GRKIDS is the Premier Media Source for Family Life in West Michigan
Ever wonder who’s writing those Facebook posts for GRKIDS? It’s not the all-powerful Oz pulling all the bells and whistles. It’s a real live mom (or two) right here in Grand Rapids! And they’re just one part of the large GRKIDS team that works to bring you the best of West Michigan family life.
What began as a one woman venture by our founder Melody VanderWeide has grown into a full-blown enterprise that serves thousands of families across West Michigan.
We love connecting you with the adventures, organizations and companies that mean something in our 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 our region.
Our reach spans our website, Facebook page, Instagram, regular newsletters, and print publications.
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 for your family!
–April Hunt, Senior Editor
Leadership Team
Melody VanderWeide
Founder and Director
INFJ. Mom of 3. Idea chaser-People believer-Inspiration seeker. Together we make GR amazing – Let’s go!
April Hunt
Senior Editor
Curious. Daydreamer. Vintage home improver. Modern sewist. True Crime podcast enthusiast.
I love telling stories of the people and places of Grand Rapids and beyond!
Liz Delonis
Editor, KZOO Kids
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.
Carla Brooks
Editor, Lansing Family Fun
Carla is an Oregon born, Michigan raised photographer, runner, mom of two awesome boys, and wife to poet Sareem Poems. Carla enjoys adventuring, playing the piano and singing, trying different foods, reading or watching a good story, and most of all spending time with her family.
Marketing Team
Kelly Dentler
Marketing & Events
Kelly has a diverse background that has led her many different directions in her life, with her current combination of mom and GRKIDS team member being her favorite. From 911 operator to box salesperson to interior decorating, her life experiences have taught her to “never say never” and always be open to new experiences. She lives in Alto with her husband and two children and loves meeting new people and exploring new places.
Laura Gifford
Marketing & Guides
Laura has been a stay at home mom for the past 6 years. After living in Southern California for 16 years she is happy to be back home in Michigan. Most of her time is spent doing typical mom things and impatiently waiting for spring every year so she can go back to riding horses, spending time up north and heading to the beach.
Keri Siemens
Ad Manager, Writer, Researcher, Newsletter
Keri is a mom of four who enjoys “pizza and movie nights” at home with the family. When she is not managing ads for grkids, 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.
Leanne Hendrikse
Print Content Manager, Data & Reporting, Sales Support
Leanne is a Canadian expat, wife and stay at home mom of two loving her grace-filled life. She enjoys exploring West Michigan with her family while pushing a stroller and drinking coffee. A few of her favorite things are perennial gardening, a garage sale score, chasing her kids and back porch dates with her husband.
Administrative Team
Erin Russell
Office Manager & Sales Support
Erin is a musician who attempts to balance out 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 time with her family, cottage time by the lake and trying out new recipes for healthy meals. She live in Grand Rapids with her husband and two children.
Tiffany Kamphuis
Giveaway Manager & Calendar Coordinator
Tiffany is a wife and mom to three active, hungry, growing boys. She thrives on organization, cooking and baking healthy food, as well as time spent with family. She lives in the Lakeshore area and enjoys all that West Michigan has to offer, but loves to travel, explore different areas, and photograph all of their adventures.
Mary Scripps
Print Delivery Coordinator
Mary is a stay at home mom to 3 little kids! On a typical day you can find her with her kids playing soccer, bike riding, or attempting an over complicated Pinterest craft! In her free time she enjoys reading, and cooking new recipes (she hopes) her entire family will enjoy! She’s a lake bum and outdoor enthusiast who enjoys checking out new beaches, parks, and spending time UpNorth!
Writing & Research
Kim Guider
Editorial Assistant & Facebook Admin
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!
Elizabeth Rudd
Head Writer, Guide Specialist
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.
Caitlin Malski
Newsletter Manager
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 trying out new recipes in the kitchen, visiting local parks and trails with her children, and photographing the everyday moments of her family.
Michelle Smith
Writer
Michelle Smith and her husband live in Lowell where they have been homeschooling their children for many years. They are currently educating three, with three graduates. Michelle enjoys classical ballet and live theater, especially musicals, both being in the audience and working backstage.
Jessica Greenop
Writer, Newsletter
about
Kate Randall
Writer
Kate considers herself incredibly lucky to be a full time mom and also part time social worker and ASD consultant with Hudsonville Public Schools. While at home, she loves spending time with her kids, Cooper and Zoe. Kate loves all things creative and messy, playing games, gardening, biking, reading, and summers off with her awesome teacher-husband, Kevin.
Kathleen Shaffer
Event Researcher
Kathleen loves to read and is a former librarian turned volunteer for every event at her daughter’s elementary school!
Mary Ward
Event Researcher
Mary is a local mama who enjoys exploring the city of Grand Rapids. She operates a Grand Rapids play group and enjoys learning about fun things for families to do in the area. Mary and her husband David transplanted to Grand Rapids from Livonia in 2008.
Social Media Team
Kristine Fluker
Social Media Ads, KZOO Kids Guide Specialist
Rebecca Yonge
Instagram Manager
Carly Stender
Instagram Manager
Carla Hardy
Facebook Team Manager & Data Admin
Carla is a wife and a girl mom of one sweet girl. She enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, organizing, finding new and fun things to do with her daughter, taking far too many pictures, and binge watching TV shows and movies with her husband. She also works at a local school in the library as the Learning Commons Aide.
Sarah Koss
Facebook Team
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!
Designer
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, she enjoys date nights and Netflix watching with her hubby, crafting and curating the walls in her house, organizing, camping, hanging out at the lake and snow skiing with her family.
If you wanted to add another house for Halloween Decorations, I have a cemetary with the Scooby doo gang running thru, and then we have a Batman display on the house and in the driveway, we also run a light show with Halloween tunes that you can tune your car radio too. We are at 5261 Brookwood Drive SE, Kentwood, MI 49508.
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.