Tap each Board member’s name to see more information.
Co-Presidents
Lauren Polite ▾

Barbara Kern ▾

Co-Presidents-Elects
Angela Cobb ▾

Lena Jessen ▾

Lena Jessen has three kids at Lab all of whom started in N3 – a son in 3rd grade, a daughter in 5th grade and a daughter in 9th grade. Lena grew up in Carlsbad, NM, moved to Dallas for college (after a brief stint in Connecticut), came to the University of Chicago for graduate school and never left town. Despite preferring sun and warmth to grey and cold, she and her family are happy to make Chicago and Hyde Park home. During the week, she and the family can been spotted shuttling between school, South Side Fire soccer on the Midway ballet at Hyde Park Dance, karate at Enso Studio, and piano on the North side. Weekends are full of museum visits and backyard time. Please stop in if you hear us playing outside. We would love to have you. If you have any questions or concerns about Middle School, please reach out to Lena.
Treasurer
Rupert Vaughn ▾

Rupert joined the Lab community in 2014, when his twin boys, Xavier and Dominic, transferred in as first graders. This is Rupert’s first term with the PA, though he has been a room parent and has served as a Lab volunteer in other capacities. Outside of Lab, Rupert volunteers at Ronald McDonald House every week, and cooks dinners for the RMH monthly. He lives with his wife, Sherry, in the Bridgeport neighborhood, and spends as much time as he can cooking, reading, gardening, hiking and generally puttering around at the family’s log cabin in rural Indiana. Please contact Rupert with any questions about the PA treasury.
Treasurer-Elect
Abundio Rodriguez ▾

Many may agree that the University of Chicago’s distinct intellectual environment of rigorous inquiry depends upon diversity of perspectives and experiences among those who compose it. We, as part of this great University, through our children’s eyes, have affirmed this charge, by collaborating side by side with men and women, members of many races, and those part of a wide range of religious and economic backgrounds. Being outnumbered by women in his own home, Abundio is thoughtful of his daughters’ own citizenship and independent thinking, and he is compelled to use their and the voice of his own experiences to inspire creative outside-the-box thinking as he works together with you to support our children’s education. Abundio and his wife, Elizabeth, are the proud parents of Liv (5th Grade), Sophie (3rd Grade), and Eli (K). Please reach out to Abundio with any questions or concerns.
Secretary
Mariana Ingersoll ▾

Mariana and her husband, Paul, have three high school sons, two of them at Lab. Mariana has been an avid volunteer at Lab for many years. She has been a room parent, a volunteer at Rites of May and other festivals, a Connections Co-Chair, as well as a founding member of the parents group LASO (Latin American Spanish Organization). Mariana is also a trustee board member of High Jump, an organization working to expand the accessibility of our academic enrichment program to talented and motivated middle school students with limited family income. In her free time, Mariana enjoys playing tennis, and gardening.
Secretary-Elect
Zainab Baig ▾

Zainab is a practicing physician. She has an 8th grader at Lab, and a freshman in college. At Lab, Zainab has served as a mentor to new families, hosted neighborhood socials and volunteered at PA/faculty events. She has previously been on the board of an independent K-8 school, chaired the school auction and capital campaign. As part of the HS Council, Zainab hopes to bring her passion and commitment for the Lab community to support students, teachers and the administration to the fullest extent possible. Please email Zainab with any questions.
Communications Coordinator
Patty Jones ▾

Patty has three children at Lab: a daughter in 11th grade, a daughter in sixth grade, and a son in 2nd grade. They have been a Lab family since 2006. Patty has been a room parent, tour guide, volunteered for Connections, Rites of May, Multilingual Storytime, and is a founding member of LASO (Latin American Spanish Organization). This is her seventh year serving on the PA Board, and her sixth year involved with PA Communications. Patty was born and raised in Panama, and grew up bilingual and bicultural. Patty is a co-chair of the Mad Hatters, a children’s improv storytelling troupe that performs throughout Chicago, promoting reading and children’s literacy. She and her husband Andrew serve as Resident Deans for Burton-Judson Courts, a dorm for undergraduates at the University of Chicago. Please reach out to Patty with any questions, concerns, or suggestions about the P.A., Lab, and P.A. communications.
Co-Communications Coordinator-Elect
Melissa McMahill ▾

Melissa has a daughter in 5th grade, and a son in 2nd grade. Melissa has served as room parent and volunteered in multiple classroom and school events. She grew up in Minneapolis and went to college in Colorado. After school, she moved to Manhattan and then finally to Chicago for graduate school where she met her husband, who works at the U of C Medical Center. They live in Kenwood and enjoy being part of the Lab School and Hyde Park communities. Please email Melissa with any questions–she’d love to hear from you.
Samreen Imami ▾

Samreen joined the Lab community in 2017, when her daughter, Sanaa, started at U-High as a freshman. Since then, she has been involved at Lab in a number of volunteer opportunities. Outside of Lab, her volunteer experiences include serving on the Avery Coonley School parent board, chairing many fundraising events and projects, and designing the catalog for the annual ACS auction. She is also part of the Chicago Alumni Chapter at Columbia College, where she volunteers her time for events and mentoring opportunities for college students. In addition, she has worked on several community building and service events with the Muslim Women’s Alliance. Samreen’s professional background includes more than a decade of experience in marketing, communications, multimedia design, and teaching. When she is not working or volunteering, Samreen enjoys reading, painting, mountain biking, Spinning, and yoga.
High School Council
Cindy Marchessault ▾

