Women Who Move West Michigan – 2025 – Special Section
KELLY RUSSELL
Owner & Founder
KELLY MERTES
Executive Director of Education
NICOLE PRATT
Executive Director of Operations
JENNY ABID
Executive Director of Brand
JESSICA CUNNINGHAM
Executive Director of Enrollment
KATIE HOISINGTON
Executive Director of Outdoor Education
TRACY DERUYTER
Executive Director Employee Resources
LOCATION:
Milestones Child Development Center — Central Office
4461 Cascade Road SE, Suite B | Cascade, MI 49546 | 616-551-3200 | milestonescdc.com
Run by a team of seven exceptional women, Milestones Early Learning has been serving Greater Grand Rapids families since 2005. Kelly Russell, Kelly Mertes, Nicole Pratt, Jenny Abid, Katie Hoisington, Jessica Cunningham, and Tracy DeRuyter lead the family-owned, locally owned institution, lending their comprehensive expertise in childhood elementary education to create a nurturing environment where children ages 0-5 can thrive.
In its 20th year of serving families, Milestones currently fulfi lls the developmental needs of 1,500-plus students, with about 300 staff members, at six West Michigan locations. Amid the expansion of its offerings, it’s continued to stay focused on safety and security first, as well as maintaining a well-trained teaching staff and state-of-the-art facilities.
The team has also been thoughtful about the space where their students learn, ensuring each center is set amid nature— as a counterbalance to an increasingly technology-driven world. As part of their learning fundamentals, children in Milestones’ care are taught to have respect for nature and the planet, and the centers are curated to include natural playgrounds, as well as outdoor classrooms that are led by an outdoor specialist teacher to ensure authenticity and intentionality.
All moms themselves, this group of women has seen firsthand the impact of their efforts— as their own children have been brought up through Milestones’ award-winning educational programming. As leaders, they also strive to make the classrooms an extension of home, without feeling cold or corporate. Simply put: At Milestones, families are treated like family.
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