SSMS Board of Trustees

Mission

Stepping Stones Montessori School nurtures global citizens and guides each child to reach their unique potential.


Values

Our core values reflect our understanding of the mission of Stepping Stones. 

We are: 

  • Established in Partnership
  • Rooted in Montessori
  • Focused on the Child 

Brian Bakkila, President


Brian's history with Stepping Stones Montessori School began with his son Garrett's attendance as a pioneer student at the Middle School Campus. Garrett graduated from East GR High School in 2024 and is currently attending Western Michigan University. Brian's engagement as a member of the board began at the end of 2020 and he served as both a board member and Treasurer before becoming Board Chair in the late summer of 2022.


Sue and he have been married since the fall of 1998 and spend their time between their home in Ada during the school year and their family cottage in the Les Cheneaux Islands during the summer months. As a family they spend time together adventuring often in the outdoors and enjoy great food that they prepare together.


In his professional life, Brian started his own technology consulting business in 1995 which he sold to one of his clients in 2014. He is working as the Sales Operations Manager for Applied Innovation's Technology Division, founded in 2014. In his role he supports Applied's offices throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Northern Indiana, and Northwestern Ohio.


His non-profit experiences include being a steering committee and founding board president of Mixed Greens: A schoolyard garden project (2001-2006), and Board Member and Executive Committee Member (Secretary, Vice President, Board President, Past President) for Circle Theatre (2009-2019).

Jamie Benvenuto


As a design architect at Progressive AE, Jamie brings over 15 years of experience with creative planning and programming. She facilitates visioning processes and client collaboration, with a focus on aligning a clear project vision. Jamie is passionate about creating a thoughtful user experience that supports the surrounding community and environment. Jamie also is a co-chair of the firm’s green team, working to integrate the latest sustainability practices into projects and acting as a subject matter expert on inclusive sustainable design. Jamie’s tie to SSMS includes working on a long-range vision plan for the school campus which involved, conducting observation at SSMS and interviewing of staff and committee members.

 

As a Grand Rapids native, Jamie is passionate about our community and how she can add value to it. She is raising her 8mth old [Elio] and 5yr old [Luca] in Eastown, valuing the exposure to an urban environment it offers for her kids. In her free time, Jamie enjoys family walks through the city, visiting the farmers market, gardening, and has a passion for cooking - always experimenting with new recipes.”

Mandy Chardoul

CPA, MST, CFP®


As a tax partner and a leader within Plante Moran’s Family Office Services Group, Mandy is sought out by individuals, family offices, and other professional advisors for her in-depth knowledge of financial planning and taxation. Clients appreciate Mandy’s collaborative approach, and her ability to make complicated concepts easy to understand.


Mandy’s technical strength comes from nearly twenty years of experience helping clients with strategy and execution. At a firm level, she serves on the front line of Plante Moran’s National Tax Office studying emerging issues and providing guidance to tax leadership.


Mandy has presented to professional advisors nationwide on tax law changes and a variety of estate and income tax planning topics, including succession planning. She is a past president of the Western Michigan Estate Planning Council and currently serves on the Professional Advisory Committee for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.


Mandy and Christian (aka “Chris”) are the proud parents of C.W. (Upper Elementary) and Caroline, a SSMS alumni (Children’s House through the Middle School), who graduated from Interlochen in 2024. Mandy previously served on the board of Stepping Stones Montessori School from 2013-2016.

Hon. Jennifer Faber


Jennifer is a District Court Judge for the City of Grand Rapids. Originally appointed in the fall of 2014, she was re-elected to her position in 2016 and 2022. Before joining the bench, Judge Faber worked in Grand Rapids as a general practice attorney for 15 years. She served as Managing Partner at Sherlund, Faber and Van Meter, PLLC, where she appeared in Circuit, District, and Probate Courts throughout West Michigan, handling cases involving family law (custody, divorce, abuse, neglect, and delinquency), general civil litigation, property disputes and both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.


A Grand Rapids native, Jennifer began her education at the Children’s House program at Marywood Montessori (precursor to SSMS) in 1975. Jen’s mother, already a certified elementary teacher, obtained her Montessori Certification in 1978 and began working at Marywood Montessori. Although Jennifer’s family moved to North Carolina midway through her Upper Elementary years, they have maintained a support and appreciation for the unique value of the Montessori Method.

Lindsay Hooks


Lindsay grew up in Okemos, Michigan, holds a degree from the University of Michigan, and is deeply committed to ensuring SSMS continues to be a vibrant and inclusive community offering an authentic Montessori education. She and her husband Kevin, an SSMS alum, have two children who are students in the elementary program.


Lindsay has spent almost 20 years in the banking industry, advising and educating financial institutions and technology providers. As a consultant for Cornerstone Advisors, she works on cross-functional teams to lead organizations through current state evaluation, organizational target state identification and execution and transformation. When possible, she volunteers with Revive & Thrive Project to bring nourishing meals to families experiencing extended medical treatments.

Tracey Lewis


Tracey has deep and longstanding ties to Stepping Stones Montessori School, rooted in both her own childhood and her family’s continued involvement. Her two younger sisters were among the early students at SSMS, and her parents, Steve and Jane Plaisted, were part of the school’s founding family group. Today, they remain active supporters—continuing to attend events and contribute to the school’s growth and sustainability.


