Bio Book
It was great seeing everyone at the 20 Year Reunion!
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Tell us about your life since High School!
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR BIO & PIC TO us@rhs2002.org!
Katia “Jorgensen” Littrell ~ Rockford, MI: I graduated from Kalamazoo College with a B.A. in Psychology in 2006 and moved to Boston. After four years of sales, I completed a Masters of Education of the Deaf, and am now teaching students with hearing loss in the greater Boston Area. I’m now married to Scott Littrell and we are expecting our first daughter!
UPDATE 2022: Katia and Scott have a daughter, Nora, and a son, Jack, and have moved back to Rockford!
Ashley Brauer-O’Connor ~ Los Angeles, CA: After Rockford, I went to Grand Valley State University for Communications. While in school, I modeled under NeXt Model Management, Los Angeles. After college, I moved to Beverly Hills, CA, where I worked for a marketing and web development firm in Santa Monica/Malibu. I took over the company in 2008, soon before meeting Patrick O’Connor (his mom set us up), on November 1, 2014, we got married in Malibu. We live together with as many rescue dogs as we can handle in Studio City, CA. Patrick is a screenwriter for Disney and Nickelodeon.
UPDATE 2023: I went on to continue my education in Computer Science, remotely, through Harvard’s Extension Program and continue with my web company while busy with my two kids (Lincoln 3, and Annika 1). Before having children, we moved just outside of Los Angeles to a town a lot like Rockford with great schools, and a small-town feel, yet just a quick trip to the fun of Los Angeles for date nights! Patrick is a Producer for NFL NETWORK and will continue his screenwriting when he is no longer on strike. I love reading everyone’s bios and cannot wait to see you at the reunion!
Ashlea “Dutton” Soufrou ~ Grand Rapids, MI: Graduated from WMU in 2006 and married Bill Souffrou (2001 grad). We have 3 crazy boys Henry (10), Sam (7), and Jacob (4). We still live in Grand Rapids and our kids attend Forest Hills Eastern. My passion is traveling and I only have to knock out a few NE states to have visited all 50. My career has been focused on helping hospitals recover costs through the sale of unused supplies and equipment. In 2019 I began developing software for hospitals to use in the supply chain which was launched in 2020. I have secured a few patents and now work all over the country. Life is busy but I’m enjoying the ride!
April Soderstrom ~ Boston, MA: After graduating from CMU in 2006 I moved to Boston and eventually started my own jewelry business in 2012. It’s still keeping me busy over a decade later and grown into something I could have never expected but thrilled I get to do something I love every day. My husband Ben and I and our two little boys love coming back to Rockford to visit as often as we can
UPDATE 2023: I currently live in Arlington, Texas with my family. I am still married to my husband and have two boys ages 8 and 3. I am a high school biology teacher.
Jackie (Kwiatkowski) Sherwood ~ I graduated from Michigan State in 2006 with a BA in Psychology and then graduated from Elmhurst College in 2008 with my Master’s in I-O Psychology. My husband Brian and I have been married since 2008 and we have a beautiful little girl who is now 2. We live in Caledonia, MI and I work at Northpointe Bank in Grand Rapids.
Zane Zivinski ~ Still keepin’ it too real for suburbanites. Holar!
UPDATED JAN 2016: Zane lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and works at Charley’s Bar & Grill.
Bree Middleton ~ Grand Rapids, MI: I became a mom, my daughter, Parker is almost 6. I went back to school; became an MA and phlebotomist and worked for Metro Health. I plan to return to school at some point in the future to continue my education in the medical field.
UPDATE 2023: I’m still living in Rockford, and my daughter will be 17! I’m still working as a medical assistant and enjoy spending time with her and our cat Buttons and going to concerts.
Jessie Newman ~ Corpus Christi, TX: I became a registered dietitian and currently live in Corpus Christi Texas, and am the director of a weight loss surgery program. I am not currently married and do not have children. I have been going to school and climbing the corporate ladder since 2002.
UPDATE 2017: Jessie is married and has a beautiful daughter and another on the way!
Tim Holbert ~ Clarkston, MI: I studied Mechanical Engineering at Kettering University from 2002 until December 2006. I now am an engineer at GM working on the Duramax Diesel. I live on a lake in Clarkston, Michigan, and still do as much skiing as I can.
Stephanie “Jones” Lyon ~ Grand Rapids, MI: I’m a registered dental assistant. I married my wonderful husband Tom on October 30th, 2010. We have a beautiful daughter Keira who will be three in September. We are also expecting another baby girl in April.
Erin “Vander Velde” Walker ~ Grandville, MI: My husband and I were married in 2009 and lived in Kalamazoo up until this year when we moved back to the Grandville area. I graduated from Western with my master’s as a Physician Assistant on August 10th, 2012.
Justin (a.k.a. Miles) Wadsworth: ~ Alpharetta, GA: Since graduating from RHS, I’ve attended Savannah College of Art and Design, and graduated in ’06 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interactive Design and Game Development. From there I obtained my first Game Industry job with Frozen Codebase (2007) as an Environment Artist. We were a small independent LLC, of Green Bay, WI, and we worked on small titles for Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii Ware. After a short 2 years, the studio shut down. Shortly thereafter, I traveled down south to Austin, TX, where I attended an independent online art school called TAD, or The Art Department– unaffiliated with the University of TX– this school became one of the first waves of online art education in the US and one of the greatest experiences in art education that I could have ever hoped for. It really helped open up the floodgates of my creativity. I worked in a small workshop studio environment with a few students, and we shared online classrooms with artists from all over the world. The program lasted for 30 months (2010-2012). A little while after I graduated, in August 2014, I landed an apprenticeship that evolved into a full-time position as a Character Artist with OMNOM Workshop, LLC, of Austin, TX. OMNOM Workshop is an outsourcing studio for several game studios around the US. Their “name to fame” was that several members were former artists and Art Leads from Vigil Games. We worked on some amazing projects during that time, and needless to say– my time was well spent with the people of OMNOM. I had a great amount of mentorship and a lot of great memories from that place. I chose to move on from OMNOM in October 2016, and am now working full-time with Hi-Rez Studios, of Alpharetta, GA, where I work on character art for SMITE. Time has kinda taken me full circle, and it’s been a long journey, but for what it’s worth, it’s been great. I’m currently single, but I live with my cat, Lavidia. The picture is from a hike with friends of Hi-Rez, from Blood Mountain. Thanks for keeping in touch– and if there is ever another class 02′ gathering, I’ll be on the lookout. Portfolio: http://artstation.com/miles (Updated 2017)
Jamie “Erbes” Cardinal ~ Alexandria, VA: I graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management and managed commercial construction for several years in West Michigan.
