Our Mission
​
The Battlefield High School Parent Teacher Organization is a non-profit organization whose membership includes parents, legal guardians, faculty, and staff at Battlefield High School.
​
Our mission is to promote open and positive communication and understanding between parents and staff of Battlefield High School. We also help fund projects the school budget cannot. Our efforts serve to enhance the educational opportunities and environment of all students attending this school. We hold fundraisers to provide financial assistance for various school clubs, events, and classrooms. In addition to financial support, we volunteer our time at school-wide events. We organize teacher appreciation events to boost the morale of the faculty and staff and to support school and family social interaction. We believe that the team effort of a parent teacher organization offers the best possible learning environment for our students.
Our PTO is made up of hard-working parents & teachers who pool their talents to provide practical support for our school. Those listed below volunteered to provide leadership this year.
Get to know their names and faces, and feel free to ask them if you have questions.
Meet Your 2022 - 2023 PTO Team
Dorinda Lesniak
President
BHSPTOPresident@gmail.com
Dorinda is a results-focused operational leader with 23 years’ experience aligning the efforts of people, processes, technologies, and systems with overall organizational vision and mission. An analytical problem solver adept at continually assessing operations to identify and
leverage opportunities to build efficiency and productivity while controlling costs and enhancing performance. I currently work in technology and am often faced with identifying solutions for ad hoc issues with a short turnaround. I hold several certifications; PMP from PMI, Core Leadership skill, Change
Management and Critical Thinking from Cornell University Cornell. I’m currently completing my Master’s degree in organizational leadership and am excited to be able to apply my experience to my passion of serving my community. I’ve worked in both the commercial industry and for government sectors in the cleared space.
On a more personal note, I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I am the happy mother to a 14-year- old daughter Marley, married to Michael and we have two dogs; Jackson and Gracie. I enjoy spending time with my family
and friends, traveling and laughing. I live by the Mantra of treat others the way you want to be treated, which I learned early in life from my Great Grandmother who taught me the importance of kindness and helping others. I am passionate about giving back and supporting underserved communities and look forward to one day supporting these communities as full-time philanthropy
work.
Dr. Iesiah “Esha” Harris
Vice President
BHSPTOVP@gmail.com
Dr. Iesiah “Esha” Harris is a PhD prepared Registered Nurse, Combat
Veteran and Air Force retiree. She has proudly served the United States Air
Force for 26 years. Within her 26 year tenure in the U.S. Air Force, Dr.
Harris rendered care to over 18K patients, with direct oversight of clinical
operations for 28.5K patients, 3K+ personnel, and managed a $4.5M+
budget. She has clinical and leadership expertise in medical-surgical, emergency department, peri-operative, surgical and outpatient nursing. Dr. Harris also served as Contributing Faculty for Nurse Executives. CFC Board of Directors,
Faculty President and Mentor for the Student Veteran Association, Institutional Review Board
member, and curriculum design. She currently serves as a Senior Health Care Executive Consultant utilizing her 30+ years of professional experience and knowledge of large Federal health care systems to advise healthcare executives on organizational transformation, lead change in the Veteran community, and advance business opportunities for women. Her passion to inspire and motivate others led to establishing her presence in the social media arena. She is founder and Chief Encouragement
Officer, Motivational Moments Sister Society. When she is not inspiring women to step into
their greatness or enhancing the Veteran transition experience she is spending time with her favorite boys—her 16 year old son Dylan and their Irish Doodle Dez. In a nutshell, Dr. Harris is the consummate professional, change agent and leader with a passion to empower others!
Veneicia Lockhart
Treasurer
BHSPTOTreasurer@gmail.com
Veneicia has lived in Haymarket since 2003 and has one daughter, Allison, who is a Senior this year at Battlefield. Her education and work experience are a good fit for the PTO Treasurer position. Veneicia received her CPA certificate in 1985 and worked several years for public accounting firms in Chicago,Charlottesville, and Washington, D.C. Veneicia recently retired from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Arlington, Virginia as the SVP of Finance. At NRECA, she was a member of the Executive Leadership Team and was responsible for the accounting, finance, and
strategic sourcing and procurement departments. This is Veneicia’s first year on the PTO Board and she is looking forward to this new challenge as well as the opportunity to work with Battlefield’s amazing parents, teachers, and students!
Yolanda Martin
Secretary
Yolanda is a lawyer and is the Executive Director of one of the largest multiemployer benefit funds. Yolanda brings with her an extensive career in benefits administration and compliance. Yolanda is highly regarded as an expert in ERISA, labor, and employment maters, frequently lecturing and training on these topics throughout the country. Yolanda is a seasoned mediator and arbitrator of employment cases with the American Arbitration Association and serves on various associations and committees in the Washington metropolitan area.
