About Us

Piedmont Unplugged was founded by a group of parents from all six Piedmont Schools.

Tired of feeling powerless against the seemingly inevitable pull of the digital world, we came together to do something about it.  Since founding Piedmont Unplugged, we’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from parents across our community.

So many of us share a strong desire to place healthy boundaries on smartphones and social media, but fear that doing so will isolate our kids from their social groups. We believe that by joining together, we can create an environment where our kids don’t need a smartphone to feel connected.

Who We Are

Pictured (left to right)

Liza Nebel: Havens (K & 2nd)

Brooke Wall: Beach (K & 2nd)

Hayley Young: Wildwood (2nd), Growing Light (Pre-K)

Amanda Straub: Havens (K, 2nd & 4th)

Melissa Partovi: Havens (2nd)

Danielle Horowitz: Havens (K & 2nd)

Not pictured

Jesse Bell: Beach (2nd & 4th)

Jessy Burke: Havens (2nd)

Emily Kaplan: Havens (TK & 2nd)

Sari Leivent Sanghi: Havens (2nd), PMS (6th), PHS

Our Guiding Principles

  • We’re here to connect those who wish to disconnect. Our goal is to create a community of families who are ready for an alternative approach to smartphone use for their kids.

  • We respect individual family choice. Decisions about tech use is a personal thing, and each family should ultimately design an approach that works for them, without fear of judgement.

  • We’re pro-tech. Technology is an incredible tool for learning, creativity and connection - but as with so many things, we believe that mindful moderation is key to reaping the full benefits.