UPDATE 2023: Since the last update, a lot has changed! I moved back to Michigan, met and married my husband Jon and we now live in Sparta. We have 2 1/2-year-old twins and a 6-month-old baby. Our life is the most fun chaos I could ever imagine! I still manage commercial construction and work for Clark Construction.
Valerie “Berkenpas” Tolliver ~ West Bloomfield, MI: I am married to a wonderful husband of two years and we live outside the Detroit area. Not currently in school but going back in the fall, hopefully. No kids currently just enjoying married life and working.
Katie “Mahoney” Pazynski ~ Kalamazoo, MI: I graduated from Western Michigan University, where I met my husband Matt. I now work with young children with autism in the Kalamazoo area.
UPDATE 2023: We now have two amazing daughters who keep us pretty busy.
Nicole “Raska” Cohcran ~ Dexter, MI: I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2006 with a public relations degree and married my wonderful husband, Mike, from Zeeland, MI in 2006. We have one three-year-old daughter, Ellie, and another daughter due in July 2012.
Maggie George ~ Rockford, MI: I graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with minors in Marketing and Hospitality. I currently work for Farmers Insurance at their corporate location in Caledonia. I have 2 children.
UPDATE 2023: I have 3 children, my oldest just graduated high school. I have been with Farm Bureau Insurance for the last 8 years in various positions.
Karin “Lewis” Guynn ~ New Canaan, CT: Since graduating in 2002, I attended BYU in Provo, Utah, and graduated with a BS in Microbiology in 2006. I met my husband, Evan Guynn at BYU and we married one semester before we graduated. In June 2006 we moved to New Canaan, CT so that my husband could start his job in NYC and I found a job at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals in Ridgefield, CT. I worked as a Clinical Scientist managing clinical trials and preparing data on investigational new drugs for submission to the FDA. I helped bring to market Pradaxa (the first novel anticoagulant for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation in 50 years) and Tradjenta (a type 2 diabetes compound). In November 2011, after 5 1/2 years at Boehringer, I resigned to take on a new, exciting career as a full-time mom, raising my beautiful daughter.
Kelly “Addis” Berger ~ Fayetteville, NC: I served 8 years in the Air Force and graduated with Bachelor’s in Elementary Special Education. I plan to continue with a Master’s in Speech Pathology. I have been married for 9 years to my soldier Jeremiah who is also from Michigan. Together we have two kids and two big dogs.
Update 2023 ~ Kelly Berger has two teenagers and will be celebrating her 20th anniversary this year with her retired Army Soldier. She finished her MBA and is now the Lead HR Generalist at a government contractor in Huntsville, AL.
Tera “Brackett” Hopkins ~ Richmond, TX: Married with 3 kids enjoying beautiful Texas! 🙂
Britney “Hamilton” Fankhauser ~ Cedar Springs, MI: Well I have 3 wonderful kids. 2 boys and 1 girl, from my first marriage. Now I am married to a wonderful man, Justin Fankhauser who has 4 kids, 2 boys, and 2 girls, so now I have 7 kids all together it’s fun. We traveled to the West with all 7 and it was a blast!
Adam Harroun ~ Walker, MI. After RHS, I played semiprofessional football for 6 seasons. Late in 2019, I decided to open my own business as a general Contractor called Rockford Property Services, which offers a wide range of home Improvements, landscaping/irrigation, outdoor kitchens, concrete work, custom structures, electrical, playgrounds, dog parks, basketball hoops, sports complexes, and snow removal. I currently employ a team of 7 and growing.
UPDATE 2023: I’m still living in Walker MI, and business is thriving. www.rockfordpropertyservices.com
**REUNION SPONSOR**
Katie Clarin ~ Grand Rapids, MI: After leaving RHS, I headed to Michigan State University where I earned my bachelor’s degree. I then moved on to Aquinas College to complete my Master’s in Education. I have been teaching Middle School Math at our old stomping grounds, Rockford North Middle School for the last 12 years. I also coach the varsity women’s water polo team at RHS. I am currently in the midst of wedding planning, as I am marrying Dave, my boyfriend of about 8 years in October! We absolutely love traveling, boating, & golfing. Tahoe and Hawaii are a couple of our favorite places and we try to get there every couple of years. I currently live in Grand Rapids but we are searching for our dream home in this crazy house market!
Annie Mas-Smith ~ Grand Rapids, MI: I graduated from Calvin College in 2006 and have been working there ever since. I currently am the Area Coordinator, overseeing the on-campus apartments that house juniors and seniors. I have been married for almost 6 years and just recently had a baby boy, Henry.
Heidi “Duitsman” Parker ~ Rockford, MI: I graduated from Central Michigan University in May 2006. I started out in commercial banking and now work in the insurance industry. I married my husband in November 2009. We live in downtown Rockford now with our spoiled dog Boss. UPDATE: Heidi and Josh have a beautiful daughter, Mara.
Jessica “Calkins” Dietrich ~ Rockford, MI: I work at Devos Children’s Hospital as a Nurse Tech in Pediatric Sedation. I have been married for almost 8 years and have 2 children. I am currently in school to finish my nursing degree.
