Founders Day
The Founders Day celebration was created in 1910 by National PTA to honor its three founders as well as past and present PTA leaders.
La Cañada Council PTA uses Founders Day as an opportunity to reaffirm the mission of the PTA to engage and empower families and communities to advocate for all children. Each year, at a spring reception, all five La Cañada PTA units, along with La Cañada Council PTA, give Honorary Service Awards to individuals and organizations that go “above and beyond” in supporting our schools and our students.
You may submit a nomination here. Please contact Caroline Anderson with any questions at foundersday@lacanadapta.org.
This year's award ceremony will be held on March 13, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the LCUSD Boardroom.
2024 Winners
La Cañada Council: Lola Dietrich, Claudia Dietrich-Joe, Melissa Mazin, Danielle Newcom, Valentina Parris
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Anthony & Adrielle Gan, Sarina Stogel, Desiree Dzuirgot, Alison Parra, Yvette Romo
Palm Crest Elementary: Agnes Foos, Chante Gordon, Dina Loftus, Debbie Bedell-Au, Jane Chang Hur, Amy Tsai
La Cañada Elementary: Tricia Riesberg, Christina Yoon, Annabel Dannemann, Mia Pollard, Jan Rappleye
La Cañada High School 7/8: Sophia Chopra, Rene Canas, Christine Dornian, Alex Valdez
La Cañada High School: Kelly Davis, Adam Kline, Charles Thuss, Kevin Crain, Justin Eick
2023 Winners
La Cañada Council: Holly Biondo, Jammar Jones, Connie Wu Millar
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Angela Blair, Starlyn Hall-Merager, Holly Russell, Cheryl Stonebraker, Alexander Woo
Palm Crest Elementary: Grace Choe, Camilla Hartman, Natalie Hubbard, Rachel Stanley, Christy Suh
La Canada Elementary: Stephanie Arnold, Carey Durfee, Billie Melillo, Alison Molinelli, Kim Slattery
La Canada High School 7/8: Shannon Brascia, Christa Evans, Megan Lee, Nina Miller, Michael Sandoval
La Canada High School: Genna Kern, Cindy Hoffman, Mona Massabki, Brian Mendoza, Sandy Miller
2022 Winners
La Cañada Council: Covid Response Team: Debra Cradduck, Mark Evans, Chris Henry, Karen Hurley, Katrina Metz
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Sara Gardner, Megan Kirkendoll, Paulla Ewoldsen, Erica Gross, Sara Michelson
Palm Crest Elementary: Jamie Abrahamian, Meredith Beyer, CeCe Jacobs, Becca McLarty, Armineh Ovasapian, Elizather Ranjbar
La Cañada Elementary: Emily Blaney, Lynley Gross, Amy Kelly, Robin Torres, Jay Williams-Blackwood
La Cañada High School 7/8: Joann Cho, Jarrett Gold, Erin Rodlick, Paige Salardino, Heather Ehrhart
La Cañada High School: Cindy Calm, Mijung Konakov, Kelli Kunkle-Day, Wayne Page, Jonathan Saavedra
2021 Winners
La Cañada Council: Caroline Anderson, La Canada Tech Team, Sue Price, Wendy Sinnette, Sugi Sorensen
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Danielle Celestino, Natascha Gundersen, Caren Saiet, Pam Watts
Palm Crest Elementary: Kelly Hu, Ricardo Mendoza, Joan Patterson, Omar Torres, Jennifer Wolpert
La Cañada Elementary: Barb Drange, Sheila Dunbar, Brooke Niemiec, David Paszkiewicz, Keisha Wilcox
La Cañada High School 7/8: Kevin Crain, Allison Dalbeck, Lori Geuvjehizian, Valerie Gochez-Frasch Tracey Nelson
La Cañada High School: Brent Beaty, Maribeth Henry & Harrison, Justin Luthey, Jack MacKenzie, Tamar Tujian
2020 Winners
La Cañada Council: Esther Kornfeld, Dr. Elizabeth Krider, Brent Kuszyk, Anthony Portantino
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Effie Edwards, Anna Galante, Carrie Hetzel, Danni Remender, Valerie Talbert, Stephanie Weber
Palm Crest Elementary: Lara Berdahl, Lidia Camoosa, Joyce Mayne, Amy Tsai, Chloris Turner
La Cañada Elementary: Joanna Banks, Christina Conwell, Annette Fuelling, Tiffany Petroc, Monica Ratliff
La Cañada High School 7/8: Ana Bever, Yanick Henry-Ednwards, Deputy Sheriff Eric Matejka, Julie Miyamoto, Andrea Vacheron, Samantha Wright
La Cañada High School: Kelly Armaly, Alice Hastings, Maria Videla-Juniel, Bill Lively, Jeremy & Julie Milbrodt, Rachel Zooi, Sun R. Chung
2019 Winners
La Cañada Council: Betsy Asher Hall, Dan Jeffries, Melissa Mazin
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Holly Breckheimer, Carlo Cesario, Karen Clark, Mikki Weightman, Kristen Brown, Linda Dunlop
Palm Crest Elementary: Sharon Anderson, Megan Broberg, Evelyn Harris, Kristin McDaniel, Brandon Norman
La Cañada Elementary: Sonik Arutyunyan, Julie Bae, Lee Chumo, Jennifer Crocker, Cathy Kleineahlbrandt, Andrea Redecker
La Cañada High School 7/8: Megan Dever, Asiya Hasan, Shannon Ortiz, Caren Saiet
La Cañada High School: Laura Deans, Frances DeLgatty, Judy Rivon, Susan Moore, Justin Valassidis
2018 Winners
La Cañada Council: Stephanie Fossan, Josh Epstein, Soo Kim Choi, Kelly McWilliams
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Sheridan Sanders, Heather Lhotka, Amber Franklin, Jenni Swanson, Mr. Hajek, Linda Hada
Palm Crest Elementary: Rachel Harter, Mariana Valederhaug, Brian Parker, Jamie Abrahamian, Sean Hunt, Jerry Cradduck
La Cañada Elementary: Whitney Worster, Angela Deno, Mary Perkins, Suzanne Jensen, Octavia Thuss, Laura Johnson
La Cañada High School 7/8: Paul Kim, Joanne Park Smith, Shelby Loder-Grey, K.C. Matthews, Lina Hanriz
La Cañada High School: Chris Roberts, Bob Husen, Natalie Keyuimdjian, Mike Kauffman, Lori Moody, David Haxton
2017 Winners
La Cañada Council: Mark Evans, Ellen Multari, Deborah Weirick
Paradise Canyon Elementary: Melissa Corrente, Archana Kodancha, Danna Lesko, Angela Marchetti, Nina Ries, Jenny Kazak
Palm Crest Elementary: Lola Dietrich, Deb Parker, Beth Shupper, Tony Villavicencio, Judi Healey
La Cañada Elementary: Sheri Burns, Dale Freyberger, Andy Klemmer, Rose Park, Elaine Sample
La Cañada High School 7/8: Jarrett Gold, Serafina Kenwood, Denise Norman, Carrie Saks, Ellen Portantino
La Cañada High School: Sarah Beattie, Victor Torres, Sonja Bradley, Christie Clarkson, Laura Strametz