2023-2024 Executive Board

President
Kristi Hansen
president@dlepto.org

Vice President
Melissa DeLaGarza
vicepresident@dlepto.org

Secretary
Meri Sampson
secretary@dlepto.org

Treasurer
Fran Mays
treasurer@dlepto.org

Parliamentarian
Kharla Kendall
parliamentarian@dlepto.org

Student Activities
Shaina Karabin
studentactivities@dlepto.org

VIPS Coordinator
LaRoyshia McLaughlin
vips@dlepto.org

Staff Appreciation
Michelle Parada
staffappreciation@dlepto.org

Fundraising
Mattie Givens
fundraising@dlepto.org

Teacher Representative
Mary Beth Bajikar
mary.bajikar@fortbendisd.com

Publicity
Joshua Jenkins
publicity@dlepto.org

Educational Coordinator
Natasha Jackson
educationalcoordinator
@dlepto.org

Staff Appreciation Chair
Lauren Moore

Field Day Chair
Shannon Boyer

Palooza Chair
Whitney Powell

Boosterthon Chair
Melissa Williams

School Supplies Chair
Nicole Fabozzi

Spirit Night Chair
Christine Vest

Educational Enrichment Chair
Rochelle Hayes

Staff Appreciation Chair
Samantha Trate

Special Events Chair
Lenae Fowler

Spirit Store/Spirit Wear Chair
Rubi Reyes-Fuentez

School Store Chair
Janice Cruz

All Pro Dads Chair
Danny Boyer

5th Grade Promotion Chair
Ray Hollins

Shared Dreams Chair
Hollis Young

GLC/Room Parent Chair
Jennifer Penick

Graphic Design Chair
Stacy Radke

Pawprints Chair
Katie Vela

Social Media Chair
Alex Liston

Website Chair
Joshua Jenkins

Yearbook Chair
Jeanette Rios

• July 13, 2023 (Virtual)

• August 10, 2023 (Sawmill Lake Club)

• September 14, 2023 (Virtual)

• October 12, 2023

• November 9, 2023 (Virtual)

• December 7, 2023

• January 11, 2024 (Virtual)

• February 8, 2024

• March 7, 2024 (Virtual)

• April 11, 2024

• May 9, 2024 (Virtual)

kristi hansen

President

I am currently serving my second term as the DLE PTO President, and have enjoyed partnering with the teacher and parent communities, and helping to make Leonetti the best place to be! Our family moved to Sienna in 2017, after living abroad, and we have been a part of the Lion family since the school's inception. My husband, Jarin, and I have four children: Caden is a senior, and Alayna a sophomore at Ridge Point; Paisley and Charlee are at Leonetti, in 5th and 1st grade, respectively. My undergrad is in Sociology and Business Administration, and my graduate degree is in Organizational Leadership. Before staying home, I worked in the non-profit sector and have experience with a variety of educational and student needs, as well as fundraising, volunteer management and budgeting. Serving with the PTO has been extremely rewarding, and I’m blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful volunteers!

melissa de la garza

vice president

Along with our group of remarkable volunteers, I am eager to serve a second year as PTO Vice President. This will be my fifth year on PTO, and fourth on the PTO Board. My husband, Valdo, and I have been married for 15 years and are the parents of two boys, Augie (12) and Mac (8). I am a native of Missouri City / Sugar Land and didn’t travel far for college, graduating from the University of Houston with a degree in Education and Creative Writing. Outside of DLE, our family is involved at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church as well as activities where our kids participate. In our “free” time, Valdo and I can be found cheering on our boys in baseball, football, and basketball. Leonetti Elementary is an exceptional school! Volunteering on campus strengthens our students’ education and enhances their experiences at DLE. Parents have various opportunities to get involved at all levels of commitment.

Our school emerges as the leader of the pack with strong campus leadership, nurturing teachers who cultivate a foundation of learning for all students, dedicated support staff, and incredible students and families. DLE truly is the “Greatest Place to be!”

meri sampson

Secretary

I am excited to serve as the Secretary for the DLE PTO.  I am a mom of two boys; Will (6th grade) and Jack (3rd grade) and have been married to my hubby Kyle for 16 years. We have lived in Sienna for 12 years and both grew up in the Atlanta area. I graduated from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) with a Bachelor's degree in History.  Our family is very involved in the Houston rodeo and love everything the rodeo offers. 

I currently work for an healthcare software company and am so thankful to be able to work full time and serve on the PTO.  I’m excited to serve this year and look forward to the year ahead at DLE!

laroyshia mclaughlin

VIPS Coordinator

I am very excited that I get to serve as your DLE’s Volunteer Coordinator this school year. I really enjoy being a part of the Leonetti family. My husband and I moved to Sienna in 2019 and have been together for 23 years. We met in college at the University of Nevada Reno where I graduated with a degree in Psychology. I currently own my own professional organization business, named Organization Lab. I also work for a startup sports app as sports are such an intricate part of our lives. We have three very active children Tahlik 14, Nasir 7, and our baby Sadè is 5. They play football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, swim, and my husband even coach’s football. We spend most of our days/time running after them with their extracurricular activities. My absolute favorite thing to do is working out so I can eat, and be able to enjoy that dessert.

