OUR MISSION
Our mission is to give our Barnwell Bears the tools and resources they need to reach their full potential, both in school and out. We are the parents and teachers who advocate for our children. We strive to use our voice to make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of Barnwell students and families.
WHY JOIN THE PTO?
YOUR 2024-2025 PTO BOARD MEMBERS
Co-President - Melissa Renzi
My name is Melissa Renzi and this is my fourth year as a Barnwell parent and my third year on the Barnwell PTO. I have previously served as a room parent and Co-VP of Academic Enrichment and am now serving as Co-President for the second year. I have two daughters attending Barnwell; Caroline is in 3rd grade and Tessa is in 1st! My husband Nick and I are originally from Buffalo, NY (#GoBills) but have lived in Atlanta for about 19 years, and even met, got married, and started our family here. We love our Barnwell community and look forward to continuing our involvement here!
My name is Lauren Kermani. I am Co-President and I am excited to support our Barnwell Bears! My husband, Frank, and I have 3 boys, Koosha and Kian are in college and Kasra is a 3rd grader at Barnwell this year. I am a local real estate Broker with a small team specializing in North Atlanta. I am excited about serving on your PTO because I know that the best schools have strong parental support and a strong foundation in school is so important for the kids and our community. I look forward to working with you this year!
Co-VP - Fundraising and Sponsorship - Cassie Jackson
Hi! I'm Cassie Jackson, and I will be serving as one of the Co-VPs of Fundraising & Sponsorship alongside Tam Adimi this school year. I'm excited for the opportunity to support Barnwell as a member of the PTO Board, and ensure our school community has the resources it needs for a successful year currently and for years to come. Last year, I served in a smaller capacity as Barnwell's Spirit Night Chair under the Fundraising umbrella, so I'm thrilled to take the next step in my involvement. This is our third year as a Barnwell Bear family, and my husband Justin and I have two daughters at Barnwell. Our oldest, Juniper, is in 5th grade and our youngest, Pippa, has just joined the Bear community in Kindergarten. Outside of the PTO, I am a national accounts sales professional, and my work processes lend well to building partnerships in the community to support the school we all love
Co-VP Fundraising and Sponsorship - Tam Adimi
Hello,I'm Tammy and serve as Co -VP of Fundraising. My family and I are new to Georgia and feel blessed to serve the Barnwell community with and for people who are so passionate about education, family, and community. I'm excited to support the mission, and amazing teachers however I can. My husband of 17 years and I are originally from Chicago and have four wonderful children together. Two of them are students here at Barnwell: Kobi, who is an incoming kindergartener, and Mekayla, who is in second grade. I love 5k runs and crocheting in my spare time. I look forward to all the fun events the PTO will host this year along with the support and participation from our community that makes it all possible!
Co-VP School Enrichment - Melissa Branen
Melissa Branen has been a PTO Board member for five years, and this will be her first year serving as Co-VP of School Enrichment. She and her husband, Eric, have a daughter named Morgan, who is in the third grade. She works as a Substitute Teacher at Barnwell and also volunteers as a Bible Study and Girl Scout Leader. Her daughter keeps her busy with swimming, gymnastics, dance, and Girl Scouts. She loves Barnwell and the local community and plans to stay actively involved for many years to come.
Co-VP School Enrichment - Paige Wuyek
Hi! My name is Paige Wuyek (Wee-yak :)) and I’m excited to be on Barnwell’s PTO Board as Co-VP of School Enrichment. This is my second year on the board and I’ve had lots of fun experience as Chair of the Yearbook Committee for the last 6 years. One of my favorite things is volunteering and supporting the teachers, staff, and students at Barnwell. I am a stay-at-home parent, but I previously worked as a Special Education teacher for many years. I have 2 beautiful daughters, Lauren (6th grade) and Adelyn (4th grade). I have been married to my awesome husband, Billy, for 13 years. This is our family’s 8th year at Barnwell and we absolutely love being a part of the Barnwell community! I look forward to another fun and exciting school year ahead!
Secretary - Chiarita Maslankowski
Bio pending.
Treasurer - Michelle Maenpaa
Hey y'all, I'm Michelle Maenpaa (Man-paw) and I'm excited to be returning to Barnwell's PTO for a 3rd year and continuing in the role of Treasurer for 2025-2026! My husband of 12 years, Michael, and I have two babies - that somehow aren't babies anymore - at Barnwell. Sawyer will be in 2nd grade, and Bryce will be heading into Kindergarten. Outside of volunteering at Barnwell and responding to any of the 1 trillion times a day my children say "Mom/Mommy/Mama", you can find me in my home office where I work full-time for Zillow, leading a small team in Business Operations. Whenever I can squeeze in other things I enjoy going for a run/gym after the morning drop-off (please wave hello if you see me!), traveling, reading, or spending time with my family outdoors in any capacity we can. I'm looking forward to another year making the Barnwell Bear family as fun, inclusive, and supportive as possible!
Co-VP Teacher Support - Heather Roberts
Hi! My name is Heather Roberts and I am excited to serve as the Co-VP of Teacher Support. After two years of helping to organize family events that brought our school community together as the VP of Family Events I am excited to spend this year supporting our amazing staff! My husband, Drew, and I are from Martinez, GA, and have called Johns Creek home since 2008. We have two busy boys: Harlan, who is a 4th grader at Barnwell and Hayes, who is 4 and already counting the days until he gets to walk the halls as a Barnwell Bear! When I'm not refereeing wrestling matches at home or watching games at Newtown Park, I enjoy traveling, reading a good book, and spending quality time with family & friends. I look forward to working with our wonderful PTO this year to continue supporting the teachers and staff that make Barnwell such a special place!
