Taylor graduated from West Ottawa in 2012 before attending Michigan State University and studying Marketing. While at West Ottawa, Taylor was the captain of the Varsity Boys Basketball Team, was a mentor through the PALs program and was on the team responsible for the 2012 PINK OUT basketball game which raised over $54,000 for breast cancer research. He and his wife, Elizabeth (a second grade teacher at Pine Creek Elementary) live in Zeeland.Taylor joined the Board of the Panther Fund in 2020, and was nominated to be Board President as of 2023. 

Phil grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and rural Ohio. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati, he and his wife Jill, moved to Holland where they raised their two daughters Caroline and Abby. Phil works at Chicago based Perkins Malo Hunter Foundation where they support educational programs for disadvantaged kids throughout the country. Phil has previously served on the West Ottawa School Board and is a founding member of The Panther Fund.

Madison graduated from West Ottawa with the class of 2013 before attending and graduating from Grand Valley State University with her Bachelors in Nursing. At West Ottawa, Madison was involved in women's soccer, and the PALs mentorship program. 
Garrett graduated from West Ottawa in 2011, where he then continued his education at Michigan State University earning his social studies degree, followed by his teaching certificate with Grand Valley State University. Garrett is currently a history teacher at West Ottawa and teaches with the Dunes alternative High School. He is also a freshman football coach, and the head rugby coach. 
Madison and Garrett welcomed their daughter, Genevieve (future panther), to the family in May of 2022. They have been serving as Directors of The Panther Fund since January 2021. 

Jim is a founding member and former president to The Panther Fund. He current sits on the WO school board where he dedicates his time every day towards making WO a better school district for current and future panthers.

Born and raised in West Michigan, Steve and his wife, Michele, moved to Holland after graduating from
Michigan State University. All three of their kids, Kylee, Spencer, and Abby were raised in Holland and
graduated from West Ottawa. Michele has spent her entire career as a teacher for West Ottawa and
both Steve and Michele have a life-long passion for helping kids reach their full potential. Steve is Vice
President of Product Development Operations at MillerKnoll and is responsible for product development
processes that Design for the Good of Humankind. He currently serves on the board of the Boys & Girls
Club of Greater Holland is a founding board member of The Panther Fund.

A board member since May 2024, Kim joined our team as our marketing and PR specialist. Kim is  an involved parent in the WO community and sees front line challenges faced by our students daily. Kim’s passion project of creating equity among our young student population and her organization skills have made her an irreplaceable addition to our team.

Missy graduated from West Ottawa in 1985 before attending and graduating from Michigan State University. She is the mother of two West Ottawa graduates. Jack (2019), current student at Grand Valley State University and Lucy (2020), current student at the University of Chicago. She is a PMO Service Manager at MillerKnoll. Missy is currently the Panther Fund Treasurer and joined the Board in 2018, she is also a Board member of the Children’s Advocacy Center (since 2006) and is the Board Secretary.

BIO Coming...

A graduate of Western Michigan University, I started my teaching career at West Ottawa in 1993.  In addition to teaching at Woodside Elementary and Macatawa Bay middle school I coached high school baseball and football at all levels.  My wife Amy is a fourth grade teacher at Lakewood Elementary and both of our daughters graduated from West Ottawa.