In this role I’m excited to get more DLE families involved in volunteering for our staff and helping with whatever their needs are. We have such an amazing staff and look forward to helping them out any way that I can. Look forward to working with many of you this year. 

michelle parada

staff appreciation

I will be serving on this years PTO board as the staff appreciation coordinator. This will be my first year on the PTO board and I am very excited to be a part of this wonderful group. I’m so grateful for all the staff at DLE and I can’t wait to show them how much they truly are appreciated. My husband Marvin and I have been married for 10 years and we have 2 daughters. Isla is in 4th grade and Mila is in kindergarten. We’ve lived in Sienna for 7 years and this will be our 3rd year at DLE. My husband and I are high school sweethearts. We both grew up in the Missouri City area and attended FBISD schools. In my free time I like to work out and spend time with family and friends. I am looking forward to a great year at the greatest place to be! 

shaina karabin

student activities coordinator

I am excited to start another year on the DLE PTO board as Student Activities Coordinator! I was born and raised in Southern Germany (Army Brat). After graduating HS in 2009 I moved to the US to attend the University of Alabama where I received my BS in Hospitality Management. I moved to Tennessee and met my husband, John, in 2012 while he was stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY, with the US Army. In 2014 we moved to New Jersey and had our two wonderful children, Kylee and Karter. After 7 years there we decided to make our last and final move to Texas! We've lived in Sienna 2 years now and absolutely love living in Texas. This year Kylee will be in 4th grade and Karter will be in 2nd grade. We also have 3 adorable little Yorkies, Pia, Shortie and Jaxx! This will be my 2nd year serving on the PTO board but my 3rd year at DLE. I previously volunteered as my son's Kindergarten Room Parent and my daughter’s 3rd grade Room Parent. I’m also a volunteer member with HLSR in the Corral Club – The Cantina Committee and the Houston Metro Go Texan Committee. When I am not lovingly chauffeuring my kids around to their various activities, I love to workout, decorate and craft in my free time. I am looking forward to all the fun and exciting things happening this year at Leonetti!!

Joshua jenkins

Publicity

I am truly excited to serve as the Publicity Coordinator for the 2023/2024 school year. My husband and I moved to Sienna in 2021.  We have a daughter in the first grade this year and another one that is 2 years old and will be a lion in no time at all. John and I love to travel whenever we can or visit our families that reside in Wisconsin and Tennessee.  I do work full time as a Business Development Account Director but love to volunteer on my free time as much as possible.  The staff at Leonetti school is so amazing, and I love being able to give back and help as much as I can.  The PTO has been a great way for me to get involved with the school and meet some absolutely amazing people I get to call my close friends.

mary beth bajikar

Teacher Representative

I am so excited to serve as the Teacher Representative this year! This will be my second-year teaching kindergarten at Leonetti but will be my 15th year teaching in early childhood education. I have two kiddos attending DLE, Paxton will be in kindergarten and Parker will be in third grade. My husband, Sameer, and I have been married for 9 years and moved here to Sienna from Charlottesville, VA in 2017. Our family loves to spend time outdoors, trying new restaurants, and cheering on Parker and Paxton in all their activities! I have worked at several schools over the years, but DLE is truly the best place to be! I am looking forward to a great school year!

NATASHA JACKSON

educational coordinator

I’m excited to serve as the Educational Coordinator for our DLE PTO Board this school year! This will be my 7th year as a PTO volunteer and I’ve served in various leadership roles on the PTO board at each school we’ve attended. Since our family arrived at DLE last year, I’ve been a Room Parent and also the 5th Grade Promotion Chair for our amazing PTO. 

I have been married to my best friend, Nygel, for 16 years and we have three boys - Mason (11) who is a 6th grader at Ronald Thornton Middle School, as well as Caden (9) and Gavin (7) who are in 4th grade and 2nd grade respectively at Leonetti. I attended the University of Oklahoma for undergrad and the University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy where I completed my PharmD. I currently work full time as a director in the area of hospice pharmacy.

In addition to my PTO work, I serve as the Vice President of Special Projects for the Fort Bend Education Foundation Auxiliary. Our family can usually be found supporting our boys at swim, soccer, basketball, coding/robotics, or an art show! Volunteering at our school and in our community fills my heart with so much joy. I’m honored to serve in this role supporting all DLE students, teachers, staff, and families. DLE is really the best place to be and I look forward to a fantastic year! 

Fran Mays

Treasurer

This will be my second year serving as the DLE PTO Treasurer, it is an honor to work alongside

this amazing team of volunteers. I have enjoyed being a part of the DLE community since it opened in 2017, as it truly is the greatest place to be! Our family has been in Sienna since 2005. My husband, Guy, and I have been married for 21 years and have 3 wonderful children: Greysen (14) is a freshman at RPHS; Graham (13) is an 8th grader at RTMS; Emery (9) is a 4th grader at DLE. I was an elementary teacher for 10 years; I have my undergrad in Elementary Education and my master’s degree in School Administration. Currently I enjoy working part-time as a substitute teacher and serving as treasurer. In my free time I enjoying hanging out with my family, spending time on the beach or helping out at school. I am looking forward to another amazing year!

KHARLA KENDALL

PARLIAMENTARIAN

The Kendall’s are comprised of husband, wife, 7th grader Amanda, 4th grader Agustin, and 1st grader Alonso and we love living in the Sienna Community. When we are not busy with extracurricular activities including sports, dancing, and music we love to visit the beach, go for bike rides, and hang out at the pool. Our family wouldn’t be complete without our furry family members Angel (cat) Mari-Luz (cat) and Roxy (Rottie). Proud to be apart of the Leonetti Family.

Mattie givens

fundraising coordinator

I am looking forward to serving as the Fundraising Chair for the DLE PTO. This will be my first year on the PTO Board. I am a mom of three: Kinsley (first grade), Kyle (age 4) and Collins (age 1), so I have quite a few years ahead at DLE! I have been married to my husband, Eric, for 10 years and we met in preschool Sunday school. I grew up in the Houston area and was excited to make it back to the area after graduating from Baylor University. 

I work full time in human resources and like to spend my free time with my kids, reading or going for runs around Sienna.