All members of the Massachusetts PTA Board of Directors are volunteers who are here to serve you and to work for children throughout Massachusetts and our country.
Meet your Massachusetts PTA Board of Directors ...
Kimberly Savery Hunt, President
president@masspta.org
Kimberly Hunt, Massachusetts PTA’s president is doing the job “because I truly believe parent involvement is the key to successful and happy children. I like learning new things and sharing the information I have learned. And for my kids!!!”
Kim lives in Plymouth and sits on the school council for Nathaniel Morton Elementary School, where two of her children attend and one attends the Plymouth Community Intermediate School.
Past-president of The Village PTA Wareham, MA, Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and is currently working as the Director of Sales and Marketing for a screen printing company. She has many years of experience in retail , marketing and sales management.
According to Kim, she has “three absolutely AWESOME kids – 13- and 10-year-old sons and a 7-year-old daughter.”
In addition to helping out in her children’s classrooms, Kim volunteers at her church and also sat on the Board of Directors for Wareham Youth Soccer.
She doesn’t have a lot of time for hobbies -- when not driving to or watching her kids play soccer and baseball and dance class, she likes to paint and read.
Kim would one day like to write and Illustrate a children's book.
Mary Ann Stewart – President-Elect
presidentelect@masspta.org
Mary Ann Stewart, Massachusetts PTA’s President-Elect, is a strong advocate for children and families.
Mary Ann and her family have made Lexington their home since 1994 and her three children attend the Lexington public schools (high school, middle school, and elementary school). She became involved in PTA ten years ago when her son, Ian, entered kindergarten (he is now finishing his freshman year at LHS). Lexington’s excellent public school reputation preceded her experience of it and, as a new resident to town, she knew that she wanted to become involved in her child’s education, get to know his teachers, and learn what was happening at his school.
Mary Ann became a member of Harrington PTA because she wanted to show support for their goals and principles and practices, much as she supported certain environmental, arts, and cultural organizations. She attended PTA meetings -- and found that they were excellent opportunities for “schmoozing and socializing,” while at the same time being opportunities to acquaint her with PTA as it related to her children’s elementary experiences and how the PTA’s fund-raising efforts supported the Harrington school community.
Then everything changed. In Mary Ann’s words: “Last summer I attended National PTA’s Annual Convention in Columbus, Ohio, and it forever changed my understanding of the efforts and advocacy of PTA. While there, I met several members of our Massachusetts PTA Board: Michelle Tremont, Barb Bailey and her husband Don, and Maryalice Foisy. They were so welcoming to me and I was grateful to them for taking me under their wing, introducing me to so many fun and engaged PTA leaders from across the country. At our state convention last November, I was appointed to the Board as the Region 3 Advisor. It was there that I met the others of the Board and decided to engage further in legislative issues with Ellie Goldberg, Massachusetts PTA’s amazing and capable Vice-president for Legislation. In March, four Massachusetts PTA members attended National PTA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, where I met our national lobbyists and legislative coordinators and visited our Massachusetts Congressional Representatives. As the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the country, PTA truly is a relevant resource (to me, a parent), and PTA advocates to stabilize inequities by providing resources for all families, educational support for all schools and teachers, trained and informed leaders, educational enhancements and, ultimately, to be a voice for all children.”
Barbara Bailey – Vice-President, Leadership
vpleadership@masspta.org
Barbara Bailey, Massachusetts PTA’s Vice-president for Leadership, has been involved in PTA for over 30 years. Why? “I would like for all schools in Massachusetts to be able to experience the benefits of PTA. I also have made some wonderful friendships through PTA which I will always cherish. I also have four grandchildren – three boys and a girl. The future of their education as well as the education of all children is important to me.”
Barb and her husband Don live in Lexington where they raised their three boys. When the boys began school over 30 years ago, Barb became involved with PTA on the local level. Starting out doing many different volunteer jobs in PTA, she eventually became PTA president at all three schools attended by her children. PTA Council President and involved on the state PTA level in the late 1980’s led to her election as Massachusetts PTA president from 1993-95.
Barb also serves as Massachusetts PTA’s Bylaws Chair. On the local level, she is on the Diamond Middle School site council and coordinates the scheduling for parent-teacher conferences.
