Karen Murphy, Co-President
I’m Karen Murphy (she/ her) and I am a parent of a seventh grader at JAMS and an eleventh grader at Hale. Originally from the East Coast, I have been out west for many years and really feel the most at home here in our corner of Seattle. I have been active in PTA/ PTSA for many years- in supporting roles, leadership and event planning. I am a cooperative preschool teacher and I also work in family support at a local elementary school.
Building supportive communities is a priority for me. I believe there is a place for everyone in PTSA and that every bit of volunteering makes a difference- from field trip volunteers, to lunch duty coverage, to helping to set up tables at a event, to bringing a new idea to a meeting- your participation matters. When we can show the students that we value their school, they feel a greater pride in it.
I look forward to working with the new JAMS leadership and PTSA board to build our community, foster our values and have a great year!
Jason Beardriel, Co-President
Liz Riggs Meder, Treasurer
I’m Liz Riggs Meder (she/ her), parent of a seventh grader. I run a music nonprofit here in Seattle and have contributed my nonprofit admin skills to our elementary PTA as a BLT parent representative and as secretary. I’m excited to play a more active role in the JAMS PTSA and support our community in keeping JAMS a rich and supportive educational space for all our kids.
Chelsea Shipp, Secretary
I was born and raised in Seattle, and I’m deeply familiar with and devoted to this corner of the world. I’m a Landscape Designer by profession and enjoy all things creative, especially gardening, art, and design. I’ve volunteered with PTAs over the years and am excited to become more involved at JAMS. I have two daughters (6th and 7th graders) Who are both proud Jaguars, and my son spent all of middle school here and is now a freshman at Roosevelt. I’m truly excited for the coming school year and look forward to getting to know more of our school community! -Chelsea Shipp