Meet the PTA Executive Board
Jeanette Woodward, President
Hi Barnard families! I am honored to serve as your PTA President in our family’s final year at Barnard. I have previously served as Read-a-Thon Co-Chair, Vice President, President, and Gala Co-Chair. My daughter started at Barnard with Kindergarten virtual learning and is now in 5th grade. Thanks to our dedicated teachers and PTA-sponsored resources, she is thriving academically and able to read, write, speak, and communicate with relatives in Mandarin Chinese!
My day job is helping companies recruit accounting/finance professionals. In my free time, I try to enjoy all that San Diego has to offer. You might see us at a farmers market, Sea World, or the beach! I love traveling and exploring new places. My favorites so far are Italy and Taiwan!
I look forward to meeting you and welcome your ideas or feedback for the PTA!
Amy Bard, Vice President
My name is Amy Bard and I am a Los Angeles native (626 area code) who transplanted to San Diego for college and never left. I have one daughter, Audrey, who is in 2nd grade this year. She loves it at Barnard and we are so lucky she gets to have a bilingual education.
To pay the bills, I am a corporate attorney, but I’d really much rather be volunteering at the school 🙂 Some of my hobbies include cooking, traveling, walking my dogs, and shopping at Costco.
I am so excited to serve on this year’s Barnard PTA as your Vice President. This will be my second year on the board and I look forward to all the great things I know we will accomplish this year!
Kent Lee, Treasurer
Hello Barnard families! My name is Kent Lee and this is my third year on the PTA Board – second serving as your Treasurer. I previously served as Parliamentarian. Our daughter is in 2nd grade and our son is in Kindergarten. Our family chose Barnard especially for the sense of community in addition to all the unique learning experiences and opportunities.
Outside of school, we love to stay engaged in the community, take trips to Legoland, and spend time at our local parks and playgrounds.
We look forward to a great school year and to meeting new Barnard families along the way!
Ansel Herz, Secretary
Hello everyone, we are new to San Diego and new to Barnard. 2024-2025 was our first year here and we have loved every minute of it. My son Avi, who is entering second grade, raves about his school. We feel so fortunate to have found Barnard and we want to give back so that every student can make the most of this special school.
My background is in journalism and government and I’m honored to serve as Secretary on the Executive Board. I look forward to further building upon the fantastic work of this PTA in the coming year!
Elsa Leon, Financial Reviewer
Hello, I’m Elsa! This is my fourth year serving on the PTA Board. I served two years as Treasurer and this is my second year serving as Financial Reviewer. I am originally from Mexicali, Mexico.
I have three girls – in 7th, 6th and 2nd grade. This is my seventh year as a Barnard parent, as my eldest two are Barnard graduates. My family and I enjoy spending our free time on road trips, going to the beach, visiting family in Mexico, and playing around our beautiful San Diego area.
Mary Mallinson, Historian
Hello Barnard Panda Families,
Hello, I’m Mary and this is my first year serving on the PTA board. My family and I are so glad to have found this community. As a new family of five, we are excited to continue our children’s education at Barnard and give them an opportunity to learn another language. Our eldest is entering 2nd grade and our middle kiddo joins Barnard in TK this fall. We can’t wait to see what this school year holds for our students and families. I think it’s really important for a people to feel part of the school so please don’t be surprised if I approach you throughout the year and ask you how things are going.
If we’re not at a Barnard event, our family enjoys exploring our beautiful city, going to the zoo, and checking out new parks! Here is to a great school year. Go Pandas!
Grace Yu, Parliamentarian
Curious about Grace? Stay tuned!
John Cox, Barnard Annual Giving (BAG) Chair
Greetings Barnard Families! I’m John Cox and honored to serve my first year on the board as your BAG fundraising chair. My son Hudson will be in the 3rd grade and my daughter Amara will be entering 1st grade. We have made San Diego our home for 5 years and love being part of such an amazing community.
I grew up in Asia most of my life between Taiwan (where I was born), Hong Kong, and Singapore. I’m thrilled that my children are learning about Asian culture and language in such a positive, encouraging environment. As a family, we love camping, the beach, traveling, and food! In my day job, I own a digital marketing agency and love using new tools and software to overengineer extravagant solutions to very simple problems.
Jackie Fremgen, Jog-a-Thon Chair
Hi Barnard Friends and Family! I’m excited to serve on the Barnard PTA Board as the Jog-a-thon chair for the second year. I have a second grader who loves Barnard and has been here since TK. I also have a TKer who is excited to follow his brother’s footsteps.
I grew up in Hong Kong and have been living in San Diego ever since my undergraduate days at UCSD. Our family feels privileged for our boys to have a bilingual education in San Diego, just like I did in Hong Kong. We look forward to another wonderful year of great memories at Barnard and meeting new families along the way!
Want to volunteer for a PTA committee? Find out how.
