PTO Board
The Bishop School PTO is a registered non-profit 501(3)(c) organization, with elected officers. Elections are held in June for the following school year. Board Members have two-year terms.
Christina Marko
Co-President (2nd year)
Christina and her husband, Mike, are the parents of Madeleine, who is a second grader at Bishop. Originally from Missouri, Christina moved to Boston in 2006, and after meeting Mike playing in an adult kickball league on Cambridge Common, has never left. She earned her PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Kansas Medical School and currently works as the Scientific Communications Manager and Research Assistant to the Chief and Chair at Harvard Ophthalmology/Mass Eye and Ear. In her free time, Christina enjoys playing fantasy football, traveling, and cheering on the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks. She has enjoyed the past year serving on the PTO Board and is looking forward to continuing to support teachers, staff, students, and families in the Bishop community during the 2020-21 school year.
Please contact Christina at ckaisermarko@gmail.com.
Laura Tikonoff
Co-President (1st year)
Laura is mom to William, a third grader, and twin daughters, Elizabeth and Emily, who are first graders at Bishop. Laura and her husband, Matt, met at Boston College and married in 2005. They have lived in Arlington since 2008. Laura works part-time as a Physical Therapist at MGH. She was the PTO's Room Parent Coordinator for the past two years and looks forward to continuing to support the Bishop Community in this new role. In her free time, Laura likes to run, read, bake, be outdoors and have fun with family and friends.
Please contact Laura at laura.tikonoff@gmail.com.
David Brecht
Co-Treasurer (2nd year)
David and his wife Epp have lived in Arlington since 2010. They have a son in 7th grade (Teddy), a son in 5th grade (Tristan), and a daughter in 1st grade (Tess). David earned his BA from Boston College and MA in International Relations from Tufts/Fletcher School. In his early career, David taught middle school Math in Houston and served as a Peace Corps English teacher in Estonia. He is currently a healthcare bond analyst at Amundi Pioneer Investments in Boston. At the mid-point of his expected 12-year Bishop experience, David is excited to be joining the PTO Board.
Please contact David at taavi4598@gmail.com.
Kyle Chiang
Co-Treasurer (1st year)
Kyle and his wife, Mary, are parents to Lucas (3rd grade) and Sammy (1st grade). Kyle grew up on Long Island and spent 17 years in San Diego studying and starting his career in the biotech industry. He earned a BS in biochemistry and cell biology from UC San Diego and a PhD from the Scripps Research Institute where he met Mary. They moved to the Boston area in 2017, settling in Arlington in 2018. He is currently COO of LogicBio Therapeutics, a company developing genetic medicines for rare pediatric disorders. In his free time Kyle enjoys sports, hiking, camping, playing music with his kids, and beating them at hockey (for now), and is looking forward to serving the community through the PTO board.
Please contact Kyle at kyle.chiang@gmail.com.
Tai Sokoloff
Fundraising Coordinator (1st year)
Tai and her husband, Dan, are the parents of Nate and Ben, who are in third and first grade, respectively. She earned her BA from the University of Virginia, and worked in financial services before a career change into the fundraising and marketing world. Tai and Dan moved to Massachusetts in 2011, after a 5 year stint in Australia. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and traveling. Tai has been an active volunteer on the Bishop Green Team, and she is excited to join the Bishop PTO.
Please contact Tai at tai.sokoloff@gmail.com.
Amanda Maltais
Communications Coordinator (1st year)
Amanda and her husband Jacques are the parents of Nicolas in 5th grade and Sam in 3rd grade. Amanda is a preschool teacher at Sunshine Nursery School in Arlington, and up until recently, a member of the Lexington Community Farm Board of Directors serving from 2014-2020. Since joining the Bishop community 5 years ago, Amanda has been an active volunteer. She has helped with the Bishop Garden, the Bishop Play, as a room parent, as well as various other school events. In her free time, Amanda enjoys gardening, reading, walking, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Olive. She is looking forward to joining the PTO Board.
Please contact Amanda at aemaltais@gmail.com.
Neshe Gafuri
Recording Secretary (2nd year)
Neshe and her husband, Kourosh, are the parents of Danial, who is a second-grader at Bishop. Neshe is originally from Kosovo. She came to Massachusetts in 2000 because she was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to study as an undergraduate student at UMASS Amherst. After completing her undergraduate degree in Economics, she continued to pursue her graduate studies at UNH Durham, where she obtained her MA in Health Economics and MS in Statistics. There, she also met her husband, at the Mathematics department. Neshe, currently works for the Executive Office of Health and Human Service/MassHealth in Boston as a statistician in the Office of Behavioral Health. Her hobbies are indoor rock climbing and yoga. Neshe is very excited to join the PTO Board and is looking forward to supporting the Bishop community through the PTO.
Please contact Neshe at neshe.gafuri@state.ma.us.
Lindsay Sweeney
Class Parent Coordinator (1st year)
Lindsay and her husband Herb are the parents of Bishop students Jackson in 5th grade, and Briannah in 1st grade. Lindsay grew up in Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor degree in Graphic Design from Penn State. She's lived with Herb in the Boston area since graduation, and worked for 10 years as a magazine designer. Lindsay has been a room parent, ran the Original Works program last year, and helps out with banners and posters too. Lindsay and her family enjoy skiing, traveling, and beach days. She is excited to meet new Bishop families and get more involved in the Bishop community!