Olivia (Urlaub) Moore– Kansas City, MO: After graduation, I went to Florida, where I studied English at Southeastern University. Promptly after that, with very little clue what I was going to do next, I took a job in Los Angeles. I was planning to write a book. I did not. Instead, I met my husband. We have traversed the country in the name of work, family, and adventure. We are celebrating our 16th anniversary this fall. Eight years ago, we settled down in Kansas City. Even though it is way too landlocked for this Michigan girl, it’s a great place to live. We have three lovely kids, Hudson, Harper, and Clementine, ages 14-9.
I am an artist, gardener, and home educator. I am happily turning our yard into a small suburban homestead with chickens, fruit trees, and flowers everywhere. I work part-time as a Suite Attendant at a couple of our KC stadiums on the Premium Suite levels.
I recently stumbled across that 5th grade memory book, where the teachers wrote predictions and my life is strangely close to everything Mrs. Sanders wrote. It’s a beautiful and wild life.
Krista Plank ~ Grand Rapids, MI: I went to culinary school at GRCC class of 2005. Getting married to Ross Dykstra. We have 3 boys Jackson is 6 & Brennen and Brody are 19 months.
UPDATE 2023: As of now Ross and I have been together for 16 years and have 5 boys. I work part-time as a server at a local restaurant near Rockford and mainly take care of all of our kids. Thanks for thinking of me and I will miss seeing everyone and am so bummed I can’t make it. Have fun!
Meaghan Beaver~ San Antonio, TX: Sourcing Manager, Daymon. After graduation, I attended MSU and received a Bachelor’s in Science for Apparel and Textile Design. I’ve had the opportunity to work in many fields from marketing, recruiting, and event planning (ironically, never in fashion!) to where I am now in an amazing role as a Sourcing Manager for private label brands in the grocery industry. After dating my now husband for 4 years, he popped the question with an incredible engagement in the UP at Pictured Rocks and we eloped in the same week to Las Vegas back in 2017 knowing that we were relocating to Vancouver, Canada. We lived there for 4 years traveling the country and taking in all the beautiful sights Canada has to offer. We headed back stateside in 2021 where we now reside in the beautiful state of Texas with our fur babes, JJ and Jackson. We enjoy experiencing all life has to offer by traveling the world, being self-proclaimed foodies and cocktail connoisseurs. Cheers!
Tyler McCoy~ Holland, MI: Lead electrical/robotics engineer at JR Automation.
Alissa “Johansen” Bolema~ Clarksville, TN: I have just finished my MBA with a concentration in Strategic Management. I am also expecting our first child, a boy, and Keagan and I will celebrate our 10-year anniversary this December. I work in Property Management and currently reside in Clarksville, TN.
Chris Copus~ Chicago, IL: I studied Finance at Michigan State and graduated in the summer of 2006. From there I worked in Detroit for a couple of years, and am now in Chicago, as a Finance Manager for a media/advertising agency here. I got married in February 2011…no kids in the near plans but we do have a 7lb Papillon who’s my best bud (other than my wife ha). Very manly dog 🙂
Beka (Osbun) Sanderson ~ Comstock Park, MI: Just celebrated 17 years of marriage to my best friend, Gabe, and I am loving life as a mostly stay-at-home mom. Our boys are 16, 14, 12, and 11- it’s a weird thing to have kids towering over me and being able to hop in a car and run to the store for me! I love to travel and have been extra spoiled this year- Iceland this June and we did some extreme hiking in Acadia just this last week. It’s been nice to see what everyone is up to.
Kate “Foote” Bialkowski ~ Charlotte, NC: I Graduated from MSU in 2006, packed up in 2008, and moved to Charlotte, NC where I have been teaching Kindergarten for the past 4 years! I’ve finished my Master’s degree, been married to my husband for almost 3 years, and am currently in the process of moving back to the Mitten!
Andrew Bosse ~ Rockford, MI: Married. No kids. Account Executive for Johnson Controls. Lived in Chicago after graduating from Ferris State with a bachelor’s in engineering and MBA. Moved back to West Michigan for a new job in 2011.
Emily “Cook” Tejchma ~ Coopersville, MI: I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2006 with a double major in Accounting and International Business. I work as a Staff Accountant at Global Forex Trading in the finance department. My husband and I met while attending GVSU and just celebrated our five-year anniversary! We have a three-year-old Son and are expecting child number two this Fall!
UPDATE 2023: Chad and I celebrated 16 years of marriage together this past Spring! Conner is now 14 and going into High School! Kady is almost 11 and headed into Middle School! I changed companies and have been with Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) for 10 years now working in the financial reporting department. I am a Senior Financial Analyst and love what I do! We keep busy during the year watching both kids play soccer and basketball! We love to travel, go for bike rides, and explore the lakeshore! In the last few years, we started exploring the national parks out west! We love seeing new areas and are up for recommendations!
Matthew DeGraaf ~ New York, NY: After HS I served as an Army Ranger in the 1st Ranger Battalion in Savannah, GA. Got out in 2005, moved to Colorado to live the good life, and go to school in Boulder. Now I’m living in Harlem and studying math education at Columbia University, and in the fall will be assisting the Columbia Lions Baseball team.
Scott Vande Kerkhoff ~ New York, NY: After graduating from Michigan State, I worked in investment banking and then private equity. Now I am halfway through a two-year vacation earning my MBA from Columbia Business School. My girlfriend and I live on the Upper West Side of New York City.
Lacy “Brown” Zdybel ~ Rockford, MI: I graduated from Aquinas College with an Elementary Education Degree. I have a Mathematics major and Health, P.E., and Recreation minor. I am currently teaching 8th-grade math at a middle school in Grand Rapids and I am in my 10th year of coaching middle school cheerleading in Rockford. I am attending Western Michigan University to receive my Masters in Educational Leadership.
UPDATE 2023: I have been married to my amazing husband for 8 years and we have 3 beautiful children. After finishing my Educational Leadership Master’s and teaching Middle School Math for 10 years, I left my career to stay home with my firstborn and to help care for my mom. I still currently stay home with my children and love it!
