Dawn Key, Program Leader.

Dawn earned her B.S. Elementary Education and has 10+ years of experience in teaching and education. Her favorite part of LINK are the wonderful kids we have the privilege of serving; they keep her laughing and “the staff is awesome.” In her free time, Dawn loves gardening fresh and local foods, and her favorite food is local grown roasted vegetables.

Jenna Tuttle, Program Leader.

Jenna is a current senior at Grinnell High School. She has previous experience working at LINK and as a waitress at Montgomery’s Sandwich Shop. Her favorite part of LINK is that the children challenge her everyday to use her imagination and find new creative ways to do things. Jenna’s favorite food is Fettuccine Alfredo, and she has never broken a bone!

Ashlyn Sheets, Program Leader.

Ashlyn has previously worked at the GRMC (Grinnell Regional Medical Center) day camp from 2016-2019 before working at LINK. Her favorite part of LINK is, of course, working with the kids, and her favorite food is pizza! At home, Ashlyn loves spending time with her four rambunctious dogs.

Sandra Skouson, Program Leader.

Sandra is currently a sophomore at St. Olaf College. She has served two summers at the GRMC (Grinnell Regional Medical Center) day camp through AmeriCorps, and she has worked as a second-grade classroom assistant in 2019. She began working at LINK during the spring of 2020 and her favorite part is the joy she gets from working with the children. Her favorite foods include Brussels sprouts and peanut butter ice cream– but not together!

Megan Doty, Program Leader.

Megan is currently a sophomore at Central College where she plays softball and majors in psychology. She has previously worked at the Grinnell Community Early Learning Center and began working at LINK the summer of 2020. Her favorite part of LINK is getting to hear about the kids’ days and listening to their stories, and her favorite foods are pasta and ice cream.

Chad has served as the Executive Director of the program since its inception in August 2019. Prior to working at LINK, Chad worked as the Director of Wellness, Fitness, Integrated Health & DayCamp for 17 years. He also spent time in classrooms as a Middle School Special Education Teacher and Kindergarten Teacher for 6 years. Chad has served on various other Boards of Directors, including for the UnityPoint Health GRMC Foundation, and as President of the Ahrens Park and Kids Against Hunger boards.

Abby is a Grinnell native. She earned a B.A. in Psychology, a Ph.D. in Applied Child Development from Tufts University and a Ph.D in Human Development & Family Studies with a focus in Early Childhood Education from Iowa State University. In addition to serving on the LINK Board, she currently works as an Early Childhood Researcher & Program Evaluation Specialist at the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley.