Campaign Phone
702-769-9655
Age
40
My career has been spent in public service. For seven years I served as Elections Coordinator for Ottawa County, responsible for running fair, accurate, secure elections across 23 local jurisdictions. In that role, every decision I made had to hold up under public scrutiny and build community trust.
Today, I work nationally supporting election officials, focused on how new technology, especially AI, is reshaping public institutions. I've helped to provide guidance to protect sensitive data and adopt new tools thoughtfully and intentionally.
These experiences would guide my decision-making. The Grand Haven community deserves policies it can trust and that provide for the long-term success of the district.
GHAPS enrollment has declined by nearly 1,000 students over the past decade. Many of the causes are outside the district's control, but the effects radiate into every corner of our community. Fewer students means less state funding to deliver the same level of service. This situation is unsustainable, and the district is in the midst of having to make critical decisions about the future. Yet cuts alone are not a strategy. I would push the board to set realistic but inspirational goals, be transparent about what a strong school system costs, and work with our local units of government to make the Grand Haven area a place where families can thrive.
I have always approached public service as an exercise in customer service. As the county's Elections Coordinator, I focused on providing Ottawa County's 220,000 registered voters with the information they needed to have the best experience possible while voting. I'll bring this same perspective to the GHAPS Board of Education. The board is responsible to serve everyone in our community. Whether you are a student, a parent, or a voter, you deserve a public school system that listens to you, and provides you with the information you need. My door will always be open, but I'm not waiting until Election Day. Anyone with a question or an idea can email me or use the Share Your Ideas form on my website right now.
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Age
46
Candidate Information
I'm a father of 3 GHAPS students. Five years ago, I committed to investing my time, energy, and professional talents directly into the leadership of our schools by serving on the GHAPS Board. My guiding philosophy has been simple: build durable, transparent, and long-term systems that elevate educational quality for all while remaining strictly accountable to the community.
I have served on the GHAPS Board since 2021 and the OAISD Board since 2023 with a focus on sound governance through policy and planning. During that time I have also spent nearly 100 hours in specialty training to become a better Board member.
Prior to Board service, I led a team of developers at the OAISD where we worked on projects for public education that ranged from the classroom to the Michigan Dept. of Ed. This gave me great experiences in many areas of our public school systems.
Finally, I am a proud father of 3 GHAPS students who have attended here since they were 5. We have lived and loved public education.
The experiences I bring come from the kitchen table, the workplace desk, and the board table.
Top challenges include addressing our aging facilities and infrastructure, long-term financial responsibility and sustainability, and meeting the demands of preparing all of our students for a future that is constantly changing.
In my first term, I worked with our admin to start addressing these issues in a forward looking way. We've built a Strategic Plan that focuses on learning, financial sustainability, and transparency. We've also built a Master Plan that maps out the long-term uses of our buildings. Now it's time to work with our community to put these plans into action. Bonds will enable the master plan while sound fiscal practices, policies, and community partnerships will ensure sustainability and enhance student learning.
I have always sought to maintain a connection with my community. For several years I have maintained social media in order to inform and educate our community on the work of the Board and the district. I have worked to implement "Talk With A Trustee" where Board members spend time in our community for direct and face to face communication. I look forward to maintaining and deepening that practice going forward.
During impactful district and Board initiatives I have worked for there to be consistent community touch points. These have been in surveys, community engagement sessions, and setting expectations of our admin for public engagement.
I will continue to reduce barriers of communication and understanding through all means possible.
Age
47
Candidate Information
Heather Herrygers is a former teacher, business owner and parent of three Grand Haven Area Public School students. She has valuable experience and insight that helps her serve as a school board member.
My education in political science helps me understand the law and how national and state laws affect school policies. I currently serve on the Grand Haven Area School board and have experience reviewing and revising district policies. Serving on the board has also given me experience in the process of proposing a new policies to comply with state laws or to improve outcomes in our district.
1. To provide a safe, modern and innovative education by working with the Teaching and Learning Committee to review curriculum, data and learning environments. A board member's primary responsibility is to ensure proper funding so district buildings are adequate to serve our district's mission to create "a learning environment where students are challenged to think critically, act responsibly, and lead with purpose." I voted in support of and am actively supporting the bond proposal that is on the ballot to take the first step updating our district. 2. Maintain trust and transparency. I communicate and update community members and work across the board table to gather answers to questions and provide information for board decisions.
In person, by email, by text or phone and online. I interact with anyone who reaches out and also reach out to community members to gather and share questions and information. I have a Facebook page to share district information and am available to meet and discuss matters with community members in person, by email or by text or phone.
Campaign Phone
616-843-5690
Age
40
Candidate Information
Abby Emmerich is a lifelong Grand Haven resident, parent of three, youth coach, community volunteer, and Human Resource Professional. She brings experience in leadership, strategic planning, and policy development, and is committed to supporting student success through transparency, fiscal responsibility, and strong community engagement.
As a Human Resources professional, I have extensive experience developing and implementing policies, balancing legal compliance, fiscal responsibility, and strategic priorities. My work requires listening to stakeholders, evaluating data, and making decisions that support long-term success. I also bring experience through community leadership, nonprofit board service, and coaching youth sports. As a parent of three children in Grand Haven, I understand the importance of policies that prioritize student success, strengthen trust, and ensure responsible stewardship of resources.
I believe GHAPS faces three key challenges: strengthening trust and transparency with the community, maintaining financial sustainability while addressing future facility needs, and ensuring every student is prepared for success in a rapidly changing world. The district's recent strategic planning process highlighted these priorities, and I would support decisions that keep students at the center, promote open communication, and responsibly steward taxpayer resources while continuing to provide high-quality educational opportunities for students.
I believe school board members should be visible, accessible, and engaged with the community they serve. I will seek opportunities to listen to parents, students, staff, and community members through school events, community meetings, and individual conversations. As a lifelong Grand Haven resident, parent, coach, volunteer, and working professional, I value building relationships and understanding different perspectives. My goal is to foster trust through transparency, respectful dialogue, and thoughtful decision-making, ensuring community voices help inform the future of our schools.
Campaign Phone
315-313-3669
Age
41
I bring experience in leadership, public service, government operations, and managing people and resources. As an Army veteran, former operations supervisor, and former State of Michigan employee, I have worked within organizations where policies have real consequences for the people they serve. I understand the importance of budgets, accountability, following state and federal requirements, and listening to those doing the work every day. As a parent, I also see our schools from the family side. I would bring that combination of leadership, public-sector experience, and practical problem-solving to the board.
Our district faces several connected challenges: aging facilities, changing enrollment and demographics, maintaining strong academic opportunities, and using limited public dollars responsibly. Meeting them requires long-term planning rather than simply reacting to the next problem. I would prioritize student and staff safety, educational outcomes, responsible maintenance of our buildings, and careful budgeting. I also believe the board must communicate clearly about where money is going and why. When difficult choices arise, I will ask what best serves students while keeping the district financially sustainable for the next generation.
I believe a school board member must be accessible to the entire community, including people who disagree with them. I will listen to parents, students, teachers, staff, taxpayers, and community members and treat their concerns seriously. I support public forums, open communication, and making district information understandable and easy to find. I will also address misinformation with facts rather than allowing rumors to fill an information vacuum. People may not always agree with my vote, but they should be able to understand why I made it and know that I listened before making the decision.
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