Amy Arness

In This Section

Amy Arness
Fargo, North Dakota
Flickertail PTA, Fargo, North Dakota

Personal and Professional Information

  • Married—Richard 41 years, Children—Jacky (Kyle), Derek (Alexis)

  • University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—BA—Communications

  • Macy’s Department store—Retail Management—managed department sales of $1.8 million/annual & sales staff

  • Walt Disney World—Guest Relations & Retail

  • Youth for Understanding—Exchange student to Japan & Host family to Exchange student from Belgium

  • Active PTA member since 1998


PTA Involvement 

Current Service Includes: 

  • National PTA—Field Service Committee/State Training Facilitator, 2023-2026

    • IA, LA, NE, WY—liaison for compliance and relationship-building
  • State Presidents’ Club—President

  • North Dakota PTA—Past President—accompany delegation for Legislative Conference Capitol Hill visits

  • North Dakota Department of Public Instruction—Every Student Succeeds Task Force, 2015-present

    • School Climate sub-committee


Previous Service Includes: 

  • National PTA—Board of Directors, Member Representative, 2017-19 & 2019-21

  • Nat Rep—HI, MT, UT 2017-19

  • Nat’l Sponsor Ambassador—AZ

  • State Volunteer—CA, HI, IN, LA, MA, ME, MN, MT, NV, OH, TN, VA, WY

  • MA-Health Summit X 3/TN-Judge Outstanding Unit Awards & Family Engagement Grant Review

  • EU-Scholarship Committee, Judge applicants/IN-Judge Newsletters

  • HI, ME, MT, ND, PR, UT, VA—accompany State delegations for Legislative Conference Hill visits

  • ME & MT, provide Greeting to State’s 1st/2nd Virtual Convention

  • ME—Support Team

  • NE—Support Representative

  • Reflections Showcase at US Dept of Education

  • State Leadership Institute

  • Minutes Review Committee, Chair

  • Present Inspiration to Board of Directors

  • Write references for NPTA colleagues—Governance & Professional endeavors

    • Finance Committee

    • Executive Director Review Task Force

    • Dues Increase Task Force

    • Convention & General Arrangements Committee/Secretary pro-tem for Committee mtgs

    • Review & Rank Workshop applicants/Virtual Convention X 2

    • Programs Committee/Reflections Arts Subcommittee Chair

    • Reflections Themes/Programs Grants—Review & Rank applicants

    • NPTA Convention—Workshop Presenter—Roadmap to National PTA

      • Virtual Convention Orientation 101

      • Finance

      • Programs
    • 1st Timer Friend & Tour Guide

    • General Session—microphone monitor

    • Voting delegate at 18 conventions
  • National Council of States—PTA Relevance, informed 2020 Strategic Vision

  • Legislative Conference 2012-26

  • PTA Connected Grant Review Team—Google Be Internet Awesome—Digital Safety

  • COVID 19 Relief Funding Team—Review & Rate applicants

    • State President’s Club—Secretary-Treasurer

      • Outstanding Service Award Committee, Chair

      • Minutes Review Committee, Chair
    • Midwest Multi-State Conference—ND Rep—Leadership/Membership/Diversity, Minneapolis
  • North Dakota PTA—Board of Directors, 2002-17

  • President—2 terms, President-Elect, Immediate Past President—serve as Advisor on Exec Cmte

  • Legislative Chair/FLC, Fargo Council President, Health & Welfare Chair

  • Committees: Strategic Planning, By-Laws, Nominating—Chair, Budget,

    • Reflections Celebration, Social Media, Convention Planning
  • Non-profit Day at the Capitol, 2011-19

  • Fargo Council PTA—President, VP, Past President


Community Involvement 

Current Service Includes: 

  • Miss America Organization—Interviewer/Head Judge
  • Miss North Dakota—Business management assistance 2014-present

Past Service Includes:

  • Mission Jamaica, 6 yrs
  • English Day Camp—Vienna, Austria—Teacher
  • Miss America Scholarship Org—Interviewer/Head Judge for several states across the country
  • Miss North Dakota 2014—Business manager & Travel companion
  • Miss North Dakota Scholarship Organization—Prep Day & Mock interviews
  • Youth for Understanding—Senate Scholar Selection committee, 6 yrs
  • Sanford Health/Trollwood Performing Arts School/Future Builders—Bluestem Center for the Arts
  • Lake Agassiz Girls choir/Fargo-Moorhead Community Theater/Gooseberry Park Players
  • Distinguished Young Women of North Dakota, Hope Lutheran Church


Honors and Awards

  • 2022 National PTA State Presidents’ Club—Outstanding Service Award
  • 2018 Governor’s Service Award—North Dakota
  • National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award

    • President’s Distinguished Service Award, 2013 & 2015

    • State Membership Increase Award

    • School of Excellence—1st in North Dakota
  • Lifetime Achievement Award-PTA—North Dakota & Montana
  • Fargo-Moorhead Salute to Moms Honoree
  • Macy’s Department stores—Employee of the month


Candidate Narrative

I am thrilled to be a slated nominee for the Nominating and Leadership Recruitment Committee. Having served two terms as Member Representative to the National Board of Directors, and two terms as a State President, I now bring an acquired depth and breadth of knowledge to NLRC. As a member of committees the past 4 terms—Finance, Convention, Programs, and Field Service, I know that continuity of leadership with a balance of seasoned veterans and new perspectives, makes for a strong team. I have the understanding to make tough, but necessary decisions. With my appointment to the Executive Director Review Task Force, I was part of the process of implementing criteria and measurements for the Goals of the Association. My diverse experiences have made me a good listener, willing learner, and a committed board and committee member who is always organized and prepared for meetings. I believe in a culture of candor with transparency being the desired result. I have a calming demeanor and can handle confidential information.

My interview skills have been honed in a wide variety of situations, and I am particularly well suited to have the ability to identify competencies, characteristics, and skill sets needed in the leadership of National PTA to meet the Vision and Strategic Plan. The NLRC Committee is an area of work that I have long-aspired to be involved in. I feel that the timing both for committee needs, as well as the timing for my life, is 'just right'.

I would love for you to stop by during convention to introduce yourself. All of my experiences with PTA have been some of the great honors of my lifetime, representing you the Membership. I would relish the opportunity to continue to work on your behalf to find our future Leaders.