David Boboltz ~ Kalamazoo, MI: I graduated from Western Michigan University in 2007 with a degree in Mechanical engineering. I’m currently a Design Engineer at Stryker Instruments. Lastly, I’ve been married to my wife, Melissa, for just over a year.
Megan “Gray” Scott ~ Southern, MI: I am married to an amazing man and have a 2 1/2-year-old daughter. For a career, I am a teaching consultant for children with autism. My family and I live in southern Michigan. My time is spent enjoying time with my family and supporting children with autism and their families.
Sarah “Plite” Nelson ~ Grand Rapids, MI: I graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2006 with a bachelor’s in Interior Design. I have worked at a commercial fabric company doing administrative and marketing work from my home in GR for the past 5 years as well as part-time photography in my spare time. Married my high school sweetheart, Kyle Nelson for 4 years and we are expecting our first child (boy) in August!
Christian Sack ~ Rockford, MI: I graduated from Grand Valley State University with my degree in Advertising/Public Relations in the winter of 2007. After an internship in the sports industry, I migrated into the Human Resources field where I am currently a Talent Acquisition Specialist with Gentex Corporation in Zeeland, MI. I mainly work within IT, Engineering, Finance/Accounting, and Supply Chain areas at Gentex. I married my wife, Alyson in July 2009 and we are currently living in downtown Rockford with our chocolate lab, Costa.
UPDATE 2017: Columbia, SC: My wife and I have two sons, Bennett (3) and Dalton (1), and work as a Talent Acquisition Manager with Hubbell, Inc.
UPDATE 2023: I am currently the Director of Global Talent Attraction & Acquisition with Allegion, a global manufacturing company based in Dublin, Ireland. I presently live in Greenville, SC, and have two boys, Bennett and Dalton.
Ashley (Goossen) Przybylski – Cleveland, OH: After graduating in 2002 I ended up getting my bachelor’s in Engineering from Michigan State University. I then moved to the Cleveland area, and have been living on the Westside of Cleveland for the past 16 years. In 2009 I went back to school and received my Master’s from Cleveland State University, and during that time met my husband. We got married in 2014 and now have 2 boys, Lane (6) and Griffin (4). We also have 2 large Newfoundland dogs and 2 geriatric cats. Last year I left my previous employer of 11 years and am now the Director of Engineering for a company that makes industrial electrical enclosures.
Erin
Meredith ~ Brooklyn, NY: After high school, I attended Oakland University in Rochester, MI. While swimming my way through college I obtained my BA in Communications. Shortly after graduating, I moved to New York City to work in advertising sales for CNN/HLN. Fortunately, I have managed my way up the corporate ladder and have landed on the complete other end of the spectrum working for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and truTV. I am enjoying every minute of the city but am missing the Michigan summers.
Julie “Harmsen” Fitts~ Seattle, WA: After high school, I attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids and earned a Mass Media Comm and Business degree. After a couple of years post-college in the crumbling Michigan job market, I packed my bags and relocated to Seattle, WA where I nannied while building my photography business.
UPDATE 2022: Seattle, WA. I graduated from Calvin University and then moved to Seattle in 2007. I’m a photographer, business owner, and mom to an 8-year-old. www.julieharmsen.com
Erin “Pitsch” Schnautz ~ Rockford, MI: I married my husband Ryan on July 31, 2010, and we live in Rockford. I currently work at Spectrum Health Butterworth in the OB Special Care and Postpartum Units. A few years ago I decided to go back to school for my RN degree and start my classes this coming January. We don’t have any children yet but do have a niece and nephew that we love to spoil. We love to travel and are looking forward to more traveling after I graduate.
Baron Grutter ~ ROCKFORD, MI: After RHS, I headed to a small town, Lamoni, IA. There, I attended Graceland University, played Football for 2 years, ran Cross Country for 2, and ran Track all 4. I met my wife, Grace, on the Track/CC team. I spent the next 4 years attending Dental School at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. In 2010, I graduated and joined a 35y/o practice, and in 2011, I had the opportunity to purchase the practice. The last year has been a true whirlwind, and I am currently in the process of hiring an Associate to work with me. My wife and I married in 2008, have a Shih Tzu named Barbie, a Boxer named G.I.Joe, and on 8/8/11 were blessed with our ‘Little Man,’ Bowen. God has been very gracious.
UPDATE 2023: Sold my Kansas City Dental practice in 2021. We moved our family of 5 back “Home” to Rockford, and I took over at Cannon Family Dentistry. 2.5 months later, we discovered our family of 5 would become a family of 6. In August, we’ll have 12yo Bowen, 10yo Nella, 6yo Corwin, 1yo Beatrice “Trixie”, and an ever-stronger marriage of 15yrs. God continues to bless us!
Stephanie “Maczka” Walter ~ Grand Rapids, MI: After leaving RHS in 2002 I attended Michigan State University for 8 years where I eventually left as an Osteopathic physician and met my now husband Jay. I completed my Pediatric Residency training at Helen DeVos and have been at Alger Pediatrics for the last 10 years. My husband, 3 kids, Weston (9), June (7), and Anna (5) and I live in East Grand Rapids.
D
on Hamilton ~ All Over With The Coast Guard, but coming back to MI soon! : After graduating from RHS, I attended Montreat College in North Carolina for two years studying History. In 2004, I transferred to the University of Saint Francis in Indiana. I played soccer for both schools on scholarships. In 2005, I joined the Coast Guard Reserves from 2006 till now I have been deployed throughout the country in Michigan, Texas, California, and also to Guantanamo Bay Cuba. Just a few weeks ago I found out that I will be integrated into the Coast Guard Active Duty and will be stationed back in Michigan. I have done pretty much everything with the Coast Guard from Search and Rescue to Military Escorts to Counter Drug and Counter Migrant operations. I will be returning to school to finish my BA in History and then start my master’s classes. I will be getting married this summer and am looking forward to returning to Michigan.
