About Us
What We Do
Our goal is to provide encouragement and social support to homeschooling families of all faiths in a Christian setting, to promote entrance and confidence in homeschooling, to facilitate access to celebratory events, extracurricular programming and community service opportunities for school aged members.
We welcome families of all religions, sizes and backgrounds and pride ourselves on our growing diversity as being representative of the changing sociocultural dynamics of the homeschooling movement. PPEA strives to build a strong and vibrant homeschool community through offering opportunities for connection, collaboration, and mutual support among families.
How We Started
Pinellas Parent Educators Association (PPEA) was started in 1985 by a group of homeschooling parents. PPEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run solely by volunteers for homeschooling families with children of all ages, living in and around Pinellas County Florida.
Your Leadership Team
Neisha Promisco
Co-Chair
Neisha Promisco has been dedicated to homeschooling for the past 13 years and is the proud mother of three children: Luciana (17), Dominic (14), and Luca (11). Four years ago, her family relocated to Pinellas County, where they quickly embraced both the beauty of the area and the warmth of the local homeschool community.
Before moving to Florida, Neisha founded a homeschool group that brought families together for weekly park days and field trips—reflecting her longstanding passion for fostering connection, collaboration, and encouragement among homeschoolers. She currently serves as Chair of the Chosen Advisory Council at Chosen Co-op, where her sons attend and where she has taught classes for the past two years. This past spring, her eldest daughter graduated after being homeschooled since first grade and is now attending the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg—an experience Neisha considers one of the greatest honors of her life.
In addition to homeschooling and teaching, Neisha is pursuing a lifelong dream by opening a family-friendly art studio in Seminole. This new venture blends her love of creativity, education, and community-building. She has a particular passion for hands-on learning and enjoys teaching in ways that spark imagination and connection.
Outside of education, Neisha enjoys spending time outdoors with her family—boating, beach outings, traveling, and caring for their backyard chickens. She also finds joy in creative projects, gardening, and studying the Bible, always eager to learn and grow.
Neisha is excited to engage with the PPEA community and looks forward to contributing to its mission of support and connection among homeschooling families.
Joanne Sastamoinen
Co-Chair
Joanne Sastamoinen has been a resident of Pinellas County, in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the past 23 years, along with her husband, Gary. Together, they have seven children: Carly (22), Lucius (17), Aidan (17), Addison (15), Gracie (14), Damien (14), and Ian (13).
For seven years, the Sastamoinen family embraced a unique lifestyle, homeschooling their children while traveling across the United States in a 5th wheel RV. This hands-on approach allowed them to experience American history and geography firsthand, walking the streets of the very places they studied.
The family has now been living full-time in their home for the past year and is actively involved in the local community. They attend Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg and are members of the Chosen Homeschool Co-Op, where Joanne will be teaching classes this year. They have also recently joined the Classical Conversations community, marking a new chapter in their educational journey. Four of their children continue to be homeschooled, while two have opted to return to traditional school settings—each thriving in their respective environments.
Originally from England, Joanne has lived in the United States for 34 years and is a naturalized American citizen. She is also a Registered Nurse, working in various local emergency rooms throughout the area.
Joanne looks forward to contributing to the PPEA community in the years to come.
Lauren Stockard
Web Technology / Marketing
Lauren and her family have lived in Pinellas County since 2019. She has been married to Nate since 2006, and they have two homeschooled children – Skye (17) and Savannah (12). They began their homeschool journey during COVID in 2020 and love being part of the homeschool community. Her daughters are active in local co-ops, theater, and synchronized swimming.
Professionally, she owns two businesses – Blue Atlas Marketing and Escape FLA. Lauren enjoys giving back to the community that she loves so much. She is looking forward to being able to help market and grow PPEA.