NPTO BOARD
The board of directors is made up of Nettelhorst parents and teachers who provide leadership and chair specific functions such as fundraising, communications, and events. Board members serve two-year terms and meet on the second Tuesday of every month.
Anne Dodge
President
Board duties: Leads board efforts and collaborates with Nettelhorst leadership and the Local School Council to fulfill school needs
Students: Janie (7th), Freddie (4th)
Day job: Director of Business Development, Second Muse
Contact: presidentnpto@nettelhorst.org
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Seema Radhakrishnan
Vice President
Board duties: Leads board efforts and collaborates with Nettelhorst leadership and the Local School Council to fulfill school needs.
Students: Lila (7th) and Maya (7th)
Day job: Affordable Housing Policy Advisor, Fannie Mae
Contact: presidentnpto@nettelhorst.org
Wayne Miller
Treasurer
Board duties: Tracks revenues and expenditures, pays expenses, and prepares financial statements
Students: Andrew (3rd)
Day job: M&A Tax Advisor, KPMG
Contact: treasurertnpto@nettelhorst.org
Tim Whitney
Assistant Treasurer
Board duties: Reconciles the NPTO's spending and fundraising every month
Students: Sophia (4th), Bill (K)
Day job: Senior Director, Slalom Build
Contact: treasurertnpto@nettelhorst.org
Matty Eyler
Secretary
Board duties: Creates meeting agendas and takes minutes to create records of NPTO meetings
Student: Maverick (K)
Day job: Stay-at-home mom
Shannon Fitzgerald
Fundraising Co-Chair
Board duties: Leads Helping Hands, Stallion Stampede, and other fundraising campaigns to fulfill school needs.
Students: Foster (1st)
Day job: Associate Director of Development, Blessings in a Backpack
Contact: fundraisingnpto@nettelhorst.org
Marc Frost
Fundraising Co-Chair
Board duties: Leads Helping Hands, Stallion Stampede, and other fundraising campaigns to fulfill school needs.
Students: Benjamin (4th), Alexander (1st)
Day job: Managing Artistic Director, Theater Unspeakable
Contact: fundraisingnpto@nettelhorst.org
Christina Hayford
Community Events Co-Chair
Board duties: Organizes community events for Nettelhorst families and staff
Student: Oliver (1st)
Day job: Senior Research Data Analyst, Northwestern University
Contact:
Jessica Zadaka
Community Events Co-Chair
Board duties: Organizes community events for Nettelhorst families and staff
Students: Gideon (1st), Aaron (K)
Day job: Senior HR Manager, Redox
Contact:
communityeventsnpto@nettelhorst.org
Kim Weisensee Brown
Communications Co-Chair
Board duties: Writes and distributes the NPTO's biweekly newsletter
Student: McCord (K)
Day job: CMO, Darley
Contact:
Erika Olson
Communications Co-Chair
Board duties: Manages the NPTO website
Students: Desmond (6th), Summer (3rd)
Day job: Freelance writer, content strategist and movie reviewer
Contact:
Anne and her family: Freddie, Janie and Gordon
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Friends,
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Hi, and welcome to Nettelhorst! Whether you're a new or returning family, I'm so glad you're here. I hope to meet all of you in person at drop-off or one of our NPTO get-togethers this year.
As most of you know, the NPTO is the non-profit "friends" group of Nettelhorst that raises money, builds community, and provides a connection to teachers, families, and the East Lakeview community. Our board members are all parents of current students; most of us work in some way out in the world (in addition to the *very real work* of raising families), and our time on the NPTO is volunteered.
But to zoom out on this whole thing for a second, some people ask, rightly so, why do we need to raise money for a public school? I already pay taxes and school fees. Why do you keep asking for more? Some people also ask, is it right to raise all this money in a neighborhood where the families already have so much?
The answer to both questions is, no, we shouldn't have to do this. No one should. It's not right, or even smart, for our society to push the responsibility for its future onto institutions like public schools and then fail to resource them appropriately. And yet, that’s our reality right now.
Our school is one of the luckiest in the city. Not only do we have fantastic leadership, but a neighborhood full of families fortunate enough to invest time, money, or both in their public school. I would never ask you to give to Nettelhorst at the expense of other causes; the activism and compassion of our community are part of what makes it so incredible.
Just know that when you support the education of our children in a place like Nettelhorst, with its culture of inclusion, you help create young people who will take those values out into the world – and change it for the better.
Yours with gratitude,
Anne Dodge