Meet the Staff
Our Certified Teachers
What truly sets your student’s learning experience apart is our exceptional teachers. Our Michigan-certified teachers and support staff are talented, passionate and patient. They are the backbone of our operation and care deeply about helping each and every child succeed.
We follow a teacher-involved structure, meaning our educators take the lead in their teaching and make decisions about our school. Check out their profiles below!
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Precademy | Classic Elementary | Classic Middle School | Las Huellas | Specials & Electives
Precademy
Aimee Streur
Lead Preschool Teacher
Ms. Aimee has been our lead teacher for our Nature Rich Preschool class since 2019. She enjoys sharing her love for nature and incorporating it into the classroom. When she isn’t teaching you can find her working in her garden, baking, or enjoying time with family.
Email: aimee.streur@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Ice cream is her favorite dessert. While traveling she will always try the local ice cream shops.
Jamie Genzink
Director of Precademy, Lead Teacher for Spanish Emphasis GSRP Class
Meet Ms. Jamie! She is the Director of Precademy and also teaches the Spanish Emphasis GSRP Pre-K class. She has a passion for early childhood education, and has been working in the field for over 15 years. Ms. Jamie enjoys cheering on her kids in their extracurricular activities, and loves traveling and boating with her family.
Email: jamie.genzink@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Her favorite traveling adventures are Belize, Turks and Caicos, St. Martin, and boating to Mackinac Island.
Michelle Ling
Precademy Assistant
Ms. Michelle has been working at Innocademy since 2022. She started her journey in daycare and moved to Precademy, obtained her CDA and loves where she is at! Her youngest daughter has attended Innocademy since 2nd grade. They love it here!
Email: michelle.ling@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has three kids and three granddaughters (two of them are twins!) Ms. Michelle has enjoyed having her oldest grand in Precademy and loves that she is attending our sister school, Innocademy Allegan!
Stacey Van Valkenburg
Teacher Assistant
Ms. Stacy lives in Zeeland on a small hobby farm where she loves to take care of her animals and garden. She likes to read, cook/bake and spend time with her family.
Email: stacey.vanvalkenburg@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She is learning to speak Spanish.
Maria Torres
Teacher Assistant
Maestra Maria has been working with Inno since January 2020. She is from Colombia, South America. She has two kids and three grandkids. She has lived in Michigan since December 2019.
Email: maria.torres@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She likes to spend time with her kids and grandkids. She loves to travel.
Classic Elementary
Kayleigh Alger
Kindergarten Teacher
Meet Ms. Kayleigh, the kindergarten teacher here! She absolutely loves engaging with our youngest learners and creating lasting memories with them. She thinks watching them grow and discover new things is such a rewarding experience. Outside of school, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her family and friends. It’s always a joy to be part of such a special journey in these kids’ lives!
Email: kayleigh.alger@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She loves Diet Coke.
Molli McHugh
1st Grade Teacher
Ms. Molli is thrilled to be teaching 1st grade! She loves helping her students learn and grow in a fun, caring classroom environment. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find her relaxing at the beach, spending time with friends, or enjoying a big scoop of her favorite ice cream. Ms. Molli is passionate about helping young learners grow and making each school day full of learning, laughter, and new adventures!
Email: molli.mchugh@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Her favorite vacation was snorkeling in Mexico.
Kerri Bosch
2nd Grade Teacher
Ms. Kerri has been teaching at Innocademy since 2009. She loves building relationships with children and helping them to grow academically and socially. When not teaching, Ms. Kerri loves spending time at the beach, camping, traveling, and spending time with family.
Email: kerri.bosch@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She is a grandma!
Renee Frye
3rd Grade Teacher
Ms. Renee has been with Innocadmey since 2012, progressing from a parental role to that of a classroom teacher. In recent years, she has had the opportunity to work with numerous students across various levels as an Academic Interventionist, but is thrilled to be back in the classroom as a third grade teacher. Her passion lies in learning, and she takes great pleasure in supporting students at different stages of their educational journey. Outside of school, she dedicates time to her family, engages in outdoor activities, and practices tap dancing.
Email: renee.frye@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She enjoys an amazing football game. Go Blue!
Megan Anders
4th Grade Teacher
Meet Ms. Megan! She had the privilege of joining Innocademy in 2022, but has been teaching for around 10 years in all. She really enjoys this job because she knows it is a place where she can impact many. It brings her great joy to know that she has the opportunity to build connections with her students, while also helping them learn foundational skills that will assist them later in life.
Email: megan.anders@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has a gray, satin rabbit named Flynn.
Ky Lacy
5th Grade Teacher
Meet Mr. Ky! He is the 5th grade teacher at Innocademy Zeeland and is a GVSU graduate. Mr. Ky has been at Innocademy since 2022 and he learns more and more every year. He lives in Zeeland with his family. He enjoys exploring used bookstores, hiking the many parks around West Michigan, and spending time with his cat!
Email: ky.lacy@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: He takes nature photos as a hobby, and has pictures from almost every park in our county!
