Effective May 1st, 2012, Child Care Connections was no longer the Regional Resource Center ...
General Info » Meet the Staff
Pam Ward
Executive Director
Pam Ward began her work at Child Care Connections in 1996 and as such she has been advocating for quality early childhood care and education longer than any other employee here. Prior to Child Care Connections, Pam owned and operated Pleasantview Child Care Center for 10 years. She also holds a teaching certificate with an early childhood endorsement. Pam has extensive community involvement that includes membership on the Workforce Development Board and numerous local and state-wide advisory councils relevant to early childhood education and advocacy. Pam’s wealth of knowledge and broad experience has made the agency what it is today.
Her two grown children, their families, and husband reside in the Traverse City area.
Hillary Lang
Quality Improvement Specialist
Hillary holds a B.A. Degree from Olivet College and a M.Ed. Degree from Grand Valley State University with an emphasis in early childhood education. She also holds an Infant-Toddler Montessori Credential from the Seton Montessori Institute. Hillary has 10 years experience as an infant-toddler teacher. In addition she has served as a faculty assistant at the Seton Institute and as an early childhood instructor for both Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University. Hillary is an author and contributes writing on the topics of early childhood education and parent education to various publications.
Mary Sue Wilkinson
Training Coordinator
Mary Sue began her work in early childhood over 30 years ago as a teacher, home visitor and Center Director with the Head Start program. Following her experience at Head Start she taught Young Fives, Kindergarten and Music. In 1996 she co-founded one of Michigan’s first Charter Schools and served as the Director for 4 years. Mary Sue also served as the Interim Director for the Interlochen Pathfinder School for one year and worked as an Early Literacy Mentor Coach for preschool teachers for a northern Michigan Early Reading First grant. Mary Sue is a certified teacher with a ZA (early childhood) endorsement and a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Mary Sue moved to Traverse City from Manistee County in 2009. Mary Sue’s “other life” includes playing in her band Sister Wilene.
Kathy Stone
Operations Manager
Although Kathy was born and spent her childhood in Michigan, she feels as though she really “grew up” in California where she attended school and began her professional career. That career has spanned a few industries from manufacturing to recreational vehicles, and a variety of positions from middle management to client relations, account management and marketing.
Wanting a childhood similar to her own for her kids, Kathy moved with her family to Traverse City in 1999. Since moving here she has immersed herself in the nonprofit sector and in 2009 she started working with Child Care Connections. As the Operations Manager at Child Care Connections, Kathy has been happy to utilize the diverse background that she’s gained throughout her career.
Candice Case
Lead Child Care Specialist
Candice joined Child Care Connections in 2008. She earned both her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and her Masters Degree in Early Childhood from Grand Valley State University. Candice has taught in both junior high and preschool settings, experience which has proven invaluable when working with child care professionals.
Candice was raised in northwest Michigan. In her free time she volunteers as a troop Scoutmaster in Traverse City for Boy Scouts of America. Through this activity she is able to share her love of the outdoors with her son.
Susan Chowen
Child Care Specialist
Susan joined Child Care Connections in 2010 as the Child Care Specialist for Charlevoix, Emmet, and Antrim counties. Prior to this position, Susan was a preschool teacher at a center-based program for six years. While completing her elementary teaching certification, she substitute taught for grades K – 4 and also worked in a Montessori program in their Infant/Toddler classroom.
Susan lives in Charlevoix with her husband and two children.
Paris Philo
Child Care Specialist
Paris Philo joined Child Care Connections in the fall of 2008 after nearly 12 years with Head Start as an Area Manager and 3 additional years as a social worker. This experience included working with teachers to provide quality programming as well as community collaborations and family engagement. Paris holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University and is a certified instructor for American Red Cross.
Paris grew up in a small town near Flint MI. She lives in the Cadillac area with her husband, where they have resided for the past 18 years. Paris is glad to be raising her three children in a small northern Michigan community.
Armanda Krantz
Technical Support
Armanda’s face is the first one you’ll see when visiting the Child Care Connections office. As our Technical Support staff, Armanda provides assistance to those visiting or calling our office and she works closely with office staff providing administrative support.
Before joining Child Care Connections in 2009, Armanda spent 10 years as a paraprofessional for the Suttons Bay High School. She’s a long time resident of Suttons Bay and is actively involved in her community.
Sandy Pahl
Field Consultant
Our most seasoned Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Field Consultant, Sandy has learned not only the complexities of the program, she’s also come to know our providers on a more personal level. It is these great relationships and experience that make her so invaluable to Child Care Connections since starting here in 2003.
Sandy has lived most of her life in Northern Michigan and has been lucky enough to
raise her kids here.
Julie Forrester
Field Consultant
Julie began her tenure here at Child Care Connections in 2010, joining the staff as a Field Consultant for the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program. Her favorite thing about working with the Food Program is the opportunity to meet the great child care providers in our area.
Before coming to work at Child Care Connections, Julie spent 10 years running a family daycare out of her home. It’s her love of the field that brought her to us.