Cindy has a 10th grade son and 8th grade daughter at Lab, both here since N3. Aside from having volunteered for many of the PA’s annually sponsored events Cindy has served on the Lower School Council, provided Admissions tours for over a decade, chaired the 5th grade yearbook project for several years, and has mentored many new Lab families. As part of the HS Council, Cindy looks forward to helping support parents, students, faculty, and our new HS Principal, Paul Beekmeyer, throughout the year. She is especially passionate about helping rising 9th grade families and HS families new to Lab have as smooth a transition year as possible. Outside of Lab, Cindy is a practicing Genealogist and house historian. Please feel welcome to reach out to Cindy with any questions about the High School or the PA’s High School Council.
Chris McGowen ▾

Chris has a Senior and an 8th grader at Lab, and a college freshman who recently graduated from Walter Payton. This is the Chris’ family 12th year at Lab. In Chris’ twelve years at Lab, he has served as a Room Parent, Tour Guide, Lab Board Member, co-chaired Lab’s Development, and Connections Committees. Chris recently completed a two-year term as President of Walter Payton’s Parents Association and Fundraising Committee equivalents (a.k.a. Friends of Payton). Chris is honored to serve on Lab’s High School Council in order to work with and support new and current parents, faculty and the administration, especially welcoming new HS Principal, Paul Beekmeyer.
Farah Noor Cheema ▾

Kevin Tan ▾

Middle School Council
Sara Skelly ▾

Sara and her husband have two children at Lab, both here since N3. Since becoming part of the Lab community, Sara has served as a room parent, on the ESH, LS and now MS Councils, and is on the planning committee for Rites of May. She can also be seen leading the Halloween and Winter decorating of Blaine Lobby. Any questions about Middle School or commuting on Lake Shore Drive, please reach out to Sara .
Susan Boonstra Farmer ▾

Cathy Lee ▾

Cathy grew up in California’s bay area and currently live in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. She has a 7th-grade daughter, Karis, and a 4th- grade son, Carson. Her husband, Mike, works for the Orthopedic Department at the University of Chicago. The family relocated from Seattle and joined Lab in 2014. Cathy has been active in the Parents’ Association as a Room Parent, Tour Guide, Lower School Council member, Third Grade Event Chair, Box Tops Coordinator, and general volunteer. Please reach out to Cathy with any questions about the Middle School.
Monika Bahroos ▾

A mother by trade, a photographer by passion, a foodie by nature, and a Canadian at heart. Monika has been a Lab Parent for over 10 years, during which time she has served on the Lower School Parents Association, a room parent, an advisory parent and has volunteered for events over the years. As a parent of a middle and high schooler, Monika has grown with her children through all the wonderful experiences Lab has to offer and looks forward to her work with the Middle School PA. Please contact Monika with any questions about the PA or Middle School.
Lower School Council
Jill Cross ▾

Please contact Jill with any questions about the P.A., and Lower School events or concerns.
Catherine Rosenberg ▾

Cheryl Rudbeck ▾

Cheryl has a 7th-grade son, and 4th-grade twin daughters. She has volunteered in many capacities at school. She is a room parent, former PA president,and current LabArts Co-chair. Please reach out to Cheryl with any questions!
Ramya Shah ▾

Ramya and her husband, Ajay, have a 2nd grader and a 4th grader at Lab. An attorney by profession, Ramya has volunteered in many Lab events, including the Book Fair, Rites of May, Lab Arts, and as a Tour Guide and Room Parent. Originally from France, Ramya enjoys everything Chicago has to offer. She and her family enjoy traveling near and far. They joined Lab last year and are grateful for the warm welcome from the Lab community. Ramya is looking forward to serving on the Lower School council. Please feel free to reach out to her with any questions about Lower School.
Earl Shapiro Hall Council
Meggan Friedman ▾

Samantha Morales ▾

Lauren Levine ▾

Lauren Levine is a second year Lab parent, during which time she has served as a room parent, a mentor to new families and has volunteered for Book Swap, Connections and Dewey Dance. Lauren, her husband, Ross, their two boys and their golden retriever live in East Lakeview. Prior to settling in Chicago, her family has lived in DC, the Bay Area, and Houston, TX. One of Lauren’s favorite parts about joining the Lab community is meeting terrific families and she is excited to find many ways for parents to connect throughout the school year.
Shara Kamal ▾

Shara and her husband, Omari, have two children at Lab – Taj, a Kindergartner, and Amir, in N4. Both began attending Lab at Nursery 3. Since joining the Lab community, Shara has served on the Black Family Forum Executive Committee. By day, Shara runs her own law practice – WFML, PC, headquartered in the Hyde Park area – specializing in the areas of real estate, business and asset protection.
Matina Marks ▾

Carol Park ▾

Please contact Carol with any questions about ESH.