Regional School District 20

Policy Committee & Finance Committee

Tiffany Parkhouse has resided in Warren with her husband Scott, and her children Abby and Ryan since 2014.  Tiffany is a counselor in the criminal justice field and provides training and consulting for a variety of agencies on best practices for recidivism reduction.  Outside of work, Tiffany volunteers as the President of the Warren School PTO, serves with her church’s worship band, enjoys running in local road races, and takes many hikes with her family and their dog, Dakota.  Tiffany serves on the Region 20 Board of Education because she believes that parents should have a voice and she strives to represent the parents of Warren as best she can within the work of the board. She also believes that her kids, and all the kids of Warren, Morris, Goshen and Litchfield deserve good quality educational and extracurricular programs. 

Facilities Committee (Chair), Negotiations Committee & ASTE Committee

Robert DeLayo is a life-long resident of Warren, CT. He lives there now with his family. Mr. DeLayo runs a successful home renovation company, specializing in finish carpentry. He graduated from Wamogo Regional High School and is proud to have served on the two regionalization committees and to now serve on the newly formed Region 20 Board of Education.

ASTE Committee & Facilities Committee

Susan Wheeler has lived in Goshen since 2002. She and her husband, Mat, live on their organic farm where they enjoy the outdoors with their dogs, Finn and Spike. Susan is a proud mom of four grown children, all of whom attended Litchfield or Region 6 schools, and a grandmother to seven. Hiking, travel, writing, and photography are among her favorite things.

Professionally, Susan is a lifestyle entrepreneur with certifications in Gut Health Nutrition and Pilates instruction. She is passionate about supporting physical and mental well-being at every stage of life. She is the author of The Lemonade Diet, an inspirational book that encourages readers to face life’s challenges with strength, resilience, and a purposeful outlook. Her motto is, “It’s never too late to change your life.”

Susan is also the co-founder of The Good News Girls, a social community that brings women together for connection, support, and inspiration. She brings a thoughtful, grounded, and balanced perspective to her role on the Board of Education, drawing on years of experience in business, wellness, parenting, and community advocacy. Her goal is to serve with transparency and to ensure that decisions reflect the needs of all: students, educators, families, and taxpayers alike.

Kara grew up in New Jersey and earned a BA from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. Since moving to Litchfield with her family in 2016, Kara has been a volunteer with Cub Scouts Pack 31, the LPS PTO, and the Litchfield Education Foundation. She also served on the Litchfield Public Schools Workgroup on Collaboration. In her professional career as a consultant and project manager, she helps nonprofit organizations and socially-responsible small businesses define, plan, and successfully execute complex technology projects.

Kara is deeply committed to public education and to realizing the core promise of Region 20: more academic, extracurricular, and social opportunities for our students.

Curriculum Committee, Communications Committee & Strategic Planning Committee

Diane Barnes lives in Morris, Connecticut, with her husband Doug and two children. Diane was born and raised in New York City with family roots in nearby Goshen, spending summers on Tyler Lake. She is a dedicated psychotherapist who brings a unique blend of expertise to her work, combining a background in finance and extensive training in trauma-focused care to better the lives of her clients.

 Diane holds both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut, as well as an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford. She previously worked on Wall Street before transitioning to her passion for psychotherapy. In addition to her professional life, Diane has a longstanding commitment to education. She has volunteered on the executive committee of a private school in Brooklyn, NY where she represented the lower school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided critical support to teachers and parents as students transitioned back from virtual learning to the in-person classroom. She continues her work with this population. Outside of her professional life, Diane enjoys spending time with her family and friends, attending South Farm Socials, accompanying her daughter to the barn where she rides horses, and cheering on her son during soccer games.

Negotiations Committee (Chair), Finance Committee & Policy Committee

Biography Forthcoming

Curriculum Committee (Chair), Policy Committee & Strategic Planning Committee

Margaret grew up in Bronxville, NY, and earned a BA from Smith College and an MAT from Teacher's College, Columbia.  She came to Litchfield in 1990 via Rochester, Minnesota and Weston, CT.  After 18 years as a stay-at-home mom and an avid canoe racer and wilderness canoe camper, she pursued a 23-year career as a high school English teacher.  Since retiring, she has been a student-teacher evaluator for the State of CT Alternate Route to Certification program.  In her volunteer life, she was the head of the Litchfield Pony Club when her daughters were growing up.  Currently, she is a member of the Sustainable Litchfield Town Committee and a docent at Topsmead State Forest.  She was on both the original workgroup to explore regionalization and the official Temporary Regional School Study Committee.  Margaret is eager to bring her experience to exploring out-of-the-box educational opportunities for teaching and learning in the new Region 20.

Billie Jean is a lifelong resident of CT and has been a resident of Morris for the past 18 years.  She has a passion for education, family, and service. A wife of 23 years and proud mother of four, she brings both personal and professional insight to her role on the Board of Education.

She previously served on the Region 6 Board of Education and is currently employed by the Region 12 School District. Billie Jean’s background includes 13 years as an occupational therapy professional, working in special education, home care, and in early intervention through Connecticut’s Birth to Three System. She is also a licensed Realtor.

In addition to her educational and professional contributions, Billie Jean is one of the founders of the re-established Boy Scout Troop 28 in Morris, CT—an organization that has proudly produced nine Eagle Scouts since 2020.

Billie Jean enjoys baking, and avoids gardening whenever possible.

Strategic Planning Committee (Chair) & ASTE Committee

John grew up on a farm in the Northfield section of Litchfield.  He has an AB in Economics from Middlebury College and an MBA from the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth College.  He worked in investment banking and management in New York for 30 years, returning to Litchfield on the weekends.  He moved back to Litchfield full time in 2007 and raises grass fed beef on his family’s farm.  In 2017 he was elected to the Litchfield Board of Education and in 2022 to the Region 20 Board of Education.  He is also on the boards of the Oliver Wolcott Library, the White Memorial Foundation and Conservation Center and was a founder of the Town of Litchfield Broadband and Wireless Commission.

Finance Committee, Curriculum Committee & Facilities Committee

Biography Forthcoming

Communications Committee (Chair), Negotiations Committee & Strategic Planning Committee

"You can't save the world, but you can change it."  Whether it's in her business or through her activism, Krista is committed to making sure she positively impacts others every day. Krista started her educational volunteerism in Brooklyn, NY where she served on School Leadership Teams, Community Education Councils and PTO's helping to create policy and organize and implement large scale projects in a school district serving over twenty thousand students. She has over two decades of business experience in sales, operations and relationship management and in 2015 started her own business as a Certified Life Coach and Inspirational Speaker. Krista resides in Goshen with her husband Will, their two boys, Wyatt and Elias and their pandemic puppy, Boomer. She is beyond excited for the future of Region 20 and is grateful to serve as a member of this dynamic Board of Education. 

Policy Committee (Chair), Curriculum Committee, & Facilities Committee

Biography Forthcoming