Meet your GEAC Board

We are a group of passionate parents, caregivers, and community members who have chosen to volunteer to bring you great events, useful resources, and important information which will help you navigate the program with confidence. We aim to bring the community closer and strengthen our bond. A place to come together and support each other.

President
Zayeem Allahbaksch
President and IT/Admin

Finding a community that understands the intersection of gifted education and immigrant experiences can be a game-changer. For me, that community was GEAC. Now, I’m eager to pay it forward by lending my expertise to help GEAC thrive and better serve families like mine.

Secretary
Amy Dost
Secretary

Hi, I'm Amy! My background is in Early Childhood Education, and I care a lot about meeting kids where they are. My experience so far has been parenting my own gifted, 2E child, but working within the school systems is new to me. It's been somewhat mysterious what the district does and doesn't provide for our students during the school day, so I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the conversations and advocating for our kids (and teachers!). I love details and records and take copious notes because I can't help myself, so I'm happy to take on the role of GEAC Secretary.

Treasurer
Minh
Treasurer

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Advocacy
Niketa Purandare
Advocacy

I'm passionate about supporting our local school communities, and for the past three years, I've actively volunteered with the LWSD. I firmly believe today's youth are tomorrow's leaders. After our son qualified for the FTQ, I was inspired to step into an Advocacy role, eager to share my experiences and knowledge with the broader community and also voice issues to address. I'm excited to contribute to the Highly Capable program and help create a positive impact.

Advocacy
Olga Pavlova
Advocacy

When we received qualification emails during last year’s HiCap testing, we noticed a few inconsistencies and missing pieces of information that directly impacted our outcome. We had to appeal twice before our child qualified for FTQ. As a result, I chose to share my experience and knowledge with other parents who might find themselves in the same situation, and I joined GEAC as Advocacy VP.

Membership
Rachna Gurtu
Membership

As a parent of two children in the program, I have seen firsthand the meaningful difference GEAC makes for gifted children and their families. Being part of this community has inspired me to give back and help strengthen the program for current and future families. I believe the members are what make this community thrive, and I am passionate about encouraging more families to get involved, share their talents, and contribute to Hi-Cap programs & GEAC’s continued success.

Math Enrichment
Sridivya Bonam
Math Enrichment

I’m Sridivya Bonam, and after two years serving as GEAC treasurer, I’m excited to return to my role this year—coordinating Math Programs for the GEAC community. Last year, we had a strong season across the district with math enrichment programs like MOEMS and Noetic, thanks to the enthusiasm and support from families like yours. This year, we look forward to building on that momentum—with both returning favorites and new opportunities to challenge and inspire our highly capable students. I’m looking forward to connecting with many of you in the year ahead!

Communications
Kerstin Hadelich
Communications

My main motivator to give back to our community is our own family’s experience - with our gifted and twice-exceptional kids, we have seen different aspects of the hicap service models here in the district, from K5HC, to POQ, FTQ and Middle School Quest, to insufficient differentiation in the regular classroom. We have been lost, frustrated, disappointed, and impressed. My hope is to be able to spare you some of the frustrations and disappointments and help you navigate the LWSD hicap system and some parenting challenges through conversations, information, and events. If you have a question or a concern, please do reach out!

School Rep
Sana Lakhani
School Rep

I love connecting with families and supporting our school communities. With experience in program management and business operations, I’m here to help - sharing relevant information and answering questions. I have two kids, which keeps life lively and occasionally chaotic. Excited to be part of this community and help wherever I can!

Grants
Prachi Thekdi
Grants

Hi, my name is Prachi Thekdi, and I recently joined the board of the Gifted Education Advisory Council in the Lake Washington School District. I have a daughter who participates in LWSD’s Highly Capable Math program. Professionally, I work as a nurse practitioner specializing in the care of adults with diabetes and lipid disorders. I joined GEAC to better understand and advocate for students whose strengths may be concentrated in one subject area, such as math, rather than being equally strong across all subjects. I am especially interested in how LWSD supports these students within neighborhood schools, what advanced-learning opportunities exist outside of Quest, and how parents can nurture a child’s abilities at home without creating unnecessary pressure.

Grants
Deepthi Krishnan
Grants

I’m an accountant by day, a mom of two, and someone who’s always up for a Bollywood dance or a good laugh (Larry David is one of my heroes). I joined the Gifted Education Advisory Board because I believe every child deserves to be challenged, inspired, and excited to learn. I’m naturally curious, love asking questions, and enjoy bringing people together to solve problems. I’m looking forward to learning alongside families and educators as we continue to strengthen gifted education across our district.

Parent Education
OPEN
Parent Education

We have a spot for you, come, join us!