GRKIDS & Co: a Premier Media Source for Life in West Michigan & Beyond
Ever wonder who’s writing those Facebook posts for GRKIDS or Instagram Memes for HeyGrandRapids? It’s not the all-powerful Oz pulling all the bells and whistles.
It’s a real live woman (or two) right here in Grand Rapids. And they’re just one part of the large GRKIDS & Co team that works to bring you the best of West Michigan family life.
What began as a one woman venture by founder Melody VanderWeide has grown into a full-blown enterprise that serves millions across Michigan and includes several brands including HeyMichigan, KZOOKIDS, HeyGrandRapids, and LansingFamilyFun.
We love connecting you with the adventures, organizations and companies that mean something in your community.
You trust us to give you honest, helpful information about the next best date night, playground, pediatrician and local coffee shop.
We love sharing our insider intel with you on everything fantastic about Michigan.
Our reach goes beyond the website, to social media channels on Facebook page, Instagram, TikTok, to regularly sent newsletters.
We thought you might like a look at the faces behind GRKIDS & Co.
Each woman brings special skills to the table that ensure a consistent product for you. We are proud to be part of such a great team and are excited to bring you the best local content.
Leadership Team
Melody VanderWeide
Founder
Creative Director
INFJ. Mom of 3. Idea chaser-People believer-Inspiration seeker. Together we make GR amazing – Let’s go!
Editorial Department
Elizabeth Rudd
Editor, GRKIDS
Elizabeth is a former elementary school teacher, now stay-at-home mom, to three young kids. She moved to the Grand Rapids area in 2012 and has enjoyed driving her kids around town to discover what the area has to offer. Elizabeth spends her time taking kids back and forth to preschool, attending mom’s groups, hunting for great deals and spending way too much time on Facebook. She is looking forward to the day when she can get back to reading all the books she’s bought and hasn’t had time to read.
Liz Delonis
Editor, KZOOKIDS
Liz is native to the Mitten, having grown up in Metro Detroit. As a Kalamazoo transplant, this mom of two is passionate about connecting parents to find their villages. She enjoys working outside, using nerdy technology, and consuming more Twizzlers than necessary.
Marketing Team
Kelly Dentler
Sales & Marketing Coordinator
Kelly is a West Michigan native who has worked in a variety of fields from 911 Operator to interior design, but above all enjoys working with people. She has a passion for the arts, good coffee, and traveling with her family. Working for Hey Michigan fits perfectly with her creativity and love of exploring new places.
Laura Gifford
Guides and Sales Manager
Laura is often found volunteering at her son’s activities, coaching various sports, and helping with school and STEM events. Time to herself, while rare, is spent riding horses, walking the dog, and enjoying meals with friends, She hopes to do some “far away places” vacation planning soon.
Ashley Grace
Sales Support
Ashley is a mom of 5 and a Military wife. She always on the go, when she is not in her car driving kids around town she is a big home DIYer. From remodeling her home to helping her friends. She love to make others happy in their own space.
Katie Russell
Lead Gen Manager
Katie is a mom to 3 wild boys. She loves to travel, go camping and do DIY projects with her husband. She is always in the action with her kids, whether it’s coaching sports or volunteering at their school. At the end of the day, you can find Katie reading a book with a Diet Coke in hand.
Kristine Fluker
Sales, Client Reports
Kristine is a Michigan native and loves exploring our great state while camping with her husband and two teenagers. If she has any time to herself you will probably find her curled up with a good book.
Amy Newport
KZOOKids Guide Sales, Contracts
When she’s not busy being supermom you can find Amy in nature with her trusty hiking boots and a backpack full of snacks for the family. She’s also known to start a mean bonfire, playing in the garden and loves traveling!
Administrative Team
Erin Russell
Office Manager
Erin is a musician who attempts to balance her right-brained career choice with some left-brained office management and organization here at grkids. During the lulls in her active schedule, Erin enjoys game nights with her family, cottage time by the lake, gardening and long walks with her dog. She lives in Grand Rapids with her husband and two children.
Keri Siemens
Ad Manager
Keri is a wife and mom of four who loves exploring new spots around GR, but is equally happy enjoying “pizza and movie nights” at home with the family. When she is not managing ads for GRKIDS & Co, chauffeuring children, or trying out a new crockpot recipe, you can probably find her attempting to enjoy a cup of coffee before it gets cold.
