Ben Franklin Elementary PTA

Co-President: Heather Vandenberg, president@mybenfranklinpta.org 

This is my 4th year on the board and 6th year at Ben Franklin. I have a 5th & 2nd grader at the school and more often than not you will find my crafting away on one project or another. I’m passionate about giving back to our community and have tried a plethora of roles, but my favorite is event planning as I enjoy bringing our community together. The PTA has given me the opportunity to connect with so many parents, students and staff over the years, when our paths might not have crossed otherwise, and those connections are priceless.

Co-President: Astrid Staneff, president@mybenfranklinpta.org

This is my 2nd year on the board.  I have a 2nd grader at the school and her younger sister will join her next year.  I truly feel fortunate to have found such a welcoming community here at Ben Franklin and I hope I can help extend that to other families.  Being around all the happy and laughing students and watching them grow has been incredibly uplifting and an honor.  I look forward to a wonderful year working with you all!

Co-Treasurer: Lakshmi Kuduganti, treasurer@mybenfranklinpta.org

I am Lakshmi Kuduganti and this is my first time on the Ben Franklin PTSA board. Excited to be a part of the largest child advocacy organization in the community and looking to see how I can make a difference. I have two boys (Zubin- 9) and Zian (5.5) who would love to be active in the Franklin community as much as we do:).

VP Communications: Sinan Ussakli, communications@mybenfranklinpta.org

Sinan has 2 children Batu (1st) and Duru (4th). When he has time left from his busy engineering job, he always tries to find some new ways to give back to community. He believes communication is a key aspect of improving relations between communities, so he uses this as an excuse to spam people's inboxes. He always have some tricks in his sleeve, be careful.

VP Education: Sheila Van Bergen, education@mybenfranklinpta.org

I am excited to join the Ben Franklin community this year.  I have two kids, Brinkley (graduate) and Evelyn (4th grade). We are new to the Kirkland area and recently moved from the East Coast.  We love hiking, exploring new areas, and watching sporting events (especially our Clemson Tigers)! I look forward to supporting our teachers, students, and parents. 

VP After-School Enrichment:  Luke Johnson, afterschool@mybenfranklinpta.org

 Luke is excited to join the PTA Board this year!  Looking forward to making the best of the schools continued growth for afterschool enrichment. His two kids are at Ben Franklin, in 2nd and 4th grade.  

VP Health & Wellness: OPEN POSITION, health@mybenfranklinpta.org

VP School Support: Emily Sorensen, schoolsupport@mybenfranklinpta.org 

This is Emily's fifth year on the PTA board. Emily has a 4th grader at Franklin, and and a middle schooler. As an Australian expat, she is passionate about building a strong, supportive community for our Franklin families from all over the world, and as a former teacher, she's keen to support our school staff in any way possible. 

VP Special Events: Sim Nguyen, events@mybenfranklinpta.org

I'm loving it!

I have two children, Ashton (2nd) and Beckett (joining Ben Franklin next year). I am excited to lead our fundraising efforts to provide the resources to help build an enriching school environment through the PTA.  Let's have a great year!