Please contact Lindsay at lindsay_sweeney4@gmail.com.
Christina Marko
Co-President (2nd year)
Christina and her husband, Mike, are the parents of Madeleine, who is a second grader at Bishop. Originally from Missouri, Christina moved to Boston in 2006, and after meeting Mike playing in an adult kickball league on Cambridge Common, has never left. She earned her PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Kansas Medical School and currently works as the Scientific Communications Manager and Research Assistant to the Chief and Chair at Harvard Ophthalmology/Mass Eye and Ear. In her free time, Christina enjoys playing fantasy football, traveling, and cheering on the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks. She has enjoyed the past year serving on the PTO Board and is looking forward to continuing to support teachers, staff, students, and families in the Bishop community during the 2020-21 school year.
Please contact Christina at ckaisermarko@gmail.com.
Laura Tikonoff
Co-President (1st year)
Laura is mom to William, a third grader, and twin daughters, Elizabeth and Emily, who are first graders at Bishop. Laura and her husband, Matt, met at Boston College and married in 2005. They have lived in Arlington since 2008. Laura works part-time as a Physical Therapist at MGH. She was the PTO's Room Parent Coordinator for the past two years and looks forward to continuing to support the Bishop Community in this new role. In her free time, Laura likes to run, read, bake, be outdoors and have fun with family and friends.
Please contact Laura at laura.tikonoff@gmail.com.
David Brecht
Co-Treasurer (2nd year)
David and his wife Epp have lived in Arlington since 2010. They have a son in 7th grade (Teddy), a son in 5th grade (Tristan), and a daughter in 1st grade (Tess). David earned his BA from Boston College and MA in International Relations from Tufts/Fletcher School. In his early career, David taught middle school Math in Houston and served as a Peace Corps English teacher in Estonia. He is currently a healthcare bond analyst at Amundi Pioneer Investments in Boston. At the mid-point of his expected 12-year Bishop experience, David is excited to be joining the PTO Board.
Please contact David at taavi4598@gmail.com.
Kyle Chiang
Co-Treasurer (1st year)
Kyle and his wife, Mary, are parents to Lucas (3rd grade) and Sammy (1st grade). Kyle grew up on Long Island and spent 17 years in San Diego studying and starting his career in the biotech industry. He earned a BS in biochemistry and cell biology from UC San Diego and a PhD from the Scripps Research Institute where he met Mary. They moved to the Boston area in 2017, settling in Arlington in 2018. He is currently COO of LogicBio Therapeutics, a company developing genetic medicines for rare pediatric disorders. In his free time Kyle enjoys sports, hiking, camping, playing music with his kids, and beating them at hockey (for now), and is looking forward to serving the community through the PTO board.
Please contact Kyle at kyle.chiang@gmail.com.
Tai Sokoloff
Fundraising Coordinator (1st year)
Tai and her husband, Dan, are the parents of Nate and Ben, who are in third and first grade, respectively. She earned her BA from the University of Virginia, and worked in financial services before a career change into the fundraising and marketing world. Tai and Dan moved to Massachusetts in 2011, after a 5 year stint in Australia. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and traveling. Tai has been an active volunteer on the Bishop Green Team, and she is excited to join the Bishop PTO.
Please contact Tai at tai.sokoloff@gmail.com.
Amanda Maltais
Communications Coordinator (1st year)
Amanda and her husband Jacques are the parents of Nicolas in 5th grade and Sam in 3rd grade. Amanda is a preschool teacher at Sunshine Nursery School in Arlington, and up until recently, a member of the Lexington Community Farm Board of Directors serving from 2014-2020. Since joining the Bishop community 5 years ago, Amanda has been an active volunteer. She has helped with the Bishop Garden, the Bishop Play, as a room parent, as well as various other school events. In her free time, Amanda enjoys gardening, reading, walking, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Olive. She is looking forward to joining the PTO Board.
Please contact Amanda at aemaltais@gmail.com.
Neshe Gafuri
Recording Secretary (2nd year)
Neshe and her husband, Kourosh, are the parents of Danial, who is a second-grader at Bishop. Neshe is originally from Kosovo. She came to Massachusetts in 2000 because she was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to study as an undergraduate student at UMASS Amherst. After completing her undergraduate degree in Economics, she continued to pursue her graduate studies at UNH Durham, where she obtained her MA in Health Economics and MS in Statistics. There, she also met her husband, at the Mathematics department. Neshe, currently works for the Executive Office of Health and Human Service/MassHealth in Boston as a statistician in the Office of Behavioral Health. Her hobbies are indoor rock climbing and yoga. Neshe is very excited to join the PTO Board and is looking forward to supporting the Bishop community through the PTO.
Please contact Neshe at neshe.gafuri@state.ma.us.
Lindsay Sweeney
Class Parent Coordinator (1st year)
Lindsay and her husband Herb are the parents of Bishop students Jackson in 5th grade, and Briannah in 1st grade. Lindsay grew up in Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor degree in Graphic Design from Penn State. She's lived with Herb in the Boston area since graduation, and worked for 10 years as a magazine designer. Lindsay has been a room parent, ran the Original Works program last year, and helps out with banners and posters too. Lindsay and her family enjoy skiing, traveling, and beach days. She is excited to meet new Bishop families and get more involved in the Bishop community!
Please contact Lindsay at lindsay_sweeney4@gmail.com.