Get to know our Founder and Board President, Rachel Dody
How long have you lived here?
I’ve been in West Michigan my whole life – I grew up in Whitehall, lived in Holland during college, then Norton Shores and Muskegon. I now live in Spring Lake with my husband and three kids, who are 4, 6, and 8 – we’ve been here just over six years now and are so happy to call the Tri-Cities home.
History/interests/fun facts about you?
During college, I sailed on a tall ship from Tahiti to Hawaii as part of the Sea Education Association program. I’m an avid podcast listener, like to play Euchre, kayak, go on family bike rides, and attend outdoor concerts at Meijer Gardens and the Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium.
One of the things I’m most proud of is founding and organizing Muskegon Street Performers, a free community event series that featured 30 performance artists on the sidewalks and stages of downtown Muskegon’s Western Avenue. It was delightful to create something for community that brought people together to experience performance art in a fun, accessible way.
I have a bachelor’s in Psychology from Hope College and a master’s in Healthcare Administration from GVSU. I’ve worked for the heart surgeons in the Meijer Heart Center, managed a Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Cardiology office, worked on community health improvement in Muskegon, and served on a number of boards, including The Little Red House in Spring Lake.
Why is GHCM important to you?
I love working on things that improve connectedness and quality of life for community.
It wasn’t until I had my own kids that I realized how special children’s museums are – because they’re built especially for kids, they’re places where kids can be kids in the truest sense. And that kids get to play and learn with their families alongside other kids in the community and- that mom and dad can be part of the learning and fun – that’s powerful.
I’ve been at home with my three young kids for the past few years and we just love going on adventures together. Over time, I noticed we were always driving to other communities for those really fun, indoor educational experiences, which is tough with little kids.
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum was a favorite of ours and I kept thinking how nice it would be to have one closer to home. When I learned Fennville, Ludington, St Joe, and Traverse City all had children’s museums, I sort of said to myself, “If they can have a children’s museum, we can too. And if I can start an annual street performers event and manage a cardiology office, then I can start a children’s museum.”
And now here I am – working to start a children’s museum in Grand Haven. I couldn’t be more excited and energized to be on the board of the children’s museum, with ten other dedicated community leaders, working to create this amazing new community resource together.
This museum will connect us to each other, add richness to our lives, and impact our kids, families, and community for generations.