Praveena Jayabal Ramaswami is a community volunteer who was appointed to the Ann Arbor park advisory commission in November 2014.
She is Community Connector and Consultant with her company, MamaSwami Connects.
Currently (2015) Ramaswami serves on the boards of the Ann Arbor Art Center, and is Board President for the Thurston Community Players. She is also involved in fundraising for the Thurston Nature Center.
She is married to Madhan Ramaswami, an Engineer at the Toyota Technical Center. The couple has two daughters, Meera and Leela . The family lives in the Thurston neighborhood on Ann Arbor's Northeast side.
Timeline: Praveena Ramaswami
Nov. 17, 2014: Is appointed by the Ann Arbor City Council to replace Graydon Krapohl on the Ann Arbor park advisory commission, following Krapohl's election to city council in November 2014 to represent Ward 4. Ramaswami's term on PAC runs from June 1, 2014 through May 31, 2017.
March 2014: Joins Thurston Nature Center board as marketing chair. Serves as co-lead fundraising for the "Restore the Thurston Nature Center" campaign.
January 2014: Joins the board of the Ann Arbor Art Center, a nonprofit teen center located in downtown Ann Arbor. Serves as Education Chair and as project lead to remodel staff office spaces.
2013: Serves as Community Coordinator and Connector for NE Ann Arbor with “The Bromley Buzz” Group and "A2 on the Northside".
June 2011- January 2015: Volunteers on the board of the Ann Arbor Neutral Zone Teen Center, a nonprofit teen center located in downtown Ann Arbor. Serves as building chair.Works as project lead for the Neutral Zone's "Art4Life : Toyota Design & Sculpt Workshop."
April 2011: Joins the board of the Thurston Community Players as President and Art Director.
March 1, 2010: Is honored – along with her husband, Madhan Ramaswami – with a mayoral proclamation at the Ann Arbor city council meeting for their work at Bromley Park. The couple adopted the park near their home and have organized biannual events to remove invasive plants, plant flowers and clean-up the park.
February 2008-July 2014: Works as a team leader in administration at Toyota's Calty Design Research studio in Ann Arbor.
2008-Present: Serves as Bromley Park Steward for the Natural Area Preservation (NAP) with the city of Ann Arbor.
2001-2008: Works in various positions for the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor.
2001: Earns an Internet Professional Certification, Graphic Design from Washtenaw Community College.
1999: Studies business management and marketing at Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, India.
In the news
Thurston Beatlemania – Ann Arbor Observer, March 2014
Thurston Elementary celebrates diversity at International Night – AnnArbor.com, April 23, 2010
Ramaswami family recognized by city for volunteerism – A2Journal, March 10, 2010
Contributing to this Page
For some existing timeline elements more precise dates would be desirable. Update strategy: Add timeline elements and news links as history unfolds.