Maria “Hessler” Andrakowicz ~ Venice, FL: I’m not sure how it’s been over 20 years since we graduated but here we are and this is my story. 🙂
I attended the Kent Career Tech Center during my Junior and Senior year of high school in the Cosmetology program and graduated with my license in 2003. I have been doing hair from that day on! I married Matt Andrakowicz (a 2000 Catholic Central Grad) in December 2005. He came as a package deal with his amazing son, Jaden Matthew, who I adore and consider my very own.
We added two more kiddos, our son Daniel James in February 2009 and our daughter Marissa Jean in May 2010. All 3 kids are amazing and wonderful. We’re so lucky!
We lived in Rockford from 2004 until we moved to Grandville in 2010. In April 2013, our house was struck by lightning which caused a fire and it burned down. We lost almost everything we owned but our family and cats were all safe – thank the Lord!
After the fire, we went from an apartment in Jenison to a rental house in Bryon Center and then to building our dream home in Hudsonville in April 2016.
In addition to doing hair, I started a new job in November of 2017 doing commercial insurance auditing for a company called AFIRM. I get to work from home 100%… and from anywhere!
We love tropical weather (and hate snow!)! We tried traveling to Mexico, and the Caribbean, took cruises and visited Florida every chance we got but it just wasn’t enough. Daniel was going to be entering 8th Grade, Marissa 7th Grade, and Jaden was graduating high school so the timing was right. It was now or never! We decided to leave our dream home in Hudsonville to live in paradise! In July of 2022, we sold almost everything we own, loaded up a big truck, our cat Bear, and headed for Venice, Florida, our new and current home sweet home!
Wish we could make the reunion but we’ll be hanging at the beach! I’m thankful that old people like us still use Facebook to keep in touch!
Kelly “Olson” Pawlowski ~ Phoenix, AZ: After high school, I attended WMU where I obtained my BS in Elementary Education. After college, I moved to Phoenix where I have been teaching at a Title 1 school for the last 5 years (kindergarten and 3rd grade). Currently, I play on the SOCAL Division One Tempe Women’s Rugby Team. I met my boyfriend of 4 years at a rugby tournament and we just bought a house in Phoenix.
UPDATE 2023: I will be starting my 17th year in education! I am currently an Instructional Coach at a k-8 school in Phoenix, Arizona, and love having the opportunity to work with both the students and the teachers. I recently graduated with my Master’s in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University and look forward to using this degree at some point in my career. I have a seven-year-old son, Michael, who is as active and talkative as I used to be! He will be in 2nd grade this year and I am already sucking up to his teachers. We stay busy with Boy Scouts and all the different sports we can find time for. I enjoy traveling and trying out new adventures. Just this last year I ran my first (and maybe last) marathon, spent a week backpacking Isle Royale end to end, and last summer I hiked Machu Picchu.
Andrea Montgomery~ Grand Rapids, MI: I married my high school sweetheart Ryan (class of ’03) in 2005. We traveled pretty extensively for the first 6 years of marriage until our son Hudson was born in June of 2011. We’re hoping he also has the travel bug since there are many more places we’d like to see! I graduated from GRCC in 2007 with an Associate Degree in Nursing and then attended Ferris State University and received my BSN. I currently work full-time in Spectrum Health Butterworth OR as a surgical nurse.
Derek Roberts ~ Ada, MI: After RHS I attended Lake Superior State University before transferring and graduating from the Ferris States Construction Management program in 06, bought a house, and moved to Ada. I am a Vice President at KPH Construction, a Milwaukee firm, and currently run our Grand Rapids office. Not married, no kids, traveling, and loving life.
Leandra “Centala” Large ~ Grand Rapids, MI: Since graduating, I’ve been in the administrative/clerical field working in a ton of different positions. My husband, Jeff Large (class of 01), and I started dating in 2003 and had our son Isaiah in 2005, we got married last year in June and we have another baby due this June! Life has been nothing short of amazing, and I have truly been blessed! God is good!
Bruce Gerber II ~ Belmont, MI: Working at Spectrum, GVSU, and the Whitecaps. Back in school. Coaching football at East Rockford Middle School and wrestling at Rockford High School.
UPDATE: Los Angeles, CA: A few months after our 10-year reunion, (March 2013) I moved out to Bakersfield, CA for a job. I became the Director of Food and Beverage for a Major League Single High A Baseball team (Bakersfield Blaze), which was affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. After 6 months, I moved down to Los Angeles to start working in Los Angeles. In 2014, I started working for a private company doing HR stuff (which also allows me to travel all over the country to expand our business) and I also began coaching Junior College Football at Santa Monica College. In 2016, I will begin my 3rd year coaching Defensive Line and Special Team Specialist.
Sheena Harman ~ Caledonia, MI: I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2008 with a BA in Psychology/Special Education and a minor in Elementary Education. I received teaching endorsements in Cognitive, Emotionally Impaired, and Autism. I have been teaching at Sibley Elementary in Grand Rapids for 4 years. I work in a self-contained classroom for students with autism. I really couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I am currently taking classes to obtain my master’s in Behavior Analysis. I live with my boyfriend Ryan of 4 years in a house in Kentwood, Michigan. Our family includes his son Gavin (6 years) who comes to visit us in the summer from California and of course, we can’t leave out our other family component our Rhodesian Ridgeback/Boxer mix named Zoe that is a big mommy’s girl 🙂
UPDATE 2023: I will begin my 16th year of teaching at Sibley Elementary teaching students with Autism in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I went back and got my Master’s in Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis at Ball State University in 2017. I married my middle school love Ryan and have been married for 9 years now. We now have a full house with our oldest (my stepson) Gavin, who is 17 but mostly resides in California but comes and visits us in the summer. We have a daughter named Quinn who is 6 and our littlest Elyn, who is 3. We currently live in Caledonia, Michigan. As you can imagine living with littles keeps us pretty busy but we have been soaking up family vacations, kid “first” and spending summers doing all the things and seeing all the holiday magic through your kid’s eyes. Hope life has been treating you all well as we all head into our 40s. Life happens fast. 