Stephanie Parrott
Elementary Special Education Teacher
Ms. Stephanie has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember and spent many hours playing “school” while growing up. She has been (officially) teaching since 2008 and has loved being part of Innocademy since 2021! She and her husband Scott have three kids and together they love to read, hike, mountain bike, and play games.
Email: stephanie.parrott@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Ms. Stephanie enjoys singing in a 12-person acapella chamber choir.
Jen Kahwa
Behavior Interventionist
Ms. Jen loves supporting students at Innocademy and has been part of this community for several years. She loves traveling and spending time outside with her husband and three boys.
Email: jennifer.kahwa@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Her favorite place she’s traveled to is Cape Town.
Joelle Vruggink
Behavioral Paraprofessional
Meet Ms. Joelle! She has been part of Innocademy since 2019. She is married with four boys. She loves working alongside the kids, watching them grow and learn every day.
Email: joelle.vruggink@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has a salon in her home and does hair part-time.
Alondra Orta
Paraprofessional
Ms. Alondra is a Leukemia survivor since 2024. When she’s not chasing her daughter and dog around, she is learning new hobbies or watching medical drama shows. She loves to cook and bake for her family.
Email: alondra.orta@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She runs one mile every day before work.
Max Luciano
Paraprofessional
Mr. Max is a passionate educator who enjoys teaching all things in life. Whether it is video games, sports, academics or life lessons; Mr. Max enjoys helping everyone succeed at whatever they strive to do. Mr. Max also loves getting to know people, and takes a genuine interest in their hobbies. In his free time Mr. Max enjoys reading, learning, playing video games and anime.
Email: maxwell.luciano@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: In Final Fantasy XIV, Mr. Max is ranked within the top 10 North American players and within the top 300 globally.
Darlene Salas
Paraprofessional
Ms. Darlene is passionate about working with kids and helping them grow. She has enjoyed getting to know many of the kids at Innocademy since 2024. During Ms. Darlene’s free time, she loves to read books and travel to new places with her family.
Email: darlene.salas@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Her favorite food is sushi.
Classic Middle School
Jessie Webb
Middle School Social Studies & Language Arts Teacher
Ms. Jessie joined the Innocademy family in 2023, and has loved being a part of the middle school team. She is a big fan of immersive learning, and engaging with the community as much as possible. When she is not teaching she is enjoying hiking and traveling with her family, or a good day at the beach under the sun.
Email: jessie.webb@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has 7 siblings and more than 20 nieces and nephews.
Las Huellas
Ruth Van Beek
Las huellas TK Teacher
Meet Maestra Ruth! She is from Honduras. She has a sister and a brother and she is the youngest. She has three children and has lived in three countries.
Email: ruth.vanbeek@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She saw Macaulay Culkin when he was filming Richie Rich in Chicago.
Natalia Pánuco
Las huellas Kindergarten Teacher
Meet Maestra Natalia! She is from Mexico and has four grandchildren, all boys. She has been working at Innocademy since 2012.
Email: natalia.panuco@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She doesn’t like to swim in the ocean (because of the sticky feeling)!
Marisol Arvizu
Las huellas 1st Grade Teacher
Maestra Marisol comes from the warm state of Texas. She has dreamed of becoming a teacher since she was a little girl wishing to help students whose first language is not English. She believes any child can learn and knows from the bottom of her heart that they can given all of the right tools.
Email: marisol.arvizu@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She LOVES frogs (not the real ones), strawberries and sunflowers.
Rachel Potter
Las huellas 2nd Grade Teacher
Meet Maestra Rachel, the gardening, bike-riding, Broadway-musical-loving teacher who’s been a part of the Innocademy family since 2015! When she’s not in the classroom, you’ll find Ms. Rachel either soaking up the sun at the beach, tending to her garden, or cruising around on her bike. She’s a Broadway show tunes enthusiast and loves to travel to new places. But when she’s home, she enjoys cozying up with her husband, Matt, her playful pup Luna, and a good board game. Whether it’s nurturing her students, her plants, or her beachside adventures, Ms. Rachel is all about growth, exploration, and fun!
Email: rachel.potter@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Although Maestra Rachel isn’t typically a thrill seeker, she has been zip-lining in the mountains of Costa Rica… TWICE!
Elisabeth Van Wolde
Las huellas 3rd Grade Teacher
Maestra Elisabeth has been teaching at Innocademy since 2022 in the Spanish immersion program and is loving it! She was a part of immersion as a child and was excited to get the opportunity to teach students the way that she was taught. She hopes to inspire her students to use their Spanish frequently to foster relationships and build empathy.
Email: elisabeth.vanwolde@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Maestra Elisabeth loves her dog Kuzco, baking, and taking naps.
Morgan Cummings
Las huellas 4th Grade Teacher
Maestra Morgan has been a member of the Innocademy Las Huellas team since 2019. If you can’t find her, look a little closer– at a whopping 5’1″, she often blends in with her fourth grade students! Lovingly dubbed “A Library of Useless Knowledge” by former and current students, Ms. Morgan is always ready with a random fact you may or may not have asked for. When she’s not in the classroom, you can probably find her belting out Taylor Swift’s full discography like it’s a competitive sport.
