Our Team
|
Brittany Kunzelman serves as the supervisor for the RCS Caring Steps Children’s Center. Licensed as a director with the State of Michigan, Ms. Kunzelman joins RCS with managerial and teaching experience in early childhood education. She previously served as director of a learning center and a preschool, where she managed enrollment, staffing, training, parent advisory boards, operations, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Kunzelman earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood studies from Rochester College and an associate’s degree in childcare from Washtenaw Community College. She is also a certified instructor in baby sign language. She has presented at the Michigan Association for the Foundation of Young Children and is the recipient of that group’s T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Michigan Scholarship Program.
|
|
Courtney Leemon is assistant program supervisor for the RCS Caring Steps Children’s Center. For the past 10 years, she has worked with children as an infant/toddler teacher and an assistant program director. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with specialization in child development, and a master’s degree in early childhood education—both from Oakland University. Mrs. Courtney believes that children learn best through play. She is married, has one brother, and enjoys traveling.
|
|
Michelle Adams leads our Infant 1 team. With 10 years of experience working with children, she has served as a childcare director and a teacher for infants and toddlers. She earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Macomb Community College. Her priority is to keep children safe, while providing a nurturing environment that promotes social, emotional, and cognitive development. Mrs. Michelle is married, has four children, and loves golfing.
|
|
Bethany Hough leads our Toddler 1 team. Over the last decade, she has worked with children, providing nanny and babysitting services, and she has three years of classroom experience. She earned an associate’s degree in applied science in early childhood from Baker College. She promotes play-based learning and letting children learn at their own pace. Ms. Bethany has three siblings, and is the proud aunt of two nieces and a nephew. Ask her about the five tarantulas she owns!
|
|
Valerie Austin leads our Kindergarten Prep 1 team. She has been an assistant childcare director and has worked in early childhood for the past 10 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with language arts and history specialization, from the University of Detroit Mercy. Ms. Valerie’s goal is to provide a fun, child-centered approach to learning, so children can build skills for lifelong learning. She has a 4-year-old daughter and was a varsity fencer in college.
|
|
Marissa Dye serves as administrative assistant to the Caring Steps team. She has worked for five years in early childhood and secondary education. She is currently working toward a degree in nursing and hopes to specialize in pediatrics. Ms. Marissa has also completed the esthetics program at Michigan College of Beauty to be a licensed esthetician. Her educational philosophy is to let children be who they are. They come into this world knowing who they are, she says, we’re just here to help them along on the journey. Ms. Marissa is the eldest of 5 children and she enjoys reading in her spare time.
|
|
Genevieve Sweeney is a Preschool classroom assistant. With a lifelong love of children, she began babysitting, became a nanny, and most recently was a childcare center classroom leader for four years. She has 180 hours of childhood education credits and has experience ranging from toddlers to school-age children. Ms. Genevieve believes the best form of learning is through exploring, imagination and fun! She has two siblings and five stepsiblings. She is a self-proclaimed cheetah expert.
|
|
Mary Soriaga is an assistant teacher with our Infant 1 team. She worked as a preschool teacher for almost six years in Japan before coming to the United States in 2018. She was a nursing graduate and a registered nurse in her native country, the Philippines, but her passion led her to pursue a career in early childhood education. Ms. Mary believes children learn best when they are allowed to experience new things in a safe environment. Ms. Mary has a 4-year-old daughter who takes up most of her time when she is at home.
|
|
Brittany Wood is an assistant teacher with our Infant 1 team. She has been in the childcare field for nearly four years, primarily working with infants and preschoolers. She attends Wayne State University and is working on her bachelor’s degree in special education, specializing in cognitive impairment. Ms. Brittany believes children learn best through quality interaction and play. She is the oldest of four children and seven grandchildren. Her family is her priority. In her spare time, she visits with family and friends, reads, and enjoys doing crafts.
|
Wilonda Griggs is our lead Preschool teacher. She has experience working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers
and elementary-age children in her previous teaching positions. She discovered her passion for teaching children while
in high school and went on to receive her associate’s degree in early childhood studies from Macomb Community
College. She is committed to bringing fun and learning to our preschoolers and helping them grow. Ms. Wilonda comes
from a large family where she is the oldest of six children. She considers her mother and her sisters to be the most
important people in her life.
Aisha Ghani is our lead Young Preschool teacher. With more than a decade of experience in childcare, Ms. Aisha
earned a bachelor’s degree in science and an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She looks forward to
finishing an additional bachelor’s degree in early childhood education in the future. Her learning philosophy is that every
child is different, every child has unique needs, and children learn well in an environment where they feel safe and are
treated as equals. She observes the children’s interests and follows their lead. Ms. Aisha enjoys spending time with her
husband and two children.
earned a bachelor’s degree in science and an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She looks forward to
finishing an additional bachelor’s degree in early childhood education in the future. Her learning philosophy is that every
child is different, every child has unique needs, and children learn well in an environment where they feel safe and are
treated as equals. She observes the children’s interests and follows their lead. Ms. Aisha enjoys spending time with her
husband and two children.
