Parks Staff

Administrative Staff

• Jason Shamblin
  Parks & Recreation Director
  Jason’s passion for the outdoors developed during his youth while growing up on a farm in the hills of rural south eastern Ohio. Prior to his arrival in Ottawa County, Jason was the Assistant Director of MetroParks of Butler County Ohio for over six years. Jason also worked in municipal Parks and Recreation in Central Ohio where he was the Director of Parks and Recreation for Reynoldsburg, and for Grove City and Gahanna. Jason began his career working for the YMCA in Akron and is a proud alumni of Ohio University.
• Curtis TerHaar
  Coordinator of Park Planning & Development
  Curt is a landscape architect and land planner with 30 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of recreation and other outdoor public use areas. He started with the Ottawa County Parks system in 2005 after working at private design firms in West Michigan including his own landscape architecture design company. Curt was born and raised in Grand Haven and has a degree in Landscape Architecture from Michigan State University.
  
• Katie Wright
  Coordinator of Fund Development and Major Gifts
  Katie brings a strong passion for helping people connect with the many benefits of natural landscapes. Before joining Ottawa County Parks, she worked with the National Park Friends Alliance, the Association of Nature Center Administrators, and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, leading efforts to expand access and engagement with public lands. A Grand Rapids native and Aquinas College graduate, Katie spent 25 years in northeast Ohio, where she developed skills as an entrepreneur in addition to her career in parks.
• Aaron Bodbyl-Mast
  Project, Data, and Grants Manager
• Ginny Anderson
  Administrative Assistant
• Jennifer Sharabidze
  Senior Secretary

Visitor and Business Services Staff

• Nicholas Smith 
  Coordinator of Visitor and Business Services
  Nick comes to Ottawa County with over 15 years of experience at the City, Township, Federal, Metro Park, and County Levels. A graduate with a degree in Parks Administration from Central Michigan University, Nick’s passion is operating, improving, and providing high-level park facilities and visitor enjoyment. Nick’s passion for the Parks and Recreation profession extends beyond Ottawa County through his state-wide leadership with the Michigan Recreation & Parks Association and the Michigan Association of County Parks and Recreation Officials
  
• Hunter Norris
  Idema Explorers Camp Supervisor
• Ben Page
  Seasonal Park Supervisor (Marina)
• Mindy Stanton
  Secretary
• Elaine Ebeling
  Guest Services Supervisor

Community Engagement Staff

• Jessica VanGinhoven
  Coordinator of Community Engagement
  Jessica joined the team as the Communication Specialist in 2015. She manages day-to-day operations at Ottawa County Parks & Recreation’s Nature Center and oversees programming, education, and community outreach. Jessica has a Bachelor of Science in advertising from the New England Institute of Art and over 10 years of marketing and communication experience in a variety of industries. She is thrilled to bring her love of nature, education, and experience to the county.
• Curtis Dykstra
  Program Supervisor
• Nahuel Medina
  Program Supervisor
• Rylie Dorman
  Communications Specialist
• Carly Garvelink
  Volunteer Program Supervisor
• George Jaeger
  Outdoor Education Program Lead
• Tabitha Corlett
  Recreation and Wellness Program Lead

Natural Resource Management Staff

• Nealy Molhoek
  Coordinator of Natural Resources Management
  Nealy graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Natural Resources Management and History. She joined the team as a Stewardship Crew Leader in 2015 before taking over as Coordinator of Natural Resources Management. Nealy is a dedicated environmental steward with over a decade of experience in natural resource management and conservation. She developed a deep love and appreciation for the natural communities of Ottawa County while growing up in the dunes and forests which included many Ottawa County Parks.
• Tyler Allyn-White
  Stewardship Supervisor
  Tyler is a proud graduate of Kalamazoo College where he obtained his B.A. in Biology. Prior to joining Ottawa County Parks, he was a Research Biologist with the Kalamazoo Nature Center where he studied the effects of varying management techniques on several natural communities and threatened and endangered species. Before that, he worked as a Conservation Technician where he managed invasive species, conducted prescribed burns, and installed native plantings throughout southwest Michigan.
• Bri Jasinski
  Natural Resources Management Specialist

Park Maintenance and Operations Staff

• Jason Boerger
  Coordinator of Park Maintenance and Operations
  Jason started in January 2014 and is responsible for the maintenance and operations including projects, policies, rule enforcement, fee collection, risk management and budgeting. Jason has 20 years of experience including programming, maintenance, law enforcement, management, and administrative roles. He has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Bowling Green State University.
• Collin Zackrison
  Parks Supervisor (East Area)
  Collin manages five properties and many public rental facilities on the east area of the county including:
  • Grand River Park
  • Hager Park
  • Grand Ravines Park
  • Spring Grove Park
  • Bend Area
  • Grand River Open Space.
• Eric Frifeldt
  Parks Supervisor (South Area)
  Eric started for Ottawa County Parks in 2006 as a Park Attendant at North Beach Park. After completing his internship for OCPRC and receiving his B.S. in Parks and Recreation from Michigan State University he worked as a commissioned Park Ranger for the Michigan State Parks. He returned full-time to Ottawa County Parks in 2015 as the West Area Supervisor and took over the role of South Area Supervisor in 2020. Eric oversees 8 parks and 3 opens spaces including:
  • Hemlock Crossing
  • Pine Bend
  • Pigeon Creek Park
  • Riley Trails
  • Paw Paw Park
  • Upper Macatawa Natural Area
  • Adam’s Street Landing
  • Hiawatha Forest
  • Port Sheldon Natural Area
  • Van Buren Street Dunes
• Kate Alvarez
  Parks Supervisor (North Area)
  Kate is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she received her B.S. in Natural Resources Management. She started with Ottawa County Parks in 2016 working part time in both the Natural Resources Management and Operations divisions before becoming the North Area Supervisor in 2021. Kate oversees 7 parks, 12 open spaces, and 3 regional bike trails including:
  • Stearns Creek
  • Connor Bayou
  • Riverside Park
  • Deer Creek
  • Eastmanville Farm
  • Crockery Creek
  • Grose Park
  • Robinson Forest
  • Johnson St. Forest
  • Bass River Open Space
  • Eastmanville Bayou
  • Bur Oak Landing
  • Jubb Bayou
  • Marne Bog
  • Musketawa Trail (in Ottawa County)
  • Idema Explorer’s Trail (Robinson Township)
  • Spoonville Trail
• Jeremy Cook
  Parks Supervisor (West Area)
  Jeremy oversees eight park sites on the west side of the county including:
  • Kirk Park
  • North Beach Park
  • Historic Ottawa Beach Parks
  • Rosy Mound Natural Area
  • Tunnel Park
  • Olive Shores
  • Ottawa Sands
  • North Ottawa Dunes.
• Josh Marzolf
  Assistant Park Supervisor
• Paul Hirn
  Seasonal Park Supervisor (Lakeshore)
• Bob Reichel
  Construction/Special Projects Supervisor
• Jeremy Hamstra
  Parks Equipment Specialist
• Tom Dorton
  Park Operations Technician
• Max Busscher
  Park Operations Technician
• Tyler Symons
  Park Operations Technician
• Renee Hoffer
  Operations Secretary