Executive Board and Appointed positions

The Franklin PTA Executive Board is made up of at least 15 members including a president, secretary, and treasurer. Elections are held annually in April and elected members have the choice to serve two terms. In order to function effectively, the Board includes community members who bring unique skills, values, and beliefs to the organization.

Executive Board and appointed positions 2024-2025

  • Dara Beer

    President

    Oversees and coordinates the work of an executive board to run a PTA effectively. Serves as the official contact, communicator and representative of a PTA. Works with other PTA leaders to connect families, school and community to support student success.

  • Tim Blackburn

    Executive Vice President

    Primary aide to President. Oversees and aides various program committees. Works closely with school administration and is a liaison between the school staff and the PTA members.

  • Amanda Pereira

    1st Vice President
    Literacy & Education

    Amy Wruble
    1st Deputy Vice President
    Literacy & Education

    Oversees coordination of Parent Education series, Book Fairs, Reflections, Science Club, Multicultural events and more.

  • Nina Segil

    2nd Vice President
    Hospitality

    Karen Freedman
    2nd Deputy Vice President
    Hospitality

    Oversees coordination of Faculty Appreciation, including coffee carts, staff appreciation week activities, and Back-to-School Picnic and more.

  • Ryan Howley

    3rd Vice President
    Health & Safety

    Jessie Arora

    3rd Deputy Vice President
    Health & Safety

    Oversees coordination of Green Team, Beautification, Gardening, Nurse’s Office supplies, Lunch Supervisors, Art Cart, Disaster Preparation and more.

  • Svetlana Nagiel

    4th Vice President
    Community

    Lindsay Levitan
    4th Deputy Vice President
    Community

    Oversees coordination of PTA Membership, School Tours, Special Education, Legislation and Advocacy and more.

  • Mimi Sroka

    5th Vice President
    School Communications

    Monica Gelfand
    5th Deputy Vice President
    School Communications

    Oversees coordination of the Flash, the PTA weekly e-newsletter, Room Parent Coordinators, Social Media, First Day Packets and more.

  • Leonora Camner

    Treasurer


    Maintains permanent records to track unit funds and financial transactions, chairs budget committee and prepares the annual budget, reports for every PTA meeting to share financial reports, and creates the annual financial report. The treasurer also pays all PTA bills.

  • Jennifer Shiri

    Financial Secretary

    Works closely with the treasurer, keeping a record of all PTA funds and preparing monthly and annual reports. The financial secretary is also responsible for intake of all funds to the PTA.

  • Lauren Goldenberg

    Corresponding Secretary

    Conducts all necessary correspondence to the executive board and all members of the PTA. Notifies officers of their election and chairpersons of their appointments. Sends out notices of executive board meetings along with agendas.

  • Fleur Webb

    Recording Secretary

    Keeps accurate records of all proceedings of association and Executive Board meetings. Is always prepared to refer to minutes of previous meetings and records all expenditures . Prepares list of all unfinished business. Keeps a current list of paid members.

  • Emily Keifer

    Historian

    Assembles and preserves a record of the activities, achievements, and volunteer hours of the association. Assists with the association’s annual report required by the California State PTA.

  • Tarun Mahajan

    Auditor

    Sara Wahl
    Deputy Auditor

    Audits the books and financial records of the association semiannually

  • Ann Bash

    Fundraising Committee Chair

    Oversees, plans and organizes fundraising activities for the school year, which include the Fall Festival and Move-A-Thon. Focuses on raising the amount of funds needed to meet the school PTA’s annual budget.

  • Melissa Sullivan

    Parliamentarian

    Assists the President to manage meetings and advises on parliamentary procedure; chairs Bylaws committee to review unit Bylaws yearly and revise every five years; and arranges nominating committee’s first meeting, providing information on nomination and election process.

  • Betsy Marsolan

    Special Education Committee Chair

    Provides a safe place for parents with special needs to be heard and helps to identify the specialists and educators who can help and advocate for their children. Members of the committee organize events that are relevant to the parents with special needs children.

    Acts as a liaison between the special ed community and the general ed community to create understanding and shares the parent perspective with other parents about Franklin’s special education programs.

  • Jayanthi Daniel

    Legislation Committee Chair

    Leads PTA positions and support on legislative issues that affect school-age children and their families, at Franklin and beyond. Works in conjunction with National PTA, California PTA, 33rd District, and Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs to speak on behalf of children and youth.

  • Jelena Trifunovic

    Education Foundation Liaison

    TBD
    Deputy

    Helps raise critical funds for the Santa Monica Education Foundation, which funds important staff and programs at Franklin, like our P.S. ARTS classes, STAR Science classes, all of our instructional aides, and our Responsive Classroom program, among others.

  • Julie Lavine

    Room Parent Coordinator

    Liaison between the teachers, admin, staff and PTA to the individual class assigned Room Parents to help streamline communication on a weekly basis.

  • Lee Garrun

    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair

    Liaison between the school and the PTA Council to continually implement DEI. Diversity is representation of, and respect for, people from different backgrounds and identities. Equity provides fairness in resources, Inclusion is actions, behaviors and social norms that ensure all people feel they are safe, welcomed and that they belong.

Faculty Representatives

Principal
Eran Zeevi

Teacher
Lauren Berman

Join Leadership Team

In order to be a member of the Executive Board or to vote in our elections, you need to be a member of the Franklin PTA.

We invite you to join Franklin PTA leadership. Two months prior to the annual election meeting, nominations will be made by a nominating committee. The five members of the Nominating Committee, elected by the association, will solicit nominations of people to serve on the board-- look out for further information in the Spring.