SPARK Parent Partners

Parent partners are responsible for working alongside the parents of SPARK children and providing guidance. By sharing ideas during home visits and workshops, parent partners and parents work together to help children get ready for kindergarten.

Canton Parent Partners
Linda Lairson
Marybeth Flinner
Tinia Gillems
Champagne Selman

Danielle Triplett

Audrey Dimmerling

Minerva Parent Partners
Joan Gurganus
Jan Keating
Nichole Bryant
Pam Moody
Ronele Syme
Christine Kohl

Alliance Parent Partners
Carrie Lemaster
Amy Mangus

The SPARK Leadership Team

SPARK team members and our evaluation team—Dr. Peter J. Leahy and Diane Banks, from the University of Akron—meet monthly to discuss project goals and to report on the fast-paced progress of the program. The meetings have proven to be very productive, and have kept the team on track as we move toward our ultimate goal: serving young children and their families.

SPARK team members are listed below.

Shana Rozier, Program Coordinator

Shana has oversight of SPARK in the Canton City and Minerva Local school districts and works closely with the Early Childhood Education Alliance to coordinate the Alliance SPARK program.

Shana heads a team of experts from a variety of fields, monitoring and implementing all program aspects, including fiscal, human resources, and program issues. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a Master’s of Business Administration from Ashland University.

Shana is a graduate of the 21st Class of Leadership Stark County.

Danielle Bunner, Transition Coordinator, Canton City Schools

While coordinating the transition component for the Canton City SPARK Schools, Danielle works to enhance communication between the schools and SPARK and increase the understanding of the program's ready schools components. Danielle is a graduate of Kent State University with a degree in human development and family studies.

Danielle is also the Bethlehem-SPARK liaison, coordinating the oral health program that links families to dental services.

Joe French, Alliance Recruitment Coordinator

Joe is responsible for recruiting Alliance children and enrolling them in the SPARK program. He schedules presentations during school events and activities in order to “spark” interest in the program. Joe is a graduate of Kent State University and holds a master's degree in early childhood education from Ashland University.  Joe has been the director of two NAEYC-accredited centers and has served as a mentor to centers seeking NAEYC accreditation.  He is an adjunct professor at Kent State University and Walsh University. 

Joe is also the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Alliance, Inc., an early childhood collaborative working with community leaders to align services for young children in the greater Alliance area.  Joe is a graduate of Leadership Stark County and serves on the board for SPARK Ohio, Canton Calvary Mission, the Early Childhood Resource Center, the Child and Adolescent Service Center, and the Ohio United Way.  He serves as the Co-Chair for the Children and Youth Impact Council for United Way of Greater Stark County, the Kent State University Stark Alumni Chapter, and the Early Childhood Education Consortium.

Jennifer Haude, Communications Coordinator/Grant Writer
Jennifer is responsible for quarterly communications, proposal writing, copy writing, media relations, and document editing and proofreading. Jennifer earned her bachelor's degree in English from the Ohio State University. Her writing has appeared in several regional and national publications.

Beth Holderbaum, Minerva Recruitment Coordinator
Beth is responsible for recruiting Minerva children and enrolling them in the SPARK program. She schedules presentations during school events and activities in order to “spark” interest in the program. Beth is a graduate of Stark State College of Technology with an Associate of Applied Science degree in early childhood education and a Pre-Kindergarten Associate Certificate from the Ohio State Board of Education.

Beth also serves as the child care administrator at the Minerva Area YMCA, where she oversees three child care sites: The YMCA’s preschool/day care, before- and after-school child care, and the Malvern YMCA child care site.

Patricia Millsaps-Linger, Ph.D, Assessment
As part of the assessment team, Patricia is responsible for completing in-depth assessments for all SPARK children referred through the developmental screening process.

Patricia received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, a master’s in counseling psychology, and a Ph.D., also in counseling psychology, all from the University of Akron.
She has worked with Stark County children, adolescents, and families since 1988. Patricia worked at the Child and Adolescent Service Center (community mental health agency) from 1988-1990, and since 1990, has settled into private practice.

Since 1998, she has shared the practice, Psychological Solutions, with Cecilia Schweizer, Ph.D., who is also part of the SPARK assessment team. Patricia has also contracted with the Canton City Schools’ early childhood program, working as part of the early childhood assessment team from 1998-2003.

Cecilia Schweizer, Ph.D, Assessment Coordinator
Like Patricia, Cecilia contributes her vast knowledge of early childhood psychology to the SPARK assessment team through developmental screenings and assessments. As assessment coordinator for SPARK, Cecelia oversees the developmental screening process and learning plans for children. Cecilia earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in school psychology, and a Ph.D in counseling psychology, all from the University of Akron.

Cecilia also works as a private practice psychologist at Psychological Solutions. Prior to this position, she served as a school psychologist with Canton City Schools for 26 years, with over 10 years of specialization as an early childhood psychologist.

Cecilia has served as chair of Canton City Schools’ early childhood assessment team, chair of evaluation/grant committee of Stark County’s early intervention collaborative, and chair of Canton City Schools’ preschool special education committee. She has developed and coordinated the kindergarten screening program for Canton City Schools, and has also developed and implemented the early childhood integrated preschool program there.

Jan Webler , Transition Coordinator, Alliance City Schools

Jan acts as a liaison between SPARK and building administrators to facilitate effective transition activities for Alliance students and families.

Jan earned her Bachelor of Science Degree and master's degree in special education from Kent State University and completed post-graduate work in educational administration at Ashland and Walsh Universities. She has been employed by Alliance City Schools for the past 27 years, working as a special education teacher, elementary teacher, and special education supervisor. She is currently serving as the director of pupil services for Alliance City Schools.  Jan is a graduate of Leadership Stark County, an active member of QUOTA, and also serves on the board of the Early Childhood Education Alliance, Inc.

Deborah White, Transition Leader, Minerva Local Schools

Deborah will be responsible for overseeing the transitions component for the Minerva Local School System. She will work to establish institutional readiness committees and to develop joint professional development opportunities for early childhood practitioners and kindergarten teachers. She will also provide advice and assistance with recruitment and identification of potential parent partner candidates in the Minerva area. Deborah earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and elementary education from Mount Union College and her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Kent State University.

For the past 12 years, Deborah has served as the director of special services for Minerva Local Schools. She has been an educator for 30 years, working as the student services coordinator/guidance counselor for Minerva Local Schools and teaching elementary and middle school at Boardman and Plain Local Schools. Deborah also served on the SPARK leadership team.