Meet Our 2023-2024 Leadership Team
Derek Gonseaux
President
Derek was homeschooled from 3rd grade through high school in North Texas. Knowing the benefits as well as the investment and challenges of homeschooling, he waited for God to call on his wife, Jen, to be the lead in their homeschool journey for their three wonderful daughters, now 12, 11, and 9. In addition to being schooled by his parents, he was influenced greatly by a number of dedicated individuals and a variety of organizations through his youth. He is forever grateful for the many people that poured into him that allowed him to graduate from SMU with a BBA in Finance.
He spends the rest of his time outside of work at his church (Kingsland), helping to build F3 in Katy (a men's workout group dedicated to building up leaders), volunteering on a scholarship committee for the North Texas GPA, and camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, and traveling with his girls to see God's creation throughout this wonderful world.
He is honored to be chosen to help lead LIGHT into the next couple of years and is excited to bring his personal homeschooling experiences with him to help make LIGHT a valuable community of homeschoolers that help encourage and build each other up while we all provide the best learning environment to our kids that we can!
Jenny is wife to Joey and a second generation homeschooling mom to two elementary aged kiddos. Homeschooling had always been in the back of her mind given her childhood experience, but she thought she didn't have the patience or chops to really pull it off. It only took an actual plague in 2020 to finally give homeschooling a chance for her own family and now they're entering into their third year of homeschooling and haven't looked back! She still doesn't have perfect patience, but thankfully God is a generous provider and works in our weakness.
Among her favorites are morning walks, reading, exploring Charlotte Mason homeschooling, watching Aggie football with her husband and learning alongside her children.
Jenny Perot
Vice President
Jen Gonseaux
Secretary
Jen and her husband have been homeschooling for 7 years. While her husband was homeschooled from nearly the beginning, Jen was brought up in public school with a very involved mother and assumed she’d be doing the very same thing.
“It takes a special kind of person and a calling from the Lord to be a homeschool mom, so we’ll just see” was always the end to the homeschooling conversations. When her oldest had just turned 4 and wanted to start reading, she figured if any time was the right time to try homeschooling, this would be it. She taught her oldest to read and that jump started her new career as a homeschooling mom to 3 amazing girls now 12, 11, and 9.
They love learning through experiences and often take their studies on the road, traveling to places in the US, learning history and nature in person! You’ll find the Gonseaux Gang out in the wild as they love camping, hiking, and all things outdoors.
Jen and her family joined Light in 2021 and have loved being part of a group of families who also enjoy educating their kids and finding new friends and community to do life with.
Calina Gardner
Treasurer
Calina was drawn to homeschooling years ago, after an unexpected and inspiring conversation in the park. Calina was pushing her baby’s stroller, when a friendly stranger paused to admire her daughter’s red hair. Soon the conversation turned to education, and the friendly stranger shared her experience as a veteran homeschool mom. After hearing about the beauty and benefits of homeschooling, Calina was encouraged to pursue this somewhat different educational path. It was the best decision ever!
Calina has homeschooled her two daughters since kindergarten and considers it the greatest blessing. Calina finds that classical education in a Charlotte Mason style works best for her family. She loves blending the study of nature, poetry, art and music into their homeschool routine. She enjoys family bike rides in the beautiful parks of Katy, musicals and great read-aloud books. Calina’s family humors her never-ending home organization projects and she is often heard singing in the shower. Being new to the Katy area, LIGHT has brought joy and friendship into her family’s homeschool life. Calina is excited to serve on the 2022-2023 LIGHT board and support this fun and fulfilling homeschool co-op.
Alisha is the wife of Brian and mom of three kids (11, 9, & 8). Initially, she had no intentions of homeschooling but through much prayer and talking together, Alisha's husband convinced her to "just try it out". Seven years later, she's confident it was the best option after all! Alisha and her family have been a part of LIGHT since 2021. It has been great being in a community of like-minded believers to walk along with in the homeschool journey. Sometimes the days are long... But the years are very short. Alisha and her husband try to soak up all the time possible in guiding their kids to be self-sufficient humans that love the Lord and others. As a family, they enjoy playing games, riding bikes, and camping.
Alisha Tetreau
Enrichment Director
Sarah was first drawn to homeschooling when she and her husband, John, were being strongly nudged to enroll their toddlers in preschool. Sarah went down a Google rabbit-hole while looking for alternatives to traditional preschools and fell in love with homeschooling instantly. They have been happily educating their three children, now 13, 11, and 8, at home ever since.
Sarah has been a LIGHT member since 2015-ish and has served on the board since 2021 as Vice President, Enrichment Director, and now Operations Director. She also volunteers at her church as a Preschool Sunday School teacher and with the Altar Guild. In her spare time, Sarah loves to cross-stitch, bake, and hike with her family.
Sarah Coin
Operations Director