Tiffany Kamphuis
Giveaway Manager
Calendar Coordinator
A mom to three active teen boys and a wife of a former backpacker, Tiffany enjoys camping, being outdoors and hiking with her family. When she’s not managing a family or work calendar, she can often be found meal prepping in the kitchen to feed her hungry crew.
Christie Tidd
Graphic Designer
Christie is a Chicago native, turned Michigander. She’s a freelance graphic designer, wife to Gary and stay at home mom to 3 pretty great kids!
When she’s not being the social director, crossing off all 50 states with her family, she enjoys time at the lake, organizing anything, watercolor painting, enjoying a good hard cider and volunteering at school and church.
Writing Team
Sarah Koss
Researcher
Hey Michigan Newsletter
Sarah is a working mom of two boys and a dog, and she’s a multi-tasking ninja between two jobs, two kids (and all their activities), one dog, and a husband (it’s a wonder that she remembers where she’s going half the time).
She and her husband met after graduating from MSU and have been together for almost 15 years. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys reading, naps, planning vacations, and catching up with family and friends. In the fall, Sarah can be found rooting for her Spartans on any given Saturday. Sarah grew up in the Lansing area and has lived here all her life. Go Green!
Robyn Eklund
Social Media, Lansing Family Fun
Robyn is a Lansing native and mom to four kids from young elementary up to teenagers. Robyn has pride in her community, enjoys finding new places to explore, and loves to meet new people.
Amber Cox
Promotions Manager, Writer, Strategy Coordinator
Amber has spent hundreds of hours over the past 15 years researching, planning, and taking her family on outdoor adventures.
She’s passionate about having fun, getting her three kids outside exploring their own backyard in Michigan, and encouraging other families to get outside, too.
Anna Taets
Team Writer, Guide Specialist
HeyGR Newsletter
Anna was born and raised in Illinois and now lives with her husband and 4 boys in Michigan. She enjoys working from home for GR Kids, as well as the lakeshore and being outdoors. Her hobbies include body movement, playing volleyball, reading, and needlework.
Hannah Austin
Team Writer
Hannah is a wife to her husband Chris and stay-at-home mom to their two boys. Among her favorite things are singing, pilates, opera, dabbling in knitting and hand embroidery, writing, spending time with her family, waffles, Jesus, and a good cup of tea. She loves Michigan with her whole heart and is proud to call it home!
Helen Williams
Team Writer
HeyGR Newsletter
Helen moved to Grand Rapids in July 2021 from the UK with her husband and 2 kids. They are excited to explore Michigan as a family, and want to visit as much of the US as they can while they are based here. Helen is also a freelance editor for a number of UK publishers and loves meeting friends for drinks and coffee, long walks, board games with the kids, bingeing TV shows with her husband, being at the beach, and has even taken up pickleball (which she totally thought was a made-up sport!).
Lauren Augustyn
Team Writer
HeyGR Newsletter
Lauren is passionate about local journalism, politics, and spotting birds at the feeders outside her window. She enjoys exploring West Michigan with her five young kids, fire pit dates with her husband, and reading every chance she gets. After growing up in Boston and living in DC, she’s proud to call GR home and is no longer startled when people are friendly to her in the grocery store.
Caitlin Malski
Newsletter Manager – Hey Michigan & Lansing Family Fun
Caitlin is a stay-at-home mom to two young kids. She enjoys dancing in the kitchen, eating breakfast foods, and reading too many books at once. Caitlin is a coffee enthusiast and lover of Lake Michigan. After growing up in the Grand Rapids area, she now lives on a small hobby farm and vineyard in Grand Haven.
Jill Clarin
Guide Specialist
Jill is a mom to three who loves living in West Michigan and being able to enjoy all the area has to offer. Her other loves include family bike rides, exploring local trails and cheering her kids on in their activities.
Staci DeVries
GRKIDS Newsletter Writer
Born in Cereal City USA (Battle Creek, MI), Staci moved to Grand Rapids for college and decided to stay. She’s a wife, mama, and happy member of the GRKIDS family. She’s passionate about community, spending time outside, and firmly believes ice cream is meant to be enjoyed all year long.
Jamie Woodburn
Writer
Jamie is a Starbucks-addicted, pun-loving mother of eleven-year-old twins. She lives in Portage with her husband (who she met during a one-week free trial for an online dating site), said twins, and three Boxer doggos named LuLu, Dipper, and Mabel.
