Look for our smiling faces around the school!
Your 2020-2021 Ballantyne Elementary PTA Executive Board
|
Co-President: Shonda Harper
ballantynepta@gmail.com Shonda is mom to two amazing kids in the CMS school system. Moses, her son, is in 8th grade at Community House Middle School and Jordyn is in 4th grade at BES! She is a Charlotte native and a product of the CMS school system. She loves spending time with her family and being a "soccer" mom along with squeezing in time to read the latest mystery novel. This is her first year on the BES PTA and she is looking forward to serving and partnering with the parents, teachers, and students at BES! |
|
Co-President: Brooke Fortier
ballantynepta@gmail.com Brooke is in her third year as PTA President (first as a co-president)! Her motivation for joining this team was that she has been a parent at BES since 2013 when her oldest son entered Kindergarten and is a firm believer in supporting her neighborhood schools and community. She is an avid runner having completed several races including the Boston Marathon in 2019, the virtual Boston Marathon in 2020, and is training to compete in Boston again this fall. If you see her running on the streets of Ballantyne, please beep and wave! In addition to exercise, Brooke loves watching her two boys play their various sports, reading, & sweeping up dog hair. She’s looking forward to continuing to serve the parents, teachers, & students at BES. |
|
Treasurer: Austin Fitch
ballantyneptatreasurer@gmail.com Assistant Treasurer: Leah Fitch fitch.leah@gmail.com Austin and Leah are new to the Ballantyne PTA board this year, and relatively new to Ballantyne Elementary in general as their daughter is just starting first grade. However, they'll be around for a while as their youngest won't finish at Ballantyne until 2032! Serving as Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Austin & Leah are excited to get more involved at BES and are looking forward to being able to enter the school building for the first time ever sometime soon (thanks COVID!). In their free time, they enjoy traveling as Leah would spend every moment at the beach if possible. Austin loves everything about the beach too...except the sun, the sand, and the saltwater! |
|
Secretary: Julie Horiuchi
ballantyneptasecretary@gmail.com Julie is a mother of three fantastic children and is originally from Philadelphia. She has lived the majority of her adult life overseas in London, Paris and Tokyo. She speaks French & Japanese. Julie and her family moved to Charlotte three years ago. Her BES 4th grader is Emma and her tenth grade twins attend Charlotte Latin. Julie is in her second year as a board member and is super grateful for this opportunity to give back to BES by supporting the PTA. In her free time, Julie would rather be sailing, skiing or reading. |
|
Vice President, Communications: Kristin Barry
ballantyneptacommunications@gmail.com Kristin served as PTA Treasurer for 2 years and is in her third year as the VP of Communications. She wished for a world where you could sit in your pajamas and drink coffee all day...and boy that wish was granted last year! In addition to making wishes that break the universe; she admits to being a Jeopardy! junkie, a macaroni and cheese aficionado, a lover of books & cars, an over-planner/over-communicator (wordy Bear Blasts are a product of this trait), an accountant-on-hiatus, and a full-time mom to very busy 7th & 4th graders. She is a Girl Scout Troop leader, throws a mean Halloween party, and plans Disney trips for friends in her "spare time". Her profile picture is indicative of where you can usually find her...at the ball fields with her softball and baseball players (where she also sits on the board as the communications manager)! Born & raised in Ohio, she is a huge fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Indians, & Browns. |
|
Vice President, Fundraising: Lucy Turnage
ballantyneptafundraising@gmail.com Lucy is new to the PTA Board in 2021 and serves as the VP of Fundraising. She is originally from Brooklyn, NY and relocated from Little Falls, NJ with her husband and two kids in August 2019. Lucy is passionate about fundraising and helping Ballantyne be the BEST. She is a proud parent of a daughter and son who both attend Ballantyne. Lucy loves a good competition, listening to audiobooks while commuting, and secretly jams out to Hamilton the musical and Beyonce in her spare time. |
|
Vice Presidents, Operations: Tom and Wendy La
awesomewendyla@gmail.com Wendy: Biggest Disney fan that you have ever met in your life, guaranteed. Full-time homemaker, part-time artist. Silently judging your grammar. Shy, and socially awkward like whoa, but if she can do this volunteer stuff, YOU CAN DO IT. Tom: Second biggest Disney fan that you have ever met in your life. Probably. Driven by design. Passionate about branding. Enjoys Mid Century Modern. Can (and does) sleep anywhere. Absolute stud-muffin. Wendy may have written his bio. |
|
Vice President, Programs: Ryan Blumel
ballantyneptaprograms@gmail.com Ryan is a proud dad to an amazing Kindergartener at BES. He is originally from the west coast and spent significant time in England and Washington, D.C. before settling down in Charlotte in 2013. Ryan is the Communications Chair of the Georgetown University Club of Charlotte, on the Board of the Hoya Hoop Club, Treasurer of the Charlotte chapter of MENSA, a 3rd year tutor with Heart Math Tutoring and a so-so tennis player. In his spare time he enjoys being a financial services attorney. Ryan’s current favorite quote is “If I show up to an appointment on time, I’m five minutes early.” |
|
Vice President, Special Events: Emily Miles Hanson
ballantyneptaevents@gmail.com Emily is mom to two amazing kids in the CMS school system. Hayden, her son, is in 8th grade at Community House Middle School and Kate is in 2nd grade at BES. She moved to Charlotte 8 years ago from Wilmington, North Carolina. She loves the beach and will take any opportunity to visit! She loves volunteering in her kids classrooms but really loves just being around the children. This is her second year on the BES PTA Board and we are so excited to have her back! |
|
|
Do want to learn more about our PTA organization? Click Here to view our Organization Chart and see who is responsible for what!
Do want to learn more about our Board and Committee Chair Roles and Responsibilities? Click Here!
