The KidsOutAndAbout Team
The Team at KidsOutAndAbout.com
Debra Ross, Publisher
I’m originally from New
Jersey and can take a Jersey joke as well as the next Jersey girl. I went to the University of Pennsylvania as an English major. English majors can do everything or nothing, and so I opted for a bit of everything: I went into publishing after college in New York City as #4 in a 4-person business. It was 1991, this thing called Windows had just come out, and someone had to take on the task of getting a computer system to run the business. I was elected.
I learned a lot about the technology that runs small mail-order businesses (it was primarily a mail-order publisher), and in 1994 started my own business in technology consulting, Axton Enterprises.
In 1995, I moved to Rochester to be with David Ross (a mathematician who was then working for Kodak and is now a professor at RIT), whom I married in 1996. In 1997, I met Steve Gordon, our CTO, as a consultant for the business he owned in Connecticut, TFS Ltd., an inbound telemarketing company; I’ve worked with Steve on various projects since then. In 1999, I had Madison, and in 2001 I had Ella.
I started KidsOutAndAbout the same month Ella was born, April 2001, as a simple community web site for the greater Rochester area. The site grew and grew and GREW, and in 2010 we incorporated as an LLC and started expanding. My family started home schooling in 2006. I find it difficult to convey just how profoundly I love and LIKE these small people whose upbringing and education I am so privileged to be guiding, but it runs underneath practically everything I do. They think I have the coolest job in the world. They’re right.
Steve Gordon, Chief Technology Officer
I am a New England person, growing up in Massachusetts and living in Connecticut since 1977. In between I went to Penn (same as Deb, though several years earlier) ... and now split my time between Connecticut and Arlington VA (long time consulting work). My kids are out of the house; my older son Dan is a New York City firefighter, and my younger son Aaron works in Arlington at the same organization that I consult for ... http://www.theihs.org. My wife Deb Wittes (yes, she kept her name) and I have been married 30+ years. During the past 15 years, I have started several businesses; not so coincidentally, Deb Ross was always involved… and in one of them we were partnered with yet ANOTHER Deb. (Note from Deb: In fact, for the first few years I worked with Steve, he would always refer to “my wife” without saying her name, and I had no idea what it was. When I finally realized that she, too, was Deb, it all made sense.)
Although my career is now in IT, my background is in marketing. I like to think I am successful in IT because I come from the non-tech world. I am very excited about all the new cities and people coming to KOAA!
June Santini, Vice President of Operations
I grew up in Orange County, CA, within 5 miles of Disneyland, which explains a lot, especially my ability to sing all the verses to “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me” and my relentless cravings for avocados. I married my husband, Steve, at the tender age of 20 and we recently celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary. We have four children, at least two of which were planned, a son-in-law, and a new grandbaby (who is currently the world’s cutest 6-month-old.) Our children are all fabulously talented and range in age from 28 to 13. I have been a SAHM and I can draw a direct line from volunteering at the PTA to my current position as the woman behind the woman at KOA. I suppose one can’t have teenagers and toddlers in the house at the same time without knowing how to get a few things done.
I love to cook and I like to encourage others to make real food for their families with fresh, simple ingredients. However, if you use Parmesan cheese in a can (which Deb does) or try to roast garlic in the microwave, I will make fun of you. Don’t get close to me if I have my iPhone in my hand, because I’ll either show you pictures of my beautiful grandbaby or make you listen to a video of my 18-year-old playing piano or singing.
(Note and additional photo from Deb: June’s grandbaby, Lily Jane, is indeed a ray of red-haired sunshine who sends me into baby lust afresh whenever I see her.)
Katie Beltramo (Albany)
I was born in NJ and moved around, ending up (inexplicably, to my mother) at Grinnell College in Iowa. There I met my husband Wade on the very first day, but I thought he was kind of a jerk at the time. We got married right out of college, after which I earned an MA in history at Columbia University, then dropped out of the PhD program (I usually say this to the tune of "Beauty School Dropout" from Grease). Then I worked in test-prep (Kaplan) for much longer than I intended and made my way into a true calling: museum education, where I learned how to spin wool and churn butter and that museum education doesn't pay enough to support decent daycare.
