengthen the organization's capital structure and to better position Presidential Classroom to pursue growth opportunities. Prior to joining Presidential Classroom, Ms. Darie has served as the Accounting Manager for New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Washington, D.C., where she reorganized the company's accounting department to improve its operating productivity and concentrated on executing the corporate strategy. Ms. Darie holds a Bachelors of Science degree in economics from Ploiesti University and an International Executive MBA from Georgetown University.

Viola Johnson Gonzalez
Director of Student Services and Alumni Affairs
Viola Johnson Gonzalez serves as the Director of Student Services and Alumni Affairs. Under the leadership of Ms. Gonzalez as the Director of Student Services, PC provides superior service in meeting the needs of students, parents, sponsors, and all who interact with Presidential Classroom. Ms. Gonzalez manages registration, payment arrangements, travel and accommodation inquiries, follow-up communications, and funding options. In directing Alumni Affairs, Ms. Gonzalez makes certain that PC stays connected to previous program participants by overseeing the Honors Graduate Program, Alumni services, and the PC Ambassador program.

Ms. Gonzalez joined Presidential Classroom the summer of 2008 to establish the Student Services and Alumni Affairs office. With a degree in Economics, Ms Gonzalez brings to PC her service expertise from having managed the service operations for a national public employee pension investment firm.

Paris Borden
Admissions Specialist
Paris joined the staff at Presidential Classroom in 2007 and serves as an Admissions Specialist.

John Croft
Program Director
John Croft is Presidential Classroom's Program Director. As Program Director, Croft is responsible for planning and managing programs. Croft holds a Master of Business Administration from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, and a bachelor's degree in social work with a minor in business administration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Croft previously worked as a project manager for Youth Resources in Portland. He was a project manager for the Oregon Student Forum on Leadership and Service, an assistant project manager of Oregon Vision, and a program associate for the International Foundation in Washington, D.C. Early in his career, Croft worked as the director of the Lindenwood Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and he served on committees for the Virginia Student Leadership Forum and National Student Leadership in Washington, D.C.

Annabelle Ombac
Logistics Manager
Serving as Presidential Classroom’s Logistics Manager, Annabelle Ombac oversees all logistical activities, coordinates on-site and embassy visits and manages the program assistants. From Williamsburg, Virginia, Annabelle graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Tech holding a Bachelors of Arts degree in Communication with a double minor in French and International Studies. She was active in student media as the Director of Photography for the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech (EMCVT). Her work has been honored placing 1st in news and feature photography from the Virginia Press Association (VPA).

Annabelle strives for student outreach and education having seven years experience (1997-2003) at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as a historical interpreter, Colonial Williamsburg Productions hosting its PBS student programs and working for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in its development office. She currently resides in Arlington, Virginia and enjoys photography, hiking and traveling abroad.