As an alumni family member herself, Tracey carried this connection forward by enrolling her three sons—Zack, Sam,

and Harry—at SSMS, further strengthening her appreciation for the school’s impact across generations. Her family’s enduring relationship with

the school gives her a unique, long-term perspective on our mission and evolution.


Professionally, Tracey serves as a Senior Director at Dunnhumby, where she brings extensive expertise in marketing research, media strategy, and purchasing. Tracey’s blend of personal history with SSMS and her professional experience in analytics and strategy position her to contribute thoughtful, informed leadership in support of our school’s future.

Dr. Paul Isely


Dr. Paul Isely is the Associate Dean and Professor of Economics for the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, which he joined in 1995 after earning his Ph.D. in Economics from Purdue University. He also holds an M.S. in Economics from Purdue University and a dual B.S. in Physics and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.


Dr. Isely’s research interests have led to many local articles and reports. These articles have explored West Michigan’s economy including forecasts of growth, the state of entrepreneurship, health care costs, environmental clean-up values, economic impacts of various activities, and the costs and benefits of wind power. He has been interviewed extensively by TV, radio, and newspapers on the West Michigan economy and its relationship to the national and state economies. Dr. Isely is an alumni parent of Stepping Stones as son, Terrance, attended SSMS for 10 years, starting in the Toddler room in 2012. Terrance currently attends City High/Middle School. Both Paul and his wife, Elaine, have continued to be active supporters of SSMS.

Sachiko Johnson 


Born and raised in Japan, Sachiko Johnson has built an extensive career with international experience across Tokyo, Paris, and New York. In 2005, she moved to the United States following her marriage and began working with Jordan Manufacturing, her husband’s family-owned business. In 2016, Sachiko and her husband assumed ownership of the company, where she has since served as Chief Financial Officer.


Together with her husband, Sachiko has helped foster a people-centric culture at Jordan Manufacturing, aligning with their shared mission of “manufacturing happiness.” In recognition of her commitment to both her team and the manufacturing industry, she was honored as the Woman of the Year by the Michigan Manufacturing Association in 2023. Her son is in his second year in the SSMS Middle School Program.

Hannah Martin



Hannah Martin is a Montessori leader and operations professional with a background in nonprofit education, accreditation, and program management. She currently serves as Program Operations Lead for Teacher Education at the American Montessori Society, where she focuses on improving systems, streamlining processes, and supporting educator preparation programs across a global network.


Hannah previously served as Executive Director of the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette, where she stepped into leadership during a period of

transition and was later appointed permanently by the Board. During her tenure, she led strategic and operational initiatives, guided the school through accreditation efforts, and worked to strengthen community relationships among staff, families, and stakeholders.


She holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and an MBA from Ball State University. She completed leadership training through the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, a MACTE-accredited program focused on developing effective Montessori school leaders, and holds an Administrator Credential from the Intl. Montessori Council.


Originally from Indiana, Hannah relocated to Michigan in 2025 with her family. She has a son in Upper Elementary and a daughter in Lower Elementary, both of whom have been part of Montessori education since the age of two.

Walter Perschbacher, Treasurer


As a fourth generation Real Estate leader in Grand Rapids, Walter is proud to continue a tradition of service that began over 85 years ago. Now serving as the Vice President of Greenridge Realty, Walter has worked for the company in sales as an agent and later as a branch manager and VP of Branch Development. In his role as Vice President, Walter's focus is on building relationships among the leadership team and salesforce at Greenridge and with other leaders in the real estate industry nationwide. Walter is continually networking with other independent brokers across the country – keeping Greenridge current with national trends and market shifts.


A life-long resident of West Michigan – with roots that go back several generations – Walter has a deep love for our area and likes to act as an ambassador for Grand Rapids. He is actively involved in our community and has served on several boards including Stepping Stones Montessori School, Cascade Hills Country Club, Forest Hills Public School Foundation, Leading for our Kids, Arbor Circle and Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital.

Lauren Reilly, Secretary 


Lauren is the Executive Director at Gratitude Network, a global leadership development non-profit that improves the lives of children and youth by accelerating the impact of community social entrepreneurs. Prior to Gratitude, Lauren was the first employee and inaugural Executive Director of SuitUp, a career readiness organization, where she grew the organization 26x over 5 years, serving over 21,000 and raising over 3M. Her previous experiences also include being a founding Board Member and Chief Program Officer for Practice Makes Perfect and a Teach for America alum, having taught both middle and high school in the Bronx and Harlem.


She has received fellowships from the Goldman Sachs 10KSB Program, SOCAP Entrepreneurs Residency, the Miller Center’s GSBI Program, Gratitude Network, and NYU Senior Leaders Program. Lauren has also been recognized by the Obama administration as a White House Champion for Change and most recently was as a semi-finalist for the NYC Imagine Awards in the Leadership Excellence Category. Lauren is a Governing Board Member at both Stepping Stones Montessori and Gratitude Network and has been featured in K12Drive, Chronicles of Philanthropy, New Jersey Herald, News12, BronxNet, and NewYork1. She graduated with a Master's degree in Education from Fordham University and a Bachelor's degree in History from Vassar College.