Michelle Smith
Writer, Guide Specialist
Michelle Smith and her husband live in Lowell where they have been homeschooling their children for many years. They are currently educating two, with four graduates. Michelle enjoys classical ballet and live theater, especially musicals, both being in the audience and working backstage.
Ashley Buckner
Writer, Newsletter Writer, Facebook Creator
Ashley is a stay at home, girl mom to one spunky little toddler. When she’s not mom-ing, you can find her walking the aisles of HomeGoods with a coffee in hand or dreaming up crazy DIY projects at home. She’s always down for a delicious cider at a new brewery or some good eats on a sunny patio!
Jacqui VandenToorn
GRKIDS Newsletter
Mama of 3 kiddos (4, 3 and 4 mo). Love to play tennis competitively, spend summers on the lake, and travel outside of Michigan in the winters 🙂 I am a speech pathologist and own my own private practice.
Sara Weeks
KZOOKIDS Newsletter
Sara is a mom of two and a preschool teacher. Originally from Metro Detroit, she settled into her old green house in Marshall after moving across the country with her husband a few times. When she’s not driving her kids to their activities, you can catch her reading, baking cookies or planning their next family trip.
Jen Olson
HeyGR, GRKIDS Newsletter Writer
Jennifer is a born and raised Grand Rapidian. Since she’s spent her whole life here, she loves this area. When she’s not raising her two daughters and two cats, she enjoys reading, British tv and cooking for her family – who doesn’t eat what she makes! In addition to spending time helping others see all the great stuff Grand Rapids has to offer, she works at a hospital on an orthopedic floor
Social Media Team
Crystal Vriezema
Social Media Manager
As a mom to 3 crazy kids, Crystal’s life is busy, but she always finds time for her favorite hobbies. When she’s not working on a new painting or decorating a cake, she can often be found exploring the nearby hiking trails or spending time near the water. Crystal loves to travel and experience new things, and she has taken her family on many adventures over the years.
Carla Hardy
Facebook Admin
Carla is Michigan-born and raised and lives in Rockford, MI with her husband, daughter and rescue pup. In addition to her roles with GR Kids, she works as a librarian at a local private school – and she absolutely adores both of her jobs! She enjoys reading, word games & trivia, spending time with family & friends and binge watching TV shows with her husband.
Katie Weyenberg
Promotions Manager, Facebook Admin, Guide Specialist
Katie is a multi-passionate freelance professional with experience in digital marketing, sales, content creation, and social media management. She currently lives in Texas Corners (Kalamazoo) with her family and is the mother of two children; her son is in 3rd grade and her daughter is in 7th grade. Katie is excited to join the KZOOKIDS team and bring her creativity, passion and problem solving skills to the company.
Lavanya Gowda
TikTok
Instagram
Lavanya is a mom of 2. She is originally from India and moved to the United States in 2011 with her husband. After spending her initial years in Minneapolis, she now calls Grand Rapids home. Lavanya is a social media content creator and loves sharing her family adventures with the world. When she is not online, you can find her busy doing house chores, spending time with family & friends, and exploring the world outside.
Kim Guider
Kimberly is a mom to 2 sweet and busy kids and wife to her high school sweetheart. When she’s not acting as activities coordinator for school, dance or sports, she enjoys DIY house projects and dreaming about her next beach vacation. She’s lived in Chicago (suburbs and city), Indy, and Washington DC, but loves raising her family here and is happy to call GR home!
Norah Vanderweide
Norah’s an adventurer; always striving to make new memories. She’s a baker, athlete, dog mom, artist, and photographer.
When she’s not working, she’s exploring and spending time in nature or the gym with her sister and her best friend.
Cassandra Mickel
Kalamazoo Kids Facebook Lead
Cassandra is a native Michigander with a love/hate relationship with Michigan weather. Raising three boys and a husband is quite the adventure, spending time outside is a must for this family. Cassandra is a book lover who loves the escape of the page. She is passionate about her friends and family and bringing people together.
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thanks for the article..
Shared on fb
How do I sign up for your newsletter I would love to vote on your next top docs around town:)
I just discovered this brilliant page! Love it…I am in Northeast MI and I want to have this for our community. Great work!
Nice work ladies!
Thanks Jackie!
site opps!!!
Wow didn’t know your team was so big!! Thanks so much for all each one of you do!! I don’t know what I would do without your sight!!
Thanks Willow! It takes a village! =)
This was great! I actually learned a few things about our team too.