About Us
A Warm Welcome & A New Chapter at PMC!
Welcome, we’re glad you are here.
To our new mamas: welcome to the family! Whether you just moved to Pleasanton, recently welcomed a new addition, or are simply looking to expand your circle, you belong here. And to our seasoned members: thank you for continuing to make this club the vibrant, supportive community it is.
As this year’s new Co-Directors, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves. We are excited to be leading this group of fierce, talented, and amazing mothers. We know firsthand that motherhood is a beautiful, messy, and wildly unpredictable journey—and we also know how much stronger we are when we share it.
In fact, the two of us are living proof of the magic this club creates. We actually met because our kiddos were in the same room at Gingerbread, but we truly bonded and became close friends through our different interactions at PMC events. We quickly discovered how much we had in common, realized we work beautifully together, and now we have the absolute privilege of leading this incredible community as a team. That is the true power of PMC: bringing moms together and creating a safe, supportive space where genuine, lifelong friendships can form.
We can’t wait to share this year with all of you!
Warmly,
Your 2026 Co-Directors
Elizabeth & Gina
The Pleasanton Mothers Club
Board of Directors 2026-2027
Co-Directors
Elizabeth Purto Bahner
Gina Castaño
Membership
Kety Leetch
Treasurer
Stephanie Brandsmeier
Secretary
Holly Neal
Book Club
Makenzi Cain
Megan Fernandez
Kids Events & All Ages Playdates
Ebony Kavianpour
Moms Night Out
Community Service
Holly Neal
Kimberly Fuzail
Working Moms Liaison
Smita Seth
Craft Club
Michelle Behrendt
Social Media
Grace Sedgewick
Website Manager
Heather New
History
Sandi Mende, with the help of friend Katie Hoepke, formed the Pleasanton Mother’s Club in July 1992, making it the 22nd mothers club in the Bay Area.
In the beginning, Sandi dutifully approached local businesses and organizations to help fund a workshop to get the club off and running. The Pleasanton Police Department generously contributed half of what they needed to start the group, the rest Sandi personally funded.
She designed a flyer and distributed it to local kid-friendly establishments, the Stoneridge Mall, and to any woman she saw with a stroller. Her hard work and dedication paid off. She received 50 calls from women interested in joining the club within a two-week period.
Fifteen women attended the workshop and became the first Board of Directors: Sandi Mende, Kristi Hausmann, Jennifer Koolhoven, Susan Lopez, Kim Maslana, Frances Vaculin, Yvonne Hoppe, Andrea Holmquist, Elaine Swerdon, Rose Deming, Leslie Prud'homme, Tammy Schoonover, Cheryl Sankary, Helen Ott, and Cheryl Burleigh.
Their first official PMC meeting was October 20, 1992. They organized playgroups, holiday parties, kids’ outings, and the newsletter. And with each meeting, they grew larger and larger, gaining approximately 10 members a month. They set a maximum of 100 members and reached it in just eight months. Over the last thirty years, PMC has continued to provide a village in the Tri-Valley for both mothers and children to create lasting relationships.
Each year at our Mother’s Day Brunch, we honor a member of the PMC with the Sandi Mende award for outstanding service to the club.
Thank you Sandi!