2021 - '23 Wisconsin PTA Board of Directors
President
Gena Kraemer
Gena Kraemer is a mother to three adult children, wife to one wonderful guy, and fur-mom to two cats and a spoiled golden retriever and occasionally will foster a fur-buddy who is between homes. She has lived and raised her children in West Allis, Wisconsin, where she began her PTA service in 2000 as a new kindergarten mom. She has served as Membership Chair, Reflections Chair, Secretary, and President at the Elementary, Intermediate, and High School levels, as well as, the 2nd Vice President and President of the WA-WM PTA Council. She joined the Wisconsin PTA Board of Directors as the Region F Advisor in 2017 and was elected President-Elect in 2019, serving two years before moving into the President’s role on July 1, 2021.
Vice President
Matthew John Rodriguez
My name is Matthew John Rodriguez. I am passionate about advocating with the highest intensity to achieve the PTA mission of creating a space for every child’s potential to become a reality. To foster a more collaborative, diverse, inclusive environment by looking at various options to help our members is one space I work in. I started as a local volunteer in many roles, and as VP at Mead Jr. High it was the first time, I realized there were more layers to the PTA. I met and sat next to Chuck Saylors the National PTA President Elect, at the Illinois State Convention, and he told me PTA is more than just a mom’s fundraising club. It was at that point that I realized I wanted to be a part of PTA’s true mission of advocating for all kids.
My current roles include: Wisconsin PTA Federal Legislation Chair, President of a statewide local unit, Treasurer of an Early Learning Center, National PTA Board Member, Parent Leader at National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), Chair of the Family and Community Engagement for the Illinois Governor’s Office, and many other roles. Current projects I am heading forward is the Safe Return To School Project, State support for 3 different states, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Project, and Leadership Development Team.
I have been blessed to have taken a variety of professional training such as the suite of Franklin Covey. Les Brown, John Maxwell Speaking and Training, as well as many others. I LOVE to uplift and empower others with the necessary tools to carry forward their vision. Among my best skills are connecting, listening, troubleshooting, and executing the plan. Among all of my awards and accolades I have received, I am most honored to be the 2016 Illinois Father of the Year, receive the Illinois Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation’s Community Service Award for my dedication to the community over these 20 years, and was the first Hispanic Male State President in 2015.
I appreciate your time and dedication to this exceptional association and look forward to meeting you all!
Treasurer
Heather Birk
Heather has been involved with PTA since 2014. She has served in both the treasurer and VP roles for local units and councils, and joined the state board in 2019 as an interim treasurer. In 2021 she was elected to serve a full term as treasurer for the WI PTA. She has a BA in accounting and works in the accounting field. Heather has 3 children and is actively involved with several other Wisconsin-based organizations advocating for access and acceptance of mental health care, increased programming and services for students with disabilities, and getting families seats at the tables where decisions are being made.
Secretary
Stacy Marszalkowski
My name is Stacy Marszalkowski. I was elected as the Secretary of WI PTA in 2021. For the previous 2 years I had been on the Board of Directors as the Region F Advisor and I am happy to continue that work. I’m a single mom to my 13-year old daughter who is active in sports and plays cello in the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra. I’ve been a Radiologic Technologist (fancy term for Xray Tech) for the last 19 years and have my boards in Xray, CT and MRI. I currently work full time at a Veterinary Hospital and take MRI call at a local human hospital. I’ve been active in PTA since 2013 when my daughter started 4K. I have previously held the position of Vice President at Irving Elementary in West Allis and Secretary at Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate School in West Allis. I’m looking to further my involvement with PTA by helping people realize that PTA is there to support our kids and their schools. It’s not the PTA of the past where all moms did was bake cookies and spend time in schools. PTA is for everyone, not just the moms. It’s what you as a parent or caregiver can put into PTA by volunteering, if you can, when you can, that helps support our mission of advocating for our kids and schools.
Immediate Past President
Heidi Nicolazzo
Heidi Nicolazzo joined the Board of Directors in 2015 as a seasoned PTA leader from Racine. She has served in many areas on the board including her years in the role of President from 2019 – ’21. She continues to serve as the immediate past president serving as the WALU President, Bylaws Chair, and guidance to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors as a whole. Locally, she continues to provide support on the Racine Council PTA as she is currently passing the reigns to the next President and staying on the board as Secretary.
Region Advisor
Ed Burns
Ed lives in the Fond du Lac area and has been on the Wisconsin PTA Board of Directors for more than 5 years as a Region Advisor assisting units throughout the Northeast area of Wisconsin.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Chair
Erica Christensen
“I’m Erica Christensen, and welcome to Wisconsin PTA. I am the newly added Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Chair. I started with PTA four years ago when my oldest son started kindergarten. Originally, I joined because, as a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to find ways to get involved and support not just my child but all of those at my son’s school and within the district. It was quickly obvious to me that we needed to lift our voices together to provide equitable – not just equal – to all children in our communities. Since my start, I’ve joined advisory councils for the school board and have worked to become a voice of hope. I focus my efforts with social justice in mind, working to integrate policies that support all children and families, promote equitable opportunities, and engage in supportive education on diversity and belonging. I look forward to this opportunity with Wisconsin PTA and to being a voice for our children.”
Technology Chair
Maggie Hintz
Maggie Hintz was appointed to the Technology Chair position in 2021. She has been a PTA member since 2006. She is a single mom of three sons who keep her busy in the West Allis West Milwaukee School district. She has volunteered for various positions, including local unit Treasurer at Lane Intermediate and Den Leader and Cubmaster for the local Boy Scouts of America. She enjoys reading, traveling and camping with friends and family.
Reflections Chair
Andi Krizan
Andi Krizan has served on the Wisconsin PTA board of directors for many, many years. She began her involvement in PTA when her children began school in West Allis, WI. She is now a proud grandmother living in the Fond du Lac school district. Andi is the Reflections & Brookmire Hastings Scholarship chair. Please reach out if you need any help with either of these, she is happy to help.
Leadership Chair
Daphne Leigh
Daphne Leigh has been a high school teacher for nearly 2 decades and an active PTA member since 2016, when her own children began school. She’s been a member, local unit secretary and president, and council president working within one of the largest PTA districts in the state. Daphne’s “PTA passions” include creating an environment that includes and supports all families as well as identifying and cultivating PTA leaders within the community.
Outside of the school building walls, you can find her enjoying her children’s sports and activities or reading a good book.
Convention Chair
Angelica Parra
Angelica comes to us from Illinois PTA. She has experience at the local and state level of Illinois PTA. She has the biggest heart and loves to plan events and generally help people. Angelica is our Convention Chair and our new Spanish-Speaking Region Advisor for the state of Wisconsin. If anyone has leaders or potential leaders on their board that prefer to communicate in Spanish, Angelica is your connection to Wisconsin PTA. Her latest project that she is working on is translating the local unit bylaws into Spanish. Thankfully, not only is she fluent in Spanish, she also has an education and experience as a paralegal.