Mallory “Engelman” Daldos ~ Hudsonville, MI: Graduated in 2008 from Aquinas College with a BA in education. For the past 15 years, I have been teaching and coaching at Jenison Public Schools. I currently teach students with emotional impairments at Jenison Jr. High. and coach the Junior High golf team. I have retired from coaching varsity volleyball for JHS and transitioned to the role of a mom taxi driver. I am married to my husband, Aaron, and have three kids. Addison-12, Jack-10, and Avery-8. We are always busy going to fields and courts but find time to relax Up North, and travel whenever possible.
Emily “Lamport” Reisert ~ Likely not many of you remember me from 20 years ago except a handful of people and the tennis team since I only attended Rockford Jr & Sr year 
After high school I played tennis for a small private school and went on to coach and get my MBA in Columbus Ohio. I met my husband, Cris, who was a football coach for the same school. We’ve moved 4 times in 3 different states for his coaching career since getting married 12 years ago. We had my son Hawk in North Carolina, he’s now 7, and my girl Lennox, 4, in Ohio. I worked in inventory management for 10 years before “retiring” to raise and hustle my little people around. We now live in Tiffin, Ohio, 45 minutes SE of Toledo, where Cris is the head football coach at Tiffin University, Go Dragons! I teach fitness classes and dabble in golf, but most of all feel grateful for the Lord’s blessings and the path that He led our little family on.
Rachel “Erickson” Whitmore ~ Grand Rapids, MI: After RHS, I graduated from Lansing Community College majoring in Sign Language interpreting. I am a nationally certified Sign Language interpreter and have been interpreting around West Michigan for 7 years. I also teach American Sign Language classes at Grand Rapids Community College, and I have been doing that for 6 years. My husband Andy and I have been married for 3 fantastic years. We enjoy snowmobiling in Kalkaska, MI during the winters and hanging out on the bay of Elk Rapids, MI in the summers. No children yet but love our rescue pup, Linsey.
UPDATE 2023: Andy and I are still married and celebrating our 14yr anniversary. We live in West Michigan and I am currently a high school teacher. Our daughter, June Whitmore is 10 years old. ~Rae
Bobbie “Burton” Demorest ~ Cedar Springs, MI: After graduation in 2002 I had 2 beautiful children Landon 7, and Claudia 4, and I married my husband Eric in 2010. I recently graduated from Davenport University in 2011 with my associates in medical assisting. I currently live in Cedar Springs and work at Grand Rapids Women’s Health as a medical assistant.
Sean Sarniak ~ Cedar Springs, MI: After “leaving” RHS, I finished up school at the glorious and prominent GR Technical High School before joining the Army as an Electronics Warfare/Electronics Technician in the MI sector. A couple of years later, I re-classed to be an Infantry Mortarman and ended up as a Sergeant on a sniper team in Iraq. While mired in my Army adventures throughout Arizona, Texas, and Iraq, I married my RHS sweetheart, Amanda Greve, and started having a bunch of babies. To improve my chances of being around for the baby-raising (and baby-making!), I left active duty and joined the MI National Guard for a few years while attending GVSU for Electrical Engineering. I graduated about a year ago and currently do Embedded Hardware and Software design at a company called DornerWorks. I don’t get to shoot anybody anymore and now I’m a big geek sitting at a computer all day, but I’m actually very happy with the work I’m doing and love spending time with my great family at our house in Cedar Springs. We’re planning on quitting at three as our 7-going-on-16-year-old daughter, Brielle, our funny yet adventurous 5-year-old son, Chase, and our stubborn and loud 1.5-year-old son, Brody, all provide us with enough excitement, already. Even after all my exploits, I somehow ended up with an awesome wife, great kids, and a job I enjoy. Life is pretty great…
Derek Douglas ~ Wyoming, MI: I graduated from Aquinas College in 2008 with a BA in science. Degree in health, physical education, and recreation. Minor in psychology. Been teaching in Kalamazoo for the past 8 years. Got married in March 2013. Had our first child Maya Frances Douglas in April 2016. Took a leave of absence to stay home and take care of my daughter. Currently living in Wyoming, MI.
UPDATE 2023: We had our second child, Clare Ryenne Douglas, in April 2018. I have been doing the whole “stay-at-home dad life” to take care of my daughters. Looking to get back into the education field this fall, now that both kids will be in school full time now. Currently living in Byron Center, MI.
Paul Werkema ~ I joined the Navy out of high school and was stationed in Bangor, Washington for five years. I was a torpedo man on submarines. I got out in 2007 and went to college at GRCC then transferred to Western Michigan graduating with degrees in History and Arabic. I moved to Reston, Virginia in 2013 and have lived here ever since. I also have a YouTube channel and have written two books.
Tiffany “Taylor” Firestone ~ Findlay, Ohio: After graduation, I moved to Anchorage, AK, and lived there for the majority of my adulthood. I relocated to Findlay, OH where I am married with 3 kids. I’m a nurse at The Toledo Hospital in our high-risk Antepartum/L&D department.
UPDATE 2023: After graduating from high school, I attended CC for a couple of years before relocating to Anchorage, Alaska for 10 years. I fished and hunted my way all over Alaska for those 10 years. I relocated back to the Midwest (Findlay, Ohio) in 2014. I am a Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse at ProMedica Toledo Hospital. I also do photography in my downtime from nursing. It’s a true passion and something I absolutely enjoy!!
Kelli “Budde” Williams
Byron Center, MI: As of May 2023 – After graduating from RHS, I attended Baker College in Muskegon, where I was also working as a Hooters waitress – turns out, I would meet Nick there, my now husband of 18 years (and counting)! I was able to finish my Bachelor of Business (Accounting) in 3 short years in 2005 – dual enrollment through HS and testing out of classes was a savior! Married Nick summer of 2005 following graduating college.
