PTO Board Members
Maggie McCarty - Co-President
Maggie McCarty is mom to two 5th grade Otters, Iris and Lucy, and she and her family have been proud members of the Otter community since her kids started at Van Ness in PK3. Maggie has been a member of the PTO Board for the past five years, and before that, she served on the LSAT. Outside of her Otter work, Maggie co-leads a Girl Scout Troop and works at the Library of Congress.
Brandy McCarthy - Co-President
Bio coming soon!
Kelsey Gaston - Co-Vice President
Kelsey Gaston is excited to serve as PTO Co-Vice President, and bring her passion for public education to the Van Ness Elementary community. Kelsey is a proud parent of a new kindergartener, and is excited to explore DC with her family after their recent cross-country relocation. Stepping into this side of a PTO is an exciting change, as Kelsey taught in public schools for 17 years and knows first hand how valuable a strong PTO is for a community. You can reach Kelsey directly via email: kelsey@vannesselementary.org
Myya Seldon - Co-Vice President
Myya Seldon is the PTO Vice President and Assistant, Strategy & Logistics (ASL) at Van Ness. She is mom to a fourth grade Otter (Giselle) and an Otter alum (Paris) at Jefferson Academy Middle School. Her family has proudly been at Van Ness since 2016. She has been an active part of our school’s community and also serves as Chair on the 2024-2025 LSAT. Myya also owns a creative marketing agency.
Stephanie Nelson - Treasurer
Stephanie Nelson is the treasurer of the Van Ness PTO and proud parent of Peter and Patrick Campbell (3rd and 2nd, respectively). When not chasing her kids on the playground or organizing her pantry, Stephanie works as an independent consultant, helping clients get unstuck and sort through messy problems. She is thrilled to be on the PTO again this year!
Maquita Alexander - Staff Board Member
Maquita Alexander is the principal of Van Ness Elementary School. Prior to joining DCPS, Ms. Alexander served as the Executive Director at Washington Yu Ying PCS, the only Chinese Immersion International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program school in Washington DC. Washington Yu Ying is a high performing, inquiry-based school with a highly diverse student body. Yu Ying opened in the fall of 2008. Under Ms. Alexander’s leadership, Yu Ying became one of the most sought-after schools in the District of Columbia with its standardized test scores in the top 10% citywide year after year.
Ms. Alexander has over twenty-eight years of teaching and administrative experience, including fifteen years in the Fairfax County Public School system, seven of which she served as an elementary school teacher. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Technology Leadership from George Washington University, a Master of Teaching in Elementary Education from Virginia Commonwealth University, and an administrative certification in Curriculum and Administration from George Mason University.
Asia West - Member
Asia has served on the PTO board for 4 years building strong relationships within our Van Ness family. As a proud parent of Logan (4th grade) and Morgan (2nd grade), she is passionate about creating a positive and engaging environment for all students. With experience in financial management, education and creative projects, Asia is committed to fostering collaboration and innovative ideas within the PTO. She looks forward to working with fellow parents and staff to enhance our children's educational experience and strengthen our community.
Melinda Holly - Staff Board Member
Melinda Holly has been teaching music at Van Ness for 4 years and this is her 15th year as a public school music educator. She holds a BA and MA in music education from West Chester University and Montclair State University, respectively. A vocal music specialist, Melinda has also taught general music classes that integrate world music studies, social justice, and cultural responsive pedagogy. At her previous school she led school-wide musical productions and world culture exhibitions, which she instituted. In 2019, she had the opportunity to teach English and drama abroad in Yuncheng, China. Outside the classroom, she enjoys teaching private instrumental music lessons to children of all ages. Melinda aims to leverage arts education and the language of music towards realizing the social, emotional, and intellectual growth of all students. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, baking, and spending time in nature with her family.
Maya Baum - Staff Board Member
Maya Baum has been teaching in DC for 9 years. She spent 6 years teaching 4th grade at Thomson ES in DCPS. Maya moved to the DC area (Silver Spring) from Davis, California at the age of 10. She got her masters in teaching from Clark University in Massachusetts but the cold was too much so she moved back home to D.C and has been here ever since! In her spare time Maya loves to read, puzzle, box, explore new places, walk around the city, and dance! She believes in the power of community building and helping to empower her students in becoming life long learners.
Portia Trice - Member
My name is Portia (Judy) Trice, mother of 3rd grade Otter, Skylah Trice. This is my 5th year as a parent at Van Ness ES and 2nd year as a PTO board member. My role on the PTO board is to plan, organize, and execute activities/events for our Otter Teachers and staff members. My goal is to ensure that our Otter staff feel valued and appreciated for all of the hard work they commit to on a daily basis to support our loving Otters !
Scott Currie - Member
As the son and grandson of elementary school teachers, Scott is excited to support our amazing teachers and give back to the Van Ness Elementary School community. Originally from Michigan, he has called DC home since 2000. Scott has otters in kindergarten and second grade. On weekends, you can find the Curries riding bikes around the Navy Yard and Capitol Hill in search of burgers and ice cream.
Yakita Sanders - Member
Bio coming soon!