Year-round Team
Lisa McCarty — Co-Founder and President
Lisa M. is the Co-Founder and President of All Aboard for Kids. She is from Ames, IA and has her BS in English from Iowa State University.
Lisa Schuelka — Executive Director
I grew up in northwest Iowa and graduated from a class of just 19 students. I loved growing up in a small community! My husband and I have lived in the Ames area for the past 20+ years where we have raised three children. I met Lisa when her son Luke, and my daughter, Olivia, were just babies. We have been friends ever since. Now, these two babies are entering adulthood! I began serving with All Aboard for Kids in an official capacity in January of 2020. It has been a joy to work along side the McCarty’s and the rest of the AAFK team to bring this program to life.
Kari McClure — Program Director
I grew up in Iowa and then made Colorado home for 15 years, I miss those mountains, but my roots are here in Iowa! My experience ranges from having my esthetician license to being a catering manager. Regardless of the field of work I’m in, my heart is passionate about helping others. I have worked with children from coordinating a dance program for at risk girls to being a childcare supervisor at church. I enjoy engaging with children and families to connect them to the resources that will support them and allow their gifts and talents to shine!
Molly Logsdon — Assistant Program Director
I am a recent graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a minor in Psychology. Iowa has been my home for my whole life! Since I started working I have been around children with special needs. I began at a daycare program as a one-on-one for students that needed it, many of them with ASD. After that, I learned ABA therapy techniques and have held a position with ChildServe in Ames in their Autism Day Health classrooms, working with very young children diagnosed with autism and related disorders. Autism has been my passion since I was sixteen, and I can’t wait to continue serving this population throughout the summer!
2023 Summer Team
Monica Jansen — Express Lead Teacher
Monica is a Lead Teacher in the Express classroom. Lisa McCarty and her school principal both encouraged Monica to get involved with AAFK last summer, which she was very happy about. During the school year, she is a special education teacher at Grandwood Education Center. Her hobbies include running, walking, exercising, bike riding, watching TV, reading, and spending time with her cats. She is looking forward to returning to AAFK, seeing how it has grown since last summer, and meeting new individuals. One of her favorite parts of last summer was being able to teach and do what she knows in a new setting. She said it was also great to meet new staff, new students, and learn new things.
Anna Eppert — STEAM Lead Teacher
Anna is one of our STEAM Academy Lead Teachers this summer. This is her first year with AAFK! During the school year she works at Grandwood Education Center as a paraeducator and will be stepping into a teaching position this next school year. Anna is looking forward to the new adventure, including her time with AAFK this summer. When she’s not working, Anna loves reading, being outside, and hanging out with friends. A fun fact about her is that she is a mother of three and a grandmother to three! This summer Anna can’t wait to try new things and getting out of her comfort zone.
Amanda Segebart — STEAM Staff
Amanda is working in our 6-8 STEAM Academy Classroom. She got involved with AAFK by getting invited to work here by a coworker at Ballard East. During the school year, she works there as a paraprofessional. Some of Amanda’s hobbies include drinking coffee, reading, cooking, baking, and being outside. A fun fact about her is that she loves the TV show Friends. This summer she is looking forward to having fun with the campers and hopefully seeing some familiar returning faces. Last summer, she really enjoyed art therapy and the bookmobile.
Julie Bergeson — STEAM Staff
Julie is one of our summer staff in the 6-8th grade STEAM Academy classroom. She learned about AAFK from a co-worker at Fellows elementary school. In her free time she enjoys hiking in the mountains, reading, and making her own personal care products. This summer, she is looking forward to working with the teens that attend camp. In previous summers, she has enjoyed getting to spend time doing creative projects with the kids.
Soo-hee Shin — STEAM Staff
Soo-hee is working in the 6-8th grade STEAM classroom this summer. During the school year, she works at Northwood preschool, and heard about AAFK through a colleague there. A fun fact about Soo-hee is that she has lived in 3 different countries! Last summer at AAFK she most enjoyed the field trips and the fun activities. This summer, she is looking forward to working at AAFK again and meeting the new staff and students.