​
Yolanda has lived in Haymarket since 2012 with her husband and two children. Yolanda is actively involved in the community.
Yubo Zhang
Yubo has worked in both the private and public sector in education for about 16 years. She is currently serving as a manager in the office of strategic planning and communication at Fairfax County Public Schools. She and her husband have lived in Haymarket for 18 years. They have a freshman at Battlefield and a 6th grader at Reagan. Serving in the BHS PTO this year, first and foremost, Yubo would like to give the best support possible to our teachers. Second, she would like to collaborate with our parent liaison and promote a welcoming and supportive community to all families. Finally, she would like to support the social emotional wellbeing of all students beyond academic rigor. Yubo has also volunteered in the families with adoptees community and organized several cultural events to celebrate the diversity of our community.
Liz Caraballo
Hospitality Chair
I’m originally from Puerto Rico but have lived all over the United States as my husband was active duty in the NAVY, we’ve moved with our kids 9 times but after 22 years of service we are back in Virginia, which is ironically, the first state we lived in as well. I’ve always taken volunteering very seriously - both in my children’s schools and in the community. My activities run from collecting toiletries and purses in the neighborhood for homeless female veterans to helping organize the 5th grade end of the year party, collecting donations to decorating the teachers doors and hallways. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering in my kids classes and helping Spanish speaking students and families with communication. I’ve also loved working one-on-one with students in classrooms. I’ve volunteered in helping to reinforce their learning and keep them motivated. Currently I am involved in my daughter’s Theater program here at Battlefield. At church, I’ve served as an usher, decorated and volunteered at summer Vacation Bible School programs. Helped with food donations for the needy and volunteered at the Angel Tree Program during Christmas. Some of my most rewarding volunteer efforts have been with the Family Readiness Group, an organization providing assistance to military families including helping with homecomings, decorating, family events, food trains and involving our children in squadron life. Being a mentor for new military wives has been one of my most meaningful endeavors. I love giving back to the schools, churches and communities that have given so much to my family.
Xanthe Larsen
Senior Scholarship Director
BHSPTOscholarship@gmail.com
​I am excited to be the scholarship chair for 2022-23 and help create opportunities to recognize some of BHS’s exceptional students. I have three children, one who graduated from Battlefield and the Governor’s School in 2020 and is now a Science Research Fellow at Baylor University, one who will be a junior at Battlefield, and one who will be a freshman at Battlefield. Fun fact about me: I tried my hand at homeschooling during Covid. I gave that up when in-person school resumed and returned to practice as partner at the New York based law firm Harris Beach PLLC, which is much easier than homeschooling – kudos to all the homeschooling parents and our awesome BHS teachers for doing it so well.
Our Vision
​
Through the power of positive influence, the Battlefield HS PTO helps to ensure that every day, every student is safe, nurtured, encouraged and challenged to learn.
Communications Chair
The Communications Chair should use multiple methods to spread the word about all PTO happenings.
They should act as a central hub to provide the who, what, where and how for everything!
Anita Vettickal
Membership Chair
bhsptomembership@gmail.com
Anita brings over 15 years of executive leadership to the Battlefield High School PTO. For over a decade Anita has worked for a Venture Capital firm investing in software and technology companies. During her tenure, Anita not only focused on client success, but also took part in Merger and Acquisition due diligence, evaluating both private and public companies. Anita's most recent project has been co-founding a successful consulting company with her husband of 19 years.
She and her husband have lived in Haymarket for 17 years. They have a freshmen at Battlefield High School and a 7th grader at Ronald Reagan Middle School. Although this will be her first year helping the Battlefield High School PTO, she isn't new to helping our local schools and community. Anita has been an active volunteer at her daughters' schools, Alvey Elementary in the past and continues to help at Ronald Reagan Middle School in her free time.
Though she doesn't practice, a fun fact about Anita, she holds a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Anita is native of a state that is known to be "wild and wonderful", but has called the DC metro her home for the past 25 years.
Elan Keene
Fundraising Chair
BHSHospitality@gmail.com
Élan Keene is a seasoned data-driven marketing strategist with a rich marketing operations, strategic planning, and analytics background. Holding an MBA with a focus on global management and marketing, she has worked across diverse industries, including technology and healthcare. Beyond her professional pursuits, Elan actively engages in community service, serving as a dedicated board member at the James E. Lewis Museum of Art and volunteering with various other nonprofits. She has also previously served as a pack leader for Cub Scouts, where she led her son's troop. In her spare time, she enjoys genealogy research and spending quality moments with her family.