For those of us with school-aged children, there is a very particular call that comes at the beginning of every school year.
The forms have finally been completed, the backpacks and lunchboxes are out, and everyone is settling into a routine.
Then the emails begin: Back-to-School Night is coming up. Is anyone willing to be a room parent? The school needs help with fundraising. Who is willing to lead?
And, inevitably, the same kind of women begin raising their hands.
After three years as a PTA president—two at Kent School, where our daughter Mackie attended, and last year at Radcliffe Creek School, where our boys, Tills and Bo, attend—I can say with complete confidence that I have 1000% found my people through these parent associations.
This year, I am stepping away from the presidency to put more of my time and energy into CTI—bringing more fantastic, personalized furniture and design into your rooms and continuing to grow Common Thread Interiors in a way that feels right.
For a while, I thought growth meant immediately finding another designer. Now, I am backing away from that idea a bit. The next person may be an assistant who helps me keep all the moving pieces moving a few days a week, or the role may become something else entirely.
I am a big believer in fate. If and when the universe is ready for me to bring another person on board, I trust that we will find our way to each other. And honestly, I would not be the least bit surprised if she turns out to be one of those women who always raises her hand.
Because those women are the Doers.
Parent Associations are not easy! It is also not always organized. We try, but nine times out of ten, we are building the plane as we fly it. The Doers do not get hung up on that. They see what needs to be done, step in, and get to work.
They organize class parties, fundraisers, teacher appreciation events, volunteers, budgets, schedules, dietary restrictions, rain plans, and a hundred tiny details no one else realizes need handling. In any other setting, we would call that project management, operations, and leadership.
They also know how to work with all kinds of people. A parent association will quickly teach you how to navigate different personalities, communication styles, expectations, and opinions—sometimes within a single email chain. Somehow, the PTA mom keeps it moving. She follows up, adjusts when the plan changes, and understands that the work is bigger than any one person.
That ability translates seamlessly into design, where we are constantly coordinating with clients, contractors, factories, vendors, workrooms, and installers. Managing those relationships with grace, kindness, and efficiency is everything.
The PTA mom also understands that details matter. Did we order enough? Who has dietary restrictions? What happens if it rains? Did someone confirm the volunteers—twice?
Design work is not so different. The difference between a good project and a truly successful one usually comes down to the quiet decisions behind the scenes—the ones that ultimately determine how a space functions and feels.
There is a reason so much of what mothers do is called “invisible work.” It is the planning, anticipating, remembering, and following through, often without much recognition. PTA work is full of that same effort. It is thoughtful, intentional, and frequently unseen, but it is what keeps everything running. But most importantly, she cares.
That kind of care matters at CTI because we are not simply selecting fabrics or placing furniture. We are helping shape how people live in their homes. Systems and processes can be taught. It is much harder to teach someone to take ownership, think ahead, and care about the outcome as if it were her own.
Truthfully, this is not only about PTA—or even about being a mother. Maybe your version happens through a nonprofit, a church, a community organization, or somewhere else entirely. My kind of people are the ones who contribute. They see the gap and step into it. They do not just talk about what needs to happen; they help make it happen.
And yes, dads absolutely volunteer too. But in my experience working closely with two schools over the past three years, the women have overwhelmingly been the ones leading the events and carrying the details. This particular story is about them.
She may not be the loudest person in the room—because good Lord, that is probably me. She may not have the flashiest résumé. But she signs up, follows through, and gets it done.
So, as another school year gets underway and those volunteer emails start landing in our inboxes, I will be paying attention to the women who raise their hands.
I may not know exactly what the next position at CTI will look like—or when the right person will arrive—but I trust that she will.
And when she does, I have a feeling I will recognize her.
“PTA volunteer” may not be a traditional credential, but in my world, it tells me nearly everything I need to know: she sees the work, she steps in, she cares, and she gets it done. So, Yes, when the time comes, I will absolutely hire the PTA mom. Every single time.