In her “spare time,” Barb is using her bachelors degree in biology working nights as a medical technologist at Newton Wellesley Hospital.
Ellie Goldberg – Vice-president, Legislation
vplegislation@masspta.org
"I believe that parents, educators, health professionals and policy makers owe it to children to promote and protect conditions for their optimal development."
Ellie Goldberg is Massachusetts PTA's Vice-President of Legislation and environmental health consultant. She is an educational consultant, advocate, and author.. She is founder of www.healthy-kids.info, a consulting service dedicated to building health, educational and environmental partnerships for students with asthma and other chronic health conditions.
Ellie is also active in Clean Water Action and the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Massachusetts Public Health Association and the American Public Health Association, the Healthy Schools Network, Citizens for Public Schools, and the Green Decade Coalition/Newton. A full description of her background and activities can be found here.
Married 33 years, Ellie's husband died in 2002. She has two grown daughters.
"One thing I'd like to accomplish in my life is to make March 18th an annual National Healthy Schools Heroes Day in commemoration of the 1937 Texas School Explosion." Every year, to mark the anniversary of the 1937 Texas School Explosion, Ellie gives The Healthy Schools Heroes Award to someone who demonstrates extraordinary responsibility and inspirational leadership to protect children and teachers from chemical hazards in schools.
Dr. Erik Champy – Secretary
secretary@masspta.org
Elected in November 2005 as Massachusetts PTA’s secretary, Dr. Erik Champy has always been a strong advocate of education.
With a strong desire to teach and lead, Erik Champy entered Salem State College and earned both his Baccalaureate and Master of Education degrees. At the beginning of his career, Erik taught three years in the New Hampshire public schools. In 1994, Erik Champy was hired by the Triton Regional School District as a teacher in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter and always eager to learn, Erik enrolled in his doctoral program at Nova Southeastern University and graduated in 1999. Currently, he serves as a counselor at Triton Regional Middle School and Visiting Professor at Salem State College.
Erik’s career ambition has led him into a great deal of professional activism. As member of the Triton Community, he has served on several committees throughout his tenure. At age twenty-seven, Erik Champy was elected as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and served for seven years. In the mid-nineties, Erik joined the Salem State College Friends of Education Alumni Committee and currently serves as the President. Also, he is the Vice-President of the College's Alumni Board of Directors.
As a result of his participation at the local, state and college levels, Dr. Erik Champy has received recognitions from his state leaders. In 1999, State Senator James Jajuga awarded Dr. Champy with an official citation for his outstanding service and dedication to the students of the Trtion Regional School District. At the same time, Governor Paul Cellucci awarded Erik with a gubernatorial recognition for his commitment and professionalism.
Beverly Barrett – Treasurer
treasurer@masspta.org
Beverly Barrett joined MA PTA in November 2005 for a two-year term as Treasurer. Wanting to share her financial knowledge and experience with others, this is her first PTA experience.
Beverly’s professional background is in Quality Engineering, her education in Non-Destructive Testing. Employed for over 27 years with Titeflex Corporation, she started the Results Project of New England with a good friend in 2005. This 501c(3) non-profit organization under the National Heritage Foundation teaches the positives of ADD/ADHD.
Beverly is also a member of Wachogue Congregational Church where she serves as Moderator and Treasurer. Beverly and Dale, her spouse of 27-years, have one son -- Douglas and his wife Jill.
Anne Henz-- Program Marketing Director
Anne Hentz is originally from Jamaica Plain and has resided in Harvard, MA for the last four years. She lives with her husband, eight year old twins, black lab and cocker spaniel. Anne is an interior designer and journalist by profession. Although her term as the president of the Harvard PTA ended in June 2007, she will continue to contribute to the Harvard PTA as the chairperson for their dinner auction fundraiser.
Aside from adopting pets from petfinder.com, Anne’s favorite hobby is design. Marketing and public relations is just one of the areas where Anne loves to create. In Harvard, her innovative ideas raised membership by nearly 20%. She contracted with volunteer graphic and web designers to give the PTA a new look and presence in the community."
When Anne was asked, "Why do you want this position?" she had several reasons. In her words -- "The main reason is probably Michelle. I like her a lot. I don’t know her well but I get a sense that she is committed to her work and good at what she does. And I am a visionary. This position allows me to bring my vision into reality."