FUN FACT#1: I was born Kelli Williams, adopted by my (step) dad to Budde, and then married Nick and went back to Williams!
FUN FACT#2: Nick and I have the same birthday, 1 year apart!
I accepted a position at Holland Hospital in accounting, took a year off college, bought a house in Holland, and then went for my Master of Healthcare Administration graduating in the fall of 2008 – with 1 minor hiccup – I was due with our firstborn, Parker, the same date I was supposed to finish my Masters… well the powers at be had different plans and I had to have emergency C-section in July 2008 and deliver 7 weeks early AND finish my last Masters class while visiting Helen Devos NICU every day for 3 weeks…but I did it!
FUN FACT#3- Parker and my dad share the same birthday 50 years apart!
I moved jobs in April 2010 to work for Trinity Health as a Senior Reimbursement Specialist and a few years later we had our second son, Riley, in February 2012. I have been with Trinity ever since and working on my 14th year! We moved to Byron Center in May 2012 and we love it here!
We are an adventure-seeking family who loves to travel and make memories doing different experiences. Busy with all that life has thrown our way and I’m thinking about my kid’s graduation in just a few short years. Nothing slows down, that is for sure! Blink and 21 years have gone by since last stepping foot at RHS!
Photo: December 2022 Mexico zip lining
Josh Ankerberg – Lombard, IL – After graduation, I went to Calvin College, where I studied economics and French. After my BA, I moved to Paris, where I was an English language assistant. Soon after coming back to Michigan, I moved to NYC where I worked at a hunger non-profit. I met my wife Chrissie there, and we moved back to the Midwest. I got a Master’s degree from Purdue, and we had our first child, Simeon. After a few years of working for Purdue Extension, I got a job in Chicago at CME Group. Since then, we’ve added two more kids, Elizabeth and Anna.
Doug Putnam – Grand Haven, MI: ’07 BSME from Michigan Tech, ’15 MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. After graduating from Tech moved to Columbus Indiana where I worked for Cummins Inc. in various Engine and Genset product development engineering and management roles. Married in 2010 to Kristi Belcher (Rockford ’03 grad), met and dated since 2000. Our daughter was born in 2012. Then moved to Grand Haven, MI in 2017 after taking an engineering role at Consumers Energy, with responsibilities for leading generating plant upgrades covering the west side of Michigan. Enjoy getting out on the boat and some casual waterskiing with Lake Muskegon/Bear Lake as my go-to boating spot. 
Stephanie (Harris) Trevan ~ Grandville, MI: It’s ridiculous that it’s been two decades since we graduated high school. I, for one, have spent the last few years refusing to age gracefully whilst also accepting that I am officially too old to do pretty much anything that requires more than 20 minutes of energy. This is difficult considering that I’ve got two girls – a teenager and an almost five-year-old – both of whom seemingly have a never-ending supply of energy.
Jamie (Fase) West ~Charleston, SC: After finishing undergrad with a degree in history, a teaching certificate, and high hopes of living the good life like my RHS social studies teachers, I promptly learned that teaching was for the birds. 🙂 Nevertheless, I taught for 12 years while finishing my master’s at The Citadel and The American University in Cairo, Egypt, where I wrote my thesis and learned Arabic. I now work in Artificial Intelligence and Electromagnetic capabilities for the Department of Defense. Like most of the Fase family, I also sell real estate for fun. I live in Charleston, South Carolina with my husband and our two children. We enjoy boating, running, traveling, and hosting northerners who want to escape cold weather! Please reach out if you travel to Charleston; I’d love to reconnect.
Brett Beimers ~ ROCKFORD, MI: How has time passed so quickly?! It’s hard to believe the big 4-0 is coming soon.
Emily (Moe) Balenger ~ Rockford, Michigan: After Graduation, I moved to Huntington, West Virginia where I was a student-athlete on the swim team at Marshall University. If you have seen the movie “We Are Marshall” that’s the one. Little did I know, I met my husband and would live in that beautiful, small town for 12 years.
Nick Harley ~ Hendersonville, TN:
Philip Bodien ~ Hillard, OH: After high school, I moved to Lima, OH to attend “UNOH” the University of Northern Ohio. I graduated in 2005 and work as an Automotive Technician at United Postal Service (UPS). I met my wife, Ashley in 2004 while she was home visiting from college. In 2015 we welcomed our daughter, Bonnie. We live in Hillard, OH and I love racing at the track and shooting at the range in my spare time. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion! 
Casey Christensen ~ Bloomfield Village, Michigan: After graduating in 2002 I ended up getting my bachelor’s in Business Administration from Northwood University. I then moved to Chicago for 6 years to start and build my career. In 2012 both my wife and I moved back to Michigan and bought a house in Bloomfield Village. I met my wife Kathryn at Michigan State in 2006 and we got married in 2010 in Bloomfield Hills. We now have 3 kids, Katelyn (8), Connor (5), and Claire (4). I have been in Software sales for my entire career and am currently the Enterprise Account Executive at Zoom. 
