Staff
Jessica Vander Ark, Groundswell Project Manager
Jessica Vander Ark earned her Bachelor's in Group Science & Geology, with elementary and 6th through 8th grade science certification at Grand Valley State University and has more than 15 years of experience as an educator, coach, and green team leader. Prior to joining Groundswell, she served as the Director of Environmental Education at West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) where she expanded their environmental educational programs such as Teach for the Watershed and Zero Waste in Landfill. Jessica lives with her husband and children in Spring Lake.
Office Address: 356 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6804
Email: vandjess@gvsu.edu
Amanda Syers, Groundswell Project Specialist
Amanda Syers is a Groundswell Project Assistant. She also is a Laker for a Lifetime, earning both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from GVSU. Amanda is a certified classroom teacher and has experience teaching middle school and high school in a traditional setting and elementary in a non-formal setting. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, exploring Michigan, and reading.
Office Address: 354 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6231
Email: syersam@gvsu.edu
Claire Bode, Groundswell Project Specialist
Claire Bode is a Groundswell Project Assistant. She has been a classroom teacher, a seasonal naturalist, a legislative analyst, and a civic engagement facilitator. She worked as a front desk clerk at Yellowstone National Park during the 1988 fires. She has spent most of her life in Michigan and is currently pursuing a second Master’s in literacy studies with an emphasis on TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) here at Grand Valley. She lives in the City of Grand Rapids with her family and three cats.
Office Address: 368 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6706
Email: bodeclai@gvsu.edu
Joanna Allerhand, Assistant Director of Center for Educational Partnerships
Joanna Allerhand is an Assistant Director in the Center for Educational Partnerships in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University. She holds a Masters of Environmental Science and a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University. Joanna is Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on many of the Groundswell grants. She helps design teacher professional development, implement student-led environmental stewardship projects, build community partnerships, and manage communications. She fell in love with the outdoors as a child gathering geodes in the woods of Southern Indiana.
Office Address: 366 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6237
Email: allerhaj@gvsu.edu
Clayton Pelon, Associate Director of Center for Educational Partnerships
Clayton Pelon is an Associate Director in the Center for Educational Partnerships in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University. He holds a Masters in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Michigan State University. Clayton is the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on many of the Groundswell grants. He served on the original team in 2008 that developed the idea for Groundswell and has been heavily involved since. As a child he hiked with his grandmother and participated in Boy Scouts, which led to his deep appreciation of the natural world.
Office Address: 362 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6813
Email: pelonc@gvsu.edu
Veda Hodges, Office Coordinator
Veda Hodges is the Office Coordinator for the Center for Educational Partnerships. She has been with Groundswell since its inception in 2008. She processes all of the invoices, project funding requests, and reimbursements, as well as helping out with other tasks when needed. Veda loves the interaction the teachers and Groundswell staff have with the students and believes place-based education is and has been the best tool for retaining knowledge through experiencing it first-hand. For fun, she loves spending time with her grandchildren and gardening.
Office Address: 396 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6440
Email: hodgesv@gvsu.edu
David Bair, Director of Center for Educational Partnerships
David Bair is a professor of Educational Foundations in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University, where his work focuses on multicultural education, racial identity, and educational equity. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Educational Partnerships. He was previously an elementary teacher in Minnesota, Director of Student Teaching at Skidmore College, and Educational Foundations Department Chair at GVSU. He supports the administration of Groundswell and strengthens the University's connections with community partners and schools. David enjoys travel, riding his bike, and sci-fi movies.
Office Address: 358 DeVos Building C
Phone: (616) 331-6489
Email: baird@gvsu.edu