Raj Paul - President-elect
Raj has been active in gifted education for the past 8 years, including the last 3 years with GEAC. Last year, he focused on advocacy to make useful information and organizations available to GEAC parents and students. He and his wife Sunita live on English Hill and their daughter attended the Quest program at Einstein Elementary.
Jodi Gaertner - VP - Advocacy
Jodi Gaertner joined GEAC two years ago when her oldest son began the Quest program. He is now a third grader in the full-time program at Thoreau. Her youngest son is a kindergartener at Muir Elementary, their neighborhood school. Jodi attended the parenting classes sponsored by GEAC and appreciated having parenting peers who were facing some of the same joys and challenges of parenting a gifted child. She became active in GEAC to help increase awareness of some of those issues.
Mary Wictor - co-VP - Enhancement
Mary joined GEAC in 2000 and has been an active volunteer in LWSD at Smith, Alcott, Mead, and Kamiakin Jr High for Art, Reading, Science, and Math. Former worklife in computer science has provided skills and experience to help add to and enhance programs within elementary schools.
Her oldest son attends Full-Time Quest at Kamiakin Junior High (7-9), and formerly at Alcott Full-Time Quest (4-6), and Mead Enrichment Pull-Out Quest (2-3).
Second son is regular education at Inglewood Junior High (7th) coming from Mead (3-6) and Smith (K-2.)
Gretchen Colonius- co-VP - Enhancement
Gretchen Colonius joined GEAC last year when her children started attending Thoreau's Quest program after attending Carl Sandburg and Discovery Community Schools. She is active in GEAC as she feels it is a great way to support her children as they receive a very specialized education in the public schools. She has served as GEAC representative to Thoreau and assisted with the Enhancement Program. Prior to serving in the LWSD as a volunteer in math, science, reading and the herbicide-free programs, Gretchen was a pediatric occupational therapist.
"Our children's education is continually evolving, and our district has embraced a cooperative situation where we as parents and community members can help guide the education our children receive. Join us!"
Pam McBain - Co-VP - Outreach
Pam joined GEAC in 2006 and has a fourth grader in pull-out Quest at Mead Elementary (Dickinson home school), a first grader at Dickinson Elementary and a preschooler. Pam became more involved after attending GEAC's parent education class and meeting a variety of helpful resources through GEAC.
Angel Averman - Co-VP - Outreach
Although Angel's children are no longer enrolled in the Quest program, she continues to serve on the Outreach Committee to encourage other parents to join GEAC. Since 1999, her children have attended Einstein, Redmond Junior Hight and the Ben Rush EPO Quest Programs.