We moved to the Albany area when I was 9 months pregnant with our first child, Madeleine. She's 10 now, and her little sister Josie is 8. For several years, I stayed at home with them and over-volunteered, then I started a blog called Capital District Fun in spite of being rather techno-averse. That's where Deb & June found me when they began researching the Albany area. I still blog and now I write freelance, too.
I love to read and do Zumba, I attempt to garden and run. I like to cook healthful dishes that no one else in my family eats. We all like to ski (downhill) in the winter and camp in the summer. I'm striving to raise my girls to be strong, kind, intellectually curious feminists, and so far they're turning out way more kick-butt than I ever was growing up.
Marissa Hayes (Fairfield County, CT)
Name: Marissa Christina Hayes, Spouse: Brian Patrick Hayes. Kids: 2 boys: Collin (2 1/2 years) Declyn (6 mo)
I am an avid runner who enjoys playing sports, bootcamp classes, being outdoors, lifting weights and just about any type of exercise. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when I was 25, and have since become a bit of a food Nazi. I am extremely passionate about food, especially what I feed my kids.
Interesting facts:
1. I finished my first half marathon when I was 2 months pregnant with Declyn (although I didn't know!).
2. I make all my own baby food.
3. My husband started a gluten free desserts company after my mom and I were diagnosed with CD.
4. I have a love/obsession with kale.
5. I worked for Jose Cuervo in my past life, focusing on Three Olives Vodka and 1800 Tequila amongst other brands.
6. I went to school for Communications and was editor in chief of our college newspaper.
7. I never wanted kids.....now I am obsessed (I would like 3-4).
8. The most amazing vacation I ever took was backpacking through Peru.
9. I bartended for years (and worked for a liquor company) and don't drink. (pretty ironic!)
10. I worked out almost every day when I was pregnant with my kids.
(Oh and I should warn you I'm very energetic!)
Helena Robin (Buffalo)
Hello! I live in rural Western New York (my village doesn’t even have a stop light!), but I grew up in Connecticut. It might be because I’m an only child, but my parents took me everywhere with them. From shows on Broadway to stock car races to Hartford Whalers seasons tickets to chamber music at Yale and great family trips, we did it all. As a result, I delight in exploring every corner of the world with my own family.
I studied archaeology and art history at college (where I met my husband who was studying more practical subjects), worked at an auction house, made a drastic switch into corporate America, married, moved to TX, had my first child, became a stay at home mom, and then moved to WNY. My youngest is about to embark on the adventures of Kindergarten and I am delighted to have the bathroom to myself for the first time in 14 years!
Holly Bishop (Salt Lake City)
I grew up in Iowa, went to college in Wisconsin, and worked in zoos/wildlife organizations in Wisconsin, Seattle, and New Orleans before moving to Salt Lake City in 1996. My zoology degree afforded me many cool opportunities, but I'm most proud of the time I spent raising whooping cranes for release into the wild. As a zookeeper, I worked mainly with birds, but I have an abnormal love for snakes and bugs, too. My zoo career also included a 4-year stint doing marketing, event planning, and public relations. I left the zoo field when I got married to Blake, a man I met on Match.com. (Who knew those dating sites would really work??) Our small family includes one daughter, Samantha, who is eight years old. When Samantha was 14 months old, I started writing online content for a city guide-type website. I am currently a substitute teacher, an occasional foster mom, and I volunteer an insane number of hours at my daughter's school. If spare time exists, I work in our garden and xeriscaped yard, I play with our dog and cat, I hang out with my chickens, I read, I hike, I geocache, and I go birdwatching.
Sarah Lephart (Ann Arbor – Detroit)
Hi Everyone! My name is Sarah Lephart, and I live in Novi, MI (just about half-way between Detroit and Ann Arbor). I have a degree in Elementary Education with a M.Ed. in School Counseling. I have taught for a number of years in elementary schools, and I have recently had opportunities to be a long term substitute as a school counselor in our local high school.
We have moved a few times over the past 11 years, my family has lived in St. Paul, the Boston suburbs, Rochester, NY, and now we live in Michigan. My husband, Paul, has been finishing up school and doing his post doc work, but now finally for the past 3 years he has had a real job!! We are excited to call Michigan our home now. We have three sweet children. All of them born in states that begin with “M.” Ella (she will be 8 this month) was born in Minnesota, Micah (he is our only boy, 5) was born in Massachusetts, and Nora (the baby, 1 ½ years old) was born here, in Michigan.
I have enjoyed being home with my children and I am thankful that I have had opportunities to be involved in a great MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers), Bible study at my church, and I sit on the PTO board for my children’s school. In all of the rest of my free time (note sarcasm), I love to be outside going for jogs or playing with my kids and I LOVE to read. This is me, summed up pretty well. I am excited to be along for the ride as KidsOutAndAbout grows! Looking forward to working with a great team.
Stacy Curtis (Houston)
I live in Houston, Texas, and am a single mom of two girls, ages 13 and 11 (any and all advice accepted from those experienced with the teen years!). Being active with my girls is important to me, which is why I fell in love with Kids Out and About while living in Rochester. I enjoy writing and traveling, and whenever those two meet, it's a slice of heaven.
Although I have a full-time job for an insurance company, I’m a writer at heart. To that end, I love writing travel articles and I teach creative and life story writing classes through my organization Quill & Ink (www.writeofyourlife.com) on weekends. I am also working on my MBA in Entrepeneurship which will be complete in 2014. I’m excited to have the opportunity to do something I love that also helps other busy parents!
Pat McGonigle (Saint Louis)
I am the proud father of five daughters and currently reside in St. Louis, Missouri. I met my wife, Jennifer, while attending Saint Louis University. Originally from Massachusetts, I have traveled to six states over the last 15 years working in the TV news game. My favorite stop, and longest, was in Rochester, New York were I met Deb Ross. I collaborated with Deb on WARM 101.3 FM radio and I also worked with Deb on segments for WHEC-TV called "Get Out of the House" and "Making it Work in Rochester.
I was immediately impressed with Deb's passion to create an exciting and enriching world for her kids. I came to recognize that Deb had the same drive for kids and families all over the Rochester area. As a father of young children who works in the sometimes sobering environment of TV news (fires, car crashes, etc), I've always found the work of "Kids Out and About" inspiring. I'm both excited and a bit anxious about getting a vibrant "Kids Out and About" chapter off the ground here in St. Louis.
Please drop us a line if you're passing through the Gateway to the West. We'll show you a great time in the "show me" state!
Anne and Ed Siller (Hudson Valley, NY)
Anne has known Deb Ross since they were in junior high school together in Cranford, NJ. Actually, they were both in Little League when they were in 5th and 6th grade, though they were not in the same school. (Anne, unlike Deb, could hold her own against any boy on any team in the league. She had a reputation as "that really good red-haired girl on the Lions.")
Anne is now an oncology nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York.
Ed Siller also has baseball in his blood; he went to college on a baseball scholarship. He is currently a police officer in New Rochelle, NY, and has an app on his phone that counts down the days until his 20-year service is over. He'll retire in August 2013.
Anne and Ed have four kids; Charlotte, age almost-20, and Wyatt, Duncan, and Stella, who are 6, almost-5, and 3 respectively.
In this case, Anne and Ed are splitting the duties of working on KidsOutAndAbout; Ed is the Internet guy who hunts down everything going on in the area. Anne is the writer; she has written several reviews for KidsOutAndAbout already.
All parties concerned love the Mets.