Tess Abamo — STEAM Staff
Tess is another one of our amazing 2023 summer staff. She is working in our 9-12th grade STEAM Academy classroom this summer. During the school year, she works for the Ames Community School District. Her hobbies include gardening, outdoor activities such as walking and grilling, watching sports, reading, and cooking. She has three daughters with her husband, and two of her daughters have the same birthday but are four years apart! This summer, she is looking forward to having more field trip experiences. She says that she had a really fun experience with the campers last summer, and she can’t wait to get to know more of the campers and have fun. Another great experience she had at AAFK last summer was filmmaking – she loved seeing all of the campers being so passionate about making videos and having fun.
Kelli Williams — STEAM Staff
Kelli is working as an EA in our 6-8th grade STEAM Academy Classroom. During the school year, she works at Northwood Preschool. Her hobbies include running, reading, and rock climbing. A fun fact about Kelli is that she had pigs and sheep growing up on an acreage. This summer she is looking forward to getting to know the kids at camp!
Lauren Byers — STEAM Staff
Lauren will be an EA in our 9-12 STEAM Academy room this summer. She heard about AAFK when they spoke in one of her classes at Iowa State. During the school year, she is a tutor at Iowa State. Some of her hobbies include sand volleyball, tennis, and swimming. A fun fact about Lauren is that she loves eating pasta! This summer she is excited to work with the participants of AAFK and study abroad in Sweden.
Jaiden Porter — STEAM Staff
Jaiden is an EA in our 9-12 STEAM Academy room this summer. During the school year, she works at at YSS, ChildServe, and with ISU Volleyball. Her hobbies include reading, running, and being at the pool. Jaiden’s fun fact is that she is allergic to kiwi and Tide laundry detergent. This summer, she is looking forward to seeing all of the AAFK kids again! One thing she enjoyed about working with us last summer was being able to have a fun place to work everyday and be out in the sun from time to time.
Clara Dee — STEAM Staff
Clara is an EA in our 9-12 STEAM Academy room this summer. During the school year, she works at 3T’s Allstars, a softball/baseball program from ages 7-18. At 3t’s she helps instruct children of all ages, runs the front desk, and helps with any other needs of customers. Some of Clara’s favorite hobbies are painting, working out, and being with her friends and family. A fun fact about her is that she has been to 4 different countries! This summer she is looking forward to meeting the other staff and interacting with the kids.
Sarah Salazar — Express Staff
Sarah is an EA in our Express room this summer. She works at Grandwood Education Center during the school year and also does respite / SCL shifts! Some of her hobbies include reading, diamond paintings, crafting, and hanging out with her son and family. A fun fact about Sarah is that she likes to travel. This summer she is looking forward to camping, boating, and going to music festivals. Her favorite memory from last summer at AAFK was watching the kids have new experiences!
Molly Statton — STEAM Staff
Molly is an EA in our 6-8 STEAM room this summer. Some of her hobbies include working out, spending time with her nephews, and enjoying the sun. A fun fact about her is that she used to have a pet deer! This summer, Molly is looking forward to being home from college and spending time with her mom.
Madison Showers — STEAM and Future Focus Staff
Madison will be working as an EA in the Express classroom and a Coach at Future Focus. Outside of the summer, she works at Grandwood Education Center, and found out about AAFK through Grandwood’s principal. She loves being outside when it’s nice out, spending time with her three kids. Madison also loves taking her kids to the zoo and going to the mountains in Colorado.
Carla Murphy — STEAM and Future Focus Staff
Carla is another wonderful member of our 2023 summer staff. This summer she is working in the 9th-12 grade STEAM room and as a Coach for the Future Focus program. During the school year, she is an EA at Fellows Elementary, and she heard about AAFK through a friend and coworker who had also worked for AAFK. Some of her hobbies include being outside and working in her flower beds in the summer, taking pictures, and supporting her kids in sports and other activities. A fun fact about Carla is that she still loves the Muppets and Disney movies. This summer, she can’t wait to watch her son play baseball and cheer her spouse on during Ragbrai. Her favorite part of previous summers with AAFK is the kids! She says that it is fun to see things through their eyes and experiences. She also loved the crafts, robots, and bowling field trip last summer.
