Leadership

The Step Up leadership team consists of the executive director, board of directors, house managers, and program coordinators.

Merri Griffin

                                Women's House Manager

Heidi Lipscombe
Maternity House Manager

A resident house manager lives in each home.
The house manager oversees the daily life and responsibilities of the young adults living at Step Up and maintains the smooth operation of the house. 

                   Crystal Hill                       Program Coordinator

                                      The Program Coordinator assists participants in establishing and accomplishing goals that will help the participant achieve growth and self sufficiency.

Adult Volunteer Mentors

Mentors work with the young adults to address the advancement of life skills such as budgeting, cooking, obtaining a driver’s license, completing their education, and finding a job. Mentors will encourage social responsibility and spiritual growth.  Learn more about mentoring at Step Up.

Board of Directors

Step Up’s board of directors is responsible for the operation and organization of Step Up. The board of directors meets regularly with the house manager and other staff, participates in the residents’ application process, and provides oversight to the mentoring program.

Dick Kamps

Dick Kamps is a retired surgeon and practicing Hospice physician who has served Muskegon area residents for 33 years. During 15 of those years he served as president of his medical group. Those years provided significant experience in the successful management of a business and the personnel involved. His work of caring for people fulfills his life. 

Carolyn Walker

Carolyn is a surgical technologist who has served patients at Mercy Health Muskegon for 39 years. She also serves people in many ways as a mother, grandmother, and local church member. Carolyn delights in serving and caring for others. 

Dennis Harris

Dennis is a Muskegon native who has retired after 30 years of experience as the administrator of Muskegon Surgical Associates. He brings his business skills and his love for people to the board of Step Up. “ For quite some time, technical skills and running a business seemed most important, however, building relationships is what really matters.”

 

Joe Lane

Pastor Joe Lane is the founding Pastor of New Life Christian Center of Muskegon. He has served in Muskegon for the last 24 years in education. He was the first, ever, African American educator at Orchard View Schools and the first Minority Administrator at Reeths-Puffer School District. He is in love with Sharri, his wife of 20 years, and the two of them have three children.

Lynn Kamps

Lynn has shared life for 40 years with young people as an elementary school teacher, mother, grandmother,tutor, and mentor. She served as Step Up's Program Coordinator for over two years. Her organizational skills, community involvement, and love for young adults helps propel the mission of Step Up.

   Kayla Moore

Kayla is the assistant director at a center in Grand Haven that provides Applied Behavior Analysis for children with autism, as well as offering occupational and speech therapies. She serves an elder at her church and is passionate about altering the paradigm for local mission. Her foundational belief of living out the gospel is rooted in establishing relationships. 

Kathy Richards

Kathy serves at WorkWise, contributing to the development of cohesive teams within organizations. With a background as the Director of Operations at AeroVision, a former small business owner, a Community Health Worker, and a previous Program Coordinator at Step Up, she takes pride in being a part of individuals' journeys toward self-sufficiency, their transition into independent living, and beyond.

        April Fonseca

 April is co-owner of several businesses including EntertainZone in Norton Shores and Rediscover Studios in Grand Haven. As a business owner she has developed creative problem solving skills and loves creating new goals. She is also a wife and mother to three young children. April is an active member of the church and believes building relationships is the most effective way to transform a community.