View past spotlight members here.
2024 Kappa Spotlight Members
Jennifer Simmons Anti, Iota Chapter, Eta State/LA
Jennifer Simmons Anti is a member of Iota Chapter/Eta State/LA, Kappa Kappa Iota.
She grew up in Slidell, Louisiana and graduated from Slidell High School. Then, she enrolled in Millsap College in Jackson, Mississippi where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Jennifer is the niece of Bruce and (PNP) Phyllis Thomas, and she was always wanting to become a member of National Kappa Kappa Iota. She was told that she did not meet the qualifications for membership in that prestigious organization because her degree did not allow her to spend the majority of her time working with children in education.
Then, in 2010, Jennifer enrolled in Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana where she earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education in 2011. She started her teaching career at Florida Avenue Elementary School in August, 2012
teaching kindergarten classes. She has been teaching for eleven years.
Jennifer is married to Damien Anti and has two daughters, MollieAnn, who is seventeen (17) years old and a senior at North Shore High School in Slidell, and MaryGrace, who is nine (9) years old and is a third grader at the Louisiana Key Academy in Covington, LA. Both of her daughters have dyslexia, so Jennifer decided to attend William Carey College at Hattiesburg, Mississippi so that she could learn how to help children who have this disability. She earned a Master’s Degree in Dyslexic Therapy, and tutors children who have been classified as dyslexic.
After Jennifer became a teacher, she was invited to join Kappa Kappa Iota because now the majority of her time is spent working with children and she met the qualifications for Kappa membership.
At the 2023 National Convention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jennifer and her mother, Mollie Monroe, were in charge of the Hospitality Room. They did an outstanding job!
Iota Chapter/Eta State/LA is happy to spotlight our youngest Kappa member, and we are very proud of her accomplishments.
Jo Klingman, Epsilon Chapter, Alpha State/OK
If you have ever attended a National Convention, the chances are great that you have seen this wonderful Kappa. She attended her first National Convention in 2005 in Savannah and has only missed three National Conventions since then. If you attended the Centennial National Convention in Tulsa, you saw this lovely lady working in various capacities to make the Convention a success; her official duty at the Centennial Convention was to serve on the Convention Registration Committee; however, she was always available to help wherever she was needed. Her smiling face and her cheery voice always brighten the day for those whose paths she crosses. She is a dedicated Kappa and a wonderful mentor to others.
Jo Klingman, Alpha State, Epsilon Chapter, became a Kappa in 1989. Since becoming a Kappa, Jo has served in every office at the local level. She served as Alpha State President from 2008-2009 and has served as President of the Alpha State Presidents’ Group for 13 years; she began leading the group in 2011 and has been President ever since! She has attended Alpha State Conventions for 27 years and has been a chairman of many state committees.
Her involvement does not end there, however. Jo served as Region III Empathy chair four times and has served on the Business Committee, Buildings and Grounds Committee, and has twice served on the registration committee for the National Convention.
Her teaching career began at an early age. She began lining up dolls and teddy bears and used a broken piece of chalk board to teach them their daily lesson before she was old enough to know the top of a book from the bottom of the book. Her love for teaching was inherited from her father, her mother, and her two aunts, all of whom were teachers. Teaching was the only occupation Jo ever wanted to pursue.
She received her BS in Education in Math and Language Arts, earned a Masters in Math, and earned 90+ hours above her Master’s degree in leadership, math, and counseling. She taught mathematics for over 30 years in Oklahoma secondary schools. Her teaching did not end at the close of the school day, however, as she coached academic teams, sponsored Student Council, helped coach girls’ basketball, sponsored cheerleaders and pep club, and served as an announcer for football games. Twice she was named Teacher of the Year, and she received the Chamber of Commerce Roots & Wings Award. She was on the negotiation team for WACT(Weatherford) and MEA (Muskogee).
After her retirement, she served as a substitute teacher and tutor and was named “Volunteer of the Year” the year after she retired. She currently volunteers at her church, the community food pantry, and the Pioneer Center (senior citizens’ center). She delivers Meals on Wheels. She continues to teach after retirement by tutoring students in math. And she still is an active member of her Epsilon Chapter!
Jo had this to say when I asked her about Kappa: “I love being a Kappa and serving with Kappas. There is something so special about people who choose to dedicated decades of service to the lives of future generations, then retire, and continue to support the teachers who follow them.”
Jo also shares these bits of wisdom:
“Never forget how important what we do is.”
“Do not break your arm patting yourself on the back.”
“Try to anticipate what your leaders may need—be prepared to help.”
“Live with JOY—Jesus is first; Others are second; You (yourself) are last.”
Jo Klingman lives in Weatherford, Oklahoma, with her husband Skip. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in December.
Be sure to look for this lovely Kappa lady when you are at the next Convention. You will find her with a smile on her face and a kind word for all those around her. She is a true Kappa and embodies the true spirit of Kappa.
Barbara Garrison, Gamma Chapter, Psi State/TN
Barbara has been a Gamma Chapter member for 40 years. She joined Kappa Kappa Iota in 1983, during Sara Sunderman’s Presidency, to be able to have intelligent adult conversations instead of kindergarten ones! She taught first grade and second grade, but her love was with kindergarten for 25 years. To this day she is recognized when out in public by some of her former students who recognize her and say “I cannot believe I am seeing my kindergarten teacher”, and some even cry! Her email says it all: “kindrtcher25” and her license plate “TCHR” demonstrates her dedication to education.
Barbara was raised in Chattanooga, TN. She attended local schools and graduated from U.T. Peabody (which is now Vanderbilt University) with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at University of Tennessee Chattanooga (UTC). Barbara and her husband Bob raised three daughters, and she has two granddaughters and two grandsons.
Barbara’s interests include crafts of any kind. She was an expert in kindergarten because, at the time she earned her education degree, social and educational skills in kindergarten were taught using the “Play” model. She also makes Rosary beads for church members, family, and friends. Barbara took classes for three years to become a member of the Secular Franciscan Religious order and served as the Director of Religious Education at her Church.
Barbara was asked to join Kappa Kappa Iota by Marsha Doebler, Chapter President of Gamma Chapter Psi State TN. She was happy to join because she knew several members including our Life MAL Eula Mae Peavyhouse, who is a charter member of Gamma Chapter, and also Omega Chapter member Eula Reed. Barbara’s first National Convention was in 1985 Omaha, NE during Jane Treat’s National Presidency. She brought her three daughters to the National Convention, and she has been active in many National Conventions.
Barbara has served as an officer in each office for her local chapter and as an officer in each of the state officer positions. She has been Psi State President four times. On the National Committees, she has served as Chair of the Special Projects Committee and Nominating Committee as well as being a member of the Bylaws, Scholarship, Business, and Memorial Committees. Barbara has served as Parliamentarian for her local chapter and the state chapter. She is also involved in our local Philanthropic Projects and Educational Scholarship Fundraiser events. She has loved going to the National Conventions and learning about Parliamentary Procedures. Barbara served as Psi State President in 1989 with Linda Smith, Carol Neary, Suellen Sulunga and many other great Kappas. This was the first year that the State Presidents actually selected a theme name, and theirs was “89’rs.”
The main reason Barbara gives for maintaining her Life Membership is the friendships of her Kappa Sisters developed over the years.