Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum Board of Directors 2009 - 2010

The Board of Directors for the Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum is a dedicated group of individuals inspired to create an extraordinary space for children and families in Mount Pleasant. Backgrounds are varied and extensive with the mostly ubiquitous presence of small children inspiring us each step of the way.

 Jennifer Fields - (Chairperson)
Helped start and sustain a college preparatory and now award-winning charter school in Holland www.blackriverpublicschool.org. She also taught nine years at the secondary level and currently teaches future educators at Mid Michigan Community College. Her husband, Jay, is an attorney with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and they share two children, ages 3 and 5.

 Heather Frisch - (Vice-Chair)
Was born in Mt. Pleasant and grew up in Rosebush.  She has 15+ years experience in the areas of child development and currently runs a family childcare program.  She resides in the Farwell area with her husband, Andy, who teaches at Farwell High School, and their four children, ages 3, 5, 14, 17.

 

 Shelly Smith - (Secretary and Treasurer)
Shelly and her husband, Mark, were born and raised in Mt. Pleasant.  She helped run a not-for-profit, eco-minded Board of Directors for five years. She has a BA in Psychology, a teaching degree in special education and early childhood, and is working on a Masters in Early Childhood Education. She has three children, ages 3, 6, and 9, and currently teaches Spanish part-time to elementary students.  She resides in Mt. Pleasant with her husband Mark who co-owns Krapohl Ford and sits on the boards of the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce, Pardee Cancer Fund, and Renaissance Public School Academy.  He is also part of the Quality of Life Committee of Vision 20/20 and a member of the Mt Pleasant Optimist Club. 

 Sarah Cassavaugh - (Information Officer)
Sarah and her husband, Nick, moved to Mt Pleasant over three years ago along with their two sons, currently ages 6 and 11. After spending eighteen years working in the IT field in project management, system administration and systems support, she finds fulfillment in volunteering her time and expertise to the development of MPDM. Inspired in part by learning of their youngest son’s autism, she is currently working to finish her degree in child psychology. Nick works for Central Michigan University as a Research Scientist and Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department and is also the assistant director of the Driver Education, Evaluation and Research (D.E.E.R.) Center.

 Andy Marks - (Legal Advisor)
Worked with multiple non-profits on boards and founding committees with specific experience helping start two children's museums. Has sought public office and established a law practice locally. He has one child, age 19.

 

 

Tami Melton - (Communications Officer)
Lived abroad for multiple years as she earned a Masters of Science in Environmental Science and wrote grants for non-profit agencies. She is also a music teacher, teaching violin and children's choir. She and her husband, Jim, a professor of Business Information Systems at Central Michigan University, share two children, ages 3 and 6.

 

 Lisa Thackery - (Grants Coordinator)
An analytical chemist at Dow Corning Corporation.  Organizes science education outreach programs via Dow Corning and the American Chemical Society.  Aspires to spark children’s interest in science and to increasesupport and resources for science education in schools and community programs.  Volunteers as a Girl Scout Leader and involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Her husband, Chris, works at Hemlock Semiconductor and they have three children, ages 2, 3, and 7.

Mount Pleasant Discovery Museum Key Volunteers

Tom Wolcott (Museum Project Manager)
A varied background of 20-plus years experience attached to production, operations management, and project management roles. He just finished working to open the Mid-Michigan Children's Museum in Saginaw, Michigan and also helped a team open the Detroit Science Center in Detroit, Michigan. He has eight children, ages 0, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18, and 20.

Brenda Skeel (Design Consultant)
Brenda is a registered architect and award winning designer who currently teaches full-time in the Interior Design Department at Central Michigan University.  Her husband, Reid, is a professor of Psychology also at Central Michigan University and they have two children ages 6 and 9.