Julianne “Chickering” Treadwell ~ Ann Arbor, MI: I graduated from Kalamazoo College with a double major in health sciences and Spanish and a concentration in environmental studies. I spent the early portion of my career providing technical solutions and training for healthcare and dental organizations that service under-reached areas across the country. I got married to a great man who turned into such a supportive partner and father, and we moved to New York City. I was one of the first 50 employees for the learning management system called Schoology. I loved the crazy startup life and did everything from quality checking code to onboarding client data sets and flying out to school districts to train administrators on the tool. I also became impassioned to revolutionize school! Memorization is outdated and kids need hands-on collaborative experiences with their peers and community! After 6 years in NYC, we moved to Miami, Florida. We bought a really old house that needed total renovations at the same time my second child was born, so I transitioned to freelance work and have been a freelance instructional designer and educational video producer ever since. I have diverse clients, covering topics as far-flung as tech, education, public services, and even a person who runs a homesteading YouTube channel. For a couple of years, I also taught after-school activities at a local Montessori School including art classes and gardening club. Last summer we moved back to Michigan, and we LOVE living in Ann Arbor. I’ll talk to anyone about running, foraging, child development, hydroponics, jazz, permaculture, and whether AI is going to put me out of business. While I’m not sure I’m going to be able to attend the reunion, I would love to reconnect with fellow Rockford graduates in the area! Please send me a friend request or message on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Nic Cline ~ North Texas, TX: After high school, I attended college in Indiana and graduated with a Computer Information Systems degree. I moved back to Rockford for a few years where I got my career started in industrial automation systems. In 2008 I met my wife, Kristen. Shortly after we moved to North Carolina together. While in NC we built a house, got married, and grew our family with our two sons. Our sons, Mason and Nolan, are now 12 and 10 years old respectively. In 2013 we moved to Texas, North of Dallas-Fort Worth.
While growing my career, I’ve been involved in the development of automated systems for manufacturing, robotics, pharmaceutical, critical infrastructure (water utilities), SCADA systems, and Industrial Control Systems security. I am currently Engineering Manager for a systems integrator for the North Texas area.
Texas has truly felt like home ever since we made the move. We enjoy numerous camping trips together every year. I’ve been able to watch Kristen, Mason, and Nolan get their Black Belts in Taekwondo. I made it to the brown belt but needed to step away because of some back problems. We have also been raising chickens for about 5 years. Nothing like farm-fresh eggs whenever you want.
Excited to see everyone.
Jeff Shultz ~ Bloomingdale ILScott Lanphear ~ Baltimore, MD: Graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. I lost track of what year that was. It took me like 5.5 years. I lost some credits because I transferred from Arizona State during my sophomore year. However, I’m not going to blame that. I partied pretty hard. Need I remind you I was the class party animal?
Janna (Hefferan) Walsh ~ Whitehall, MI:
Joshua Elyea ~Cedar Springs, MI: After high school, I went to Word of Life Bible Institute in the Adirondacks where I met my beautiful wife, Meredith. We became best friends and a few years later started dating. We got married in 2008. 15 years this September! We are currently trying to figure out what to do for our anniversary so we’re open to suggestions. We have 5 kids. The oldest is 11 and the youngest is 2. After Word of Life, I went through the Heavy Equipment Service program at Ferris State. I’ve held various roles, including 12 years as a field mechanic at MacAllister Rentals and Michigan Cat, 1 year as a service manager, and 1 year as a branch manager opening a new store. I started Elite Field Service 2 years ago continuing to work on all types of equipment. We also recently became the exclusive dealer in Michigan for CMC arborist lifts. In 2 years we’ve grown from just me to 6 full-time mechanics and 4 service trucks on the road providing the best heavy equipment service around. Also about 5 years ago, Meredith started a photography business, Meredith Joy Photography. She is amazing and has taken family pictures of a few of you. We have a busy life but have been incredibly blessed by the Lord!
Joseph Rozelle ~ Tempe, AZ: After high school, I worked a full-time job at Hanson Balk Heat Treating, then decided to enroll at GRCC in business administration, while still working full-time. Eventually, I transferred to Western Michigan University. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Food/Consumer Packaged Good Marketing in 2008. As my life progressed through several jobs, I eventually found things had grown stagnant. That is when I decided to make a move to Arizona in 2015.
It was an amazing decision it turns out, as I met my eventual wife, Vanessa, during the first week of my adventure. We have now been married since January 2018. I work primarily as a Medicare Broker with a secondary career as a financial advisor/life insurance agent. She is a Real Estate agent with Keller Williams and a professional home stager. Both of us are able to help in Michigan as well!!! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion!
Lena (Baldwin) MekhaelCurrently living in Cleveland, OH
Going back 20 years for this bio eeeesh…I attended Cornerstone University where I had the privilege of playing soccer while I earned a bachelor’s in Communications with a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. Unfortunately, I tore my right ACL back-to-back seasons during my Junior & Senior year. I rehabbed and thankfully finished my eligibility fully healthy with our team being WHAC conference champions and I was the WHAC offensive player of the year. It was a relief to stay healthy that last season. I had an interest in pursuing media as well as mission work for communities overseas or those who are underserved here in the U.S.
Jeff Savara ~ Cedar Springs, MI: Wow! I can’t believe it has been 20 years already! After high school, I ended up going to GRCC for 2 years. At the time I had a full-time job as well as a part-time working at numerous bars in downtown Grand Rapids. I then coached middle school lacrosse at Rockford for 5 years and that was a blast. After working 3 jobs for 5 years I decided that was enough. In 2012 I got a job at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital being an anesthesia tech in the operating room. I did that up until 2023 when got a promotion to a coordinator job in surgery. I bought a house in Wyoming in 2012 where I lived for 5 years. I meet my wife (Diana) in 2016 and we got married in 2018 and moved to Cedar Springs right after that. We started having kids at an old age lol. Haylee ( 2.5 years) and Ashlyn (3 months) are our bundles of joy! We couldn’t imagine life without them. When I am not working I like to golf, go camping, and try to make a decent amount of Michigan games(go blue). If anyone would like to reconnect while in town, get drinks or golf, etc. Feel free to shoot me a message. I can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion!
Danielle “DePodesta” Endres ~ Rockford, MI: After graduating from Rockford I met fellow Rockford grad Matt Endres. We welcomed our daughter Keira in 2007 and married in 2009. Our daughter Keira is now 16 which is crazy! I was a stay-at-home Mom/ homemaker until April 2022 when I began working at an animal hospital. I am now a full-time VA/CSR and absolutely love working with the people there and I love helping animals every day! Our family loves to travel, spend time with friends, family, and our crazy dogs. We still call Rockford home Matt and I have loved watching Keira grow up in our hometown.
Allison “Young” DeBraber ~ Rockford, MI: