Meet Your 2022-2023 PTSA Officers

At the November 15 PTSA General Meeting, members elected several new officers. Please join us in welcoming and congratulating them all! Thank you, also, to our outgoing officers, Kayla Epting and Sara Dickerman, for their tireless work on behalf of Garfield students.

Kendra Sims, President

Kendra Sims was born and raised in Seattle. Although she is a proud alumna of Rainier Beach High, her husband Lardel Sims and daughter Dyanni  (current 10th grader) are Bulldogs through and through! Proud mother of four (Dyanni 15, Imani 8, Mya 4, Jakobe 2  months), Kendra enjoys spending time with her family. They love hikes, tubing, and in the summertime, anything to do with water and beaches in the PNW! When not wearing her #momlife hat, Kendra is a Financial Advisor with JP Morgan Chase helping clients plan for their future. Joining the PTSA means being involved in the Garfield community. Giving a helping hand to the staff and teachers, aiding the support that is needed to make and keep our school a great place for years to come! 

Note: We are seeking a person to share the President role with Kendra! Contact us for info.

Smita Corpron, Co-Secretary

My name is Smita Corpron, and my son Finnian is a sophomore at Garfield. As a family, we enjoy hiking, exploring and traveling together. Our favorite thing about living in Seattle is the amazing public library system as well as the trails and parks. As a part of the Garfield PTSA, I hope to be helpful in reaching out to and engaging with the diverse community of students, teachers, and parents.

 

 

Puneet Dewan, Co-Secretary

Puneet Dewan is a public health physician and tuberculosis specialist with the Gates Foundation. He and his wife Padmini moved here from India in 2018. They have a recent Garfield graduate Amritha (’22), a current student Dhruv (’26), and Siddhartha (’30) in the pipeline. When not traveling for work, he brews beer, keeps bees, and is recently enthused by cyclocross racing with other out-of-shape men of a certain age. Formerly site council at TOPS, 2018-19. Looking forward to contributing at Garfield and advocating for stretch and growth experiences and opportunities for all GHS kids. 

 

Mary Murray, Co-Treasurer

One of my favorite ways to keep up with what’s important to my kiddo is to volunteer at his school. I especially like being Treasurer, because I see the myriad ways public schools make a difference in the lives of all students: teachers use PTSA funds to offer snacks and culturally relevant books; clubs introduce students to robotics; student athletes receive injury prevention from Seattle Children’s Hospital staff; community-based organizations offer mentorship to students of color; family support workers distribute gift cards to meet basic needs; math teachers provide extra AP coaching materials; the list goes on and on. I am awed by our Garfield village and am happy to be a small parent of such a mighty team.

 

Kate Ross, Co-Treasurer

Kate Ross is the Garfield PTSA’s Co-Treasurer.  Parent of a college freshman and a Garfield sophomore, Kate joined the PTSA board to demonstrate support for the excellent Garfield teachers and staff and to connect with the Garfield parent community. When not learning the intricacies of Quickbooks, Kate heads a team of lawyers working on global content regulation and digital safety issues at Microsoft.