Co-VP of Teacher Support - Holli Freeman
My name is Holli Freeman, and this will be my fourth year serving on the PTO board. I’m excited to continue as Co-VP of Teacher Support. My husband Eric and I have been in Alpharetta for 15 years, and our son, Cooper, is in 4th grade. Eric grew up in Kennesaw and I’m from the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Long Beach). I lived there for 30 years before moving here in 2010. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2016, I enjoyed working at WSB-TV in the Programming department. We enjoy spending as much time with our families as possible, traveling, and cooking. I love the Barnwell community and look forward to working with others on the board to support the teachers and staff.
Co-VP Family Events - Jennifer Wu
Hi everyone, this is my second year on the PTO board and I'm serving as co-VP of family events. Kevin and I have two sons: Alex, who is in 2nd grade at Barnwell, and Oliver, who is eager to become a Barnwell Bear in a few more years! We moved to Johns Creek after a long time in the DC area, and our school played a big role in our decision on where to settle down. During the day I work on digital investigations before turning my focus to becoming chauffeur, personal chef, and sparring partner for my boys! I am excited about continuing our fun family events and strengthening our Barnwell community!
Co-VP Family Events - Liz Hobbs
Hi there! My name is Liz Hobbs and I am excited to serve as the Co-VP of Family Events on the Barnwell PTO Board. Last year was our family's first year at Barnwell and I had the privilege to serve as event chair for the Principal Coffee Chats, Son and One Glow Party, and the Date with your Daughter dance. I have two daughters, Austin Claire who is in first grade at Barnwell, and Margot who is in pre-K this year and eagerly is waiting her turn to walk the Barnwell halls! I invite you to join me in planning the family events and programming that helps multiply our Barnwell community spirit and make our kids' time at Barnwell memorable and fun!
Co-VP of Academic Enrichment - Sonja Parcell
Hi! My name is Sonja Parcell and I'm excited to serve as the Co-VP of Family Events on the Barnwell PTO board. Relocating to Georgia in the Spring of 2023, my family is still relatively new to the area and we’ve been absolutely thrilled with the warm welcome we’ve received, great friends we’ve made and the fantastic Barnwell community. My husband, Jordan, and I have two children, JoLee (3rd grade) and Hendrix (Kindergarten). As a former Event Planner - turned Stay at Home Parent, I’ve genuinely enjoyed volunteering at PTO events, decorating doors for teacher appreciation week, working on the Yearbook team and serving as Room Parent for both of my children’s classrooms this past year. My husband and I are High School sweethearts; we’ve lived in 5 states and 3 countries; and our family loves traveling together. We’re glad to be part of the Barnwell community and look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Co-VP of Academic Enrichment - Ilond Tshipau
My name is Ilond Tshipau, and I’m excited to embark in my second year with the Barnwell PTO. This is our family’s sixth year at Barnwell, and over the years I’ve had the pleasure of serving as a room parent and now as a PTO board member. I always welcome opportunities to support our Barnwell Family as we surround our future leaders with care, encouragement, and resources. My husband, Steeve, and I have two amazing children—Kellie (5th grade) and Jayden (3rd grade)—and we’ve called Georgia home since 2006. Professionally, I serve as VP of Operational and Program Services at the Bobby Dodd Institute, a nonprofit focused on supporting individuals with differing abilities. I look forward to another fantastic year of collaboration with our dedicated parents, educators, and staff as we work together to help our children learn, grow, and thrive.
Co-VP Community Outreach - Marjorie Lotti
I joined PTO as a positive way to dedicate my time with supporting our school and the future generation of Barnwell Elementary. It feels good in knowing that by volunteering my time, I assisted in providing great experiences for my child and all the other children attending Barnwell Elementary.
Co-VP Community Outreach - Saudhy Fahm
My name is Saudhy Fahm and this is my first year as the Co-VP of Community Outreach. I am the proud mom of two beautiful and smart girls, Eliana (4th) and Sami (1st), and am very excited to be a part of this year's PTO. I love traveling, reading and hanging with family/friends!! What I love most about Barnwell is the diversity the school has to offer, my girls being Colombian-Nigerian-Americans, makes them feel as if they belong! I love Barnwell and this community and look forward to doing some fun things this year!
Co-VP Communications & Technology - Shelby Peck
Hi everyone! I am Shelby Peck, your co-VP Communications and Technology chair for the second year. I joined the PTO to help our hardworking teachers and staff provide an incredible experience for our children. My husband, Mike, and I have two daughters at Barnwell. Melody is in 1st, and Summer is in 4th grade. Before this, I was a room mom for each girl and led Barnival games for two years. My day job is leading Brand Marketing at the PGA TOUR Superstore. Yes, I love and like to play golf, but unfortunately, I spend most of my time cleaning up after my little munchkins.
Co-VP Communications & Technology - Hillary Ely
Hi! My name is Hillary Ely. This is our third year at Barnwell and I have been on the PTO all three years. This year I am in a new role as Co-VP for Communications and Technology. I have been married to my husband, Justin, for 13 years. We have three kids - Hannah (2nd grade), Sarah (kindergarten) and David (2 years old). I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and I work part time so I can be home with my kids part time as well. I am involved in our church and enjoy reading and hiking. We have loved our experience at Barnwell so far and look forward to many years to come!
