NCMC Child Care Initiative Team
Meet the Team
The NCMC Child Care Initiative team is dedicated to fostering high-quality early childhood education and supporting families in our community. With diverse backgrounds in education, social work, and child development, each team member contributes a wealth of knowledge and passion to the initiative.
Jennifer Wixson, M.S.
Project Lead and Professor, Early Childhood Education
Jennifer Wixson joined North Central in 2019 as the program coordinator and professor for the Early Childhood Education program. She leads the NCMC Child Care Initiative, focusing on building a sustainable child care system in Emmet County.
Her experience spans preschool teaching, Head Start, child care administration, and grant-funded initiatives.
She holds an M.S. from Purdue University and a B.S. from Michigan State University.
Jen Harris, M.Ed.
Contributor
Jen Harris brings years of experience in Montessori teaching, school administration, and improvement consulting. She focuses on expanding access to Michigan’s high-quality early childhood programs.
She holds degrees from Kalamazoo College and St. Catherine University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. at Oakland University.
Laura Tuthill, Ph.D.
Contributor
Laura Tuthill has 17 years of early childhood experience and 12 years teaching in higher education, including positions at Grand Valley State University and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Denver and a B.S. from Butler University.