Email: morgan.cummings@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: One of Maestra Morgan’s life ambitions is to become a polyglot! Aside from Spanish and English (which she already speaks), she would like to learn Italian, German, and Norwegian.
Liliana Jogerst
Las huellas Middle School Teacher
Meet Maestra Liliana! She was born in Mexico City, graduated as a journalist, and worked at the National Polytechnic Institute. In 2015, she decided to live in the United States and started working at Innocademy, her first and only job here. She loves traveling and learning about new cultures. She loves sharing and honoring the Mexican culture where she comes from.
Email: liliana.jogerst@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She likes to dance, sing and take pictures (mainly of things).
Debbie Duran
Las huellas Paraprofessional
Meet Ms. Debbie! She is excited to be serving as one of our Special Education Paraprofessionals this year.
Email: deborah.duran@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: Ms. Debbie loves gardening, doing crafts, thrifting, and most of all, spending time with family.
Specials & Electives
Emily VanDam
Art Teacher
Meet Ms. Emily! Ms. Emily has been teaching Art at Innocademy since 2017. When she isn’t teaching art, she loves to spend time with her 2 daughters, husband and dog, and going to the beach.
Email: emily.vandam@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has never had a cavity!
Hillary Schmidt
TK-8th Grade Music Teacher
Ms. Hillary has been sharing her love of music with students since 2008. She loves getting to see students grow in their musical abilities throughout the grade levels. When Ms. Hillary isn’t teaching, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Email: hillary.schmidt@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She is a classically trained singer.
Chad Zuber
Connections Teacher
Mr. Chad has been teaching since 2000 at nearly every level from Kindergarten to Pre-college. He feels strongly about connecting kids to the community and world around them. Our classes provide opportunities for students to see how the things they learn in class are reflected in their community.
Email: chad.zuber@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: His dream vacation would be to visit the giant redwood trees.
Kim Looman
TK-5 Elementary Spanish
Since 2023, Ms. Kim has loved teaching TK-5 Spanish language and culture. She has been teaching in West Michigan since 1995. She has 3 kids, her son and daughter in law live in Grand Rapids. Her youngest son still lives at home and attends Hope.
Email: kim.looman@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She grew up in a resort town in northwest Iowa – Okoboji.
Brad Van Beek
Middle School Spanish Teacher
Mr. Brad grew up in Spring Lake. He is the third of four kids. He has been married since 2000 and has three kids.
Email: brad.vanbeek@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: He lived for 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica. He helped organize Special Olympics in the area where he lived.
Celia Lanser
TK-8 Sports Skills Instructor
Ms. Celia is a proud Innocademy/iCademy grad, and has come back for a second time around as InnoZ’s Sports Skills instructor. When she’s not at school, she enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Estie, hiking, camping, running, and reading!
Email: celia.lanser@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has visited more than 50 countries!
Staff Directory
View our Family Resource Guide for a printable directory of school teachers and staff.
Jessenia Olmeda
School Lead
Meet Ms. Jessenia! She has been teaching since 2010 and has taught high school Spanish and ELA, middle school Spanish and ELA, and Spanish Immersion third through eighth grade. She has two children, Di and JC, who are 15 years apart. She has been at Inno as a parent since 2012 and has been at Inno as a staff member since 2014. She enjoys reading, dancing, and talking with friends and family. She also likes to cook in her free time.
Email: jessenia.olmeda@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She didn’t speak English until she was 12 years old.
Anne Gardner
1st-8th Grade Special Education Paraprofessional
Meet Ms. Gardner! She loves to be outdoors gardening, hiking and playing tennis. She loves to cook and create art to relax. Anne and her husband have two dogs who keep them quite busy since their three kids are out on their own starting their new lives.
Email: anne.gardner@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has fun with kids because they remind her that she has a part of her who is still a kid!
Tawne Aernouts
Special Education Paraprofessional
Ms. Tawne has been with IES since 2022. She loves helping students meet and exceed their goals. When not at school, she enjoys time with her husband and two sons. Her hobbies include hiking, biking, reading, seeing live music and planning fun adventures with her family.
Email: tawne.aernouts@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She loves celebrating birthdays and showing people they are loved, seen and important!
Leisa Lobbezoo
Enrollment, Marketing & Communications
Ms. Leisa has been lucky enough to have been meeting our new students and families since 2008! She loves helping connect them with the IES school that’s the best fit for them. When she’s not chatting with families, Ms. Leisa loves trying new recipes and spending time with family and friends.
Email: leisa.lobbezoo@icademyglobal.org
Fun Fact: Ms. Leisa spent the first two years of her college education as an Aviation major at Western Michigan University where she intended to be a pilot.
Kristin Frederick
McKinney Vento Coordinator and Social Worker
Meet Ms. Kristin! She supports our students as our School Social Worker. She also serves as Innocademy Zeeland’s McKinney Vento Coordinator.
Email: kristin.frederick@innocademy.com
Fun Fact: She has gone scuba diving with sharks!