Anne has a passion for marketing. Her first experience with marketing was when she started a real estate agency with a friend. She wanted it to be like a Sotheby’s. Neither Anne nor her friend were not top sellers -- not the agents that others would think of as starting an agency. But, within six months they were playing with the “big boys.” Anne had begun an ad campaign that put them on the map. She started writing ads, doing four color full page ads in a magazine that was like "Boston" magazine. To Anne, marketing is like playing a game of chess -- consisting of strategy and making the rights moves at the right time.
With lots of activities planned by Massachusetts PTA, Anne is looking forward to making a real difference in the organization. In the end, everyone wins.
Rick Downey - Special Education Liaison
I’ve been involved with the PTA since early 2006 and was a former president of the Glickman Elementary School PTA in Springfield, Ma. I believe that parents have a huge stake in their child’s education and in their respective schools. Action speaks louder than words, when it comes to being an integral part of the school system and within the community. I believe that teachers, parents, school administrators, community and business leaders, the PTA and the kids should come together as one, to strengthen and enhance every child’s educational opportunities so that they have a chance to live their dream as they progress into the future.
I come from Springfield, Ma. And have been married to my beautiful wife, Lynn, for 20 years now. Together, we have two boys, Ryan and Chris, who are 13 and 8 respectively. They are gifts that Lynn and I are blessed with. Ryan and Chris are also on the Autistic spectrum. My boys keep me centered on what is important in our family’s life and on their happiness and well-being.
I work for the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier and have been doing that job for 22 years now. I am also a retired Navy veteran with 23 years of cumulative service.
My hobbies include playing my guitar (whenever I get the chance, that is), multi-media computing, camping in the great outdoors with my family, target-shooting, reading and just having fun with family and friends. My main hobby though, is indulging myself in the martial arts for which I have been a involved with for 17 years. Shobukan Karate is my main discipline and one in which I have achieved the rank of Nidan (2nd degree black belt). I am currently teaching Karate to a group of special needs kids, ages 8 through 14 at the Longmeadow, Ma. Jewish Community Center. Nothing is more fulfilling to me than to watch these kids have fun and to see their smiles as they learn and grow in class.
A favorite saying I like to use from time to time, whether it be within the PTA, at work or at home is “I CAN’T, BUT WE CAN”. These are the words that motivate me into accomplishing mutual goals and help promote teamwork.
Ruth Kaplan - Board Liaison
Prior to her appointment to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Ruth Kaplan served for four years as an elected member of the Brookline School Committee, chairing the subcommittees on Policy Review and Government Relations. She was also a board member of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and a member of its Advocacy and Resolutions committees. Prior to her school committee service, Ms. Kaplan co-chaired the Brookline Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
Ms. Kaplan is a member of the Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association and is the first parent representative appointed to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members. She is a founder of the Alliance for the Education of the Whole Child, a coalition of more than 45 education and civil rights organizations which organized to critique the over-reliance on standardized testing in the public schools and advocate for an assessment system consisting of multiple measures.
Ms. Kaplan is a member of the Massachusetts bar and was associated with the firms of Widett, Slater & Goldman and Peabody & Brown. She practiced in the areas of Bankruptcy and Business Reorganization as well as Labor and Employment law. Her state service consisted of a position as Senior Researcher to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and work with the Department of Youth Services as a caseworker and program evaluator. She also assisted in the establishment of the Adolescent Day Treatment Program at Danvers State Hospital.
A resident of Brookline, Ms. Kaplan is a graduate of Brookline High School and has two daughters one of whom attends the high school, and the other of whom is a 2007 graduate. Ms. Kaplan holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School, as well as an M.ED. from Boston University and an M.A. from Brandeis University. She holds a B.A. degree in history from Barnard College and a Bachelor of Hebrew Letters degree from the Seminary College of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Ms. Kaplan also attended Wellesley College and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Margaret O'Hare - Board Liaison
Jennifer Francioso - Financial Secretary
Carol Woodbury -- Education Associations Liaison
Carol served from 1999 to 2002 as the Massachusetts PTA president.
Meagan Maskell - Student Representative