Board of Directors

Board President

Hello! My name is Allison Monnier. I joined the Small Wonder Child Care Board of Directors in 2021 and I am proud to currently serve as Board President. As a working mom of three—including two handsome, energetic boys in elementary school who are proud Small Wonder alumni and a beautiful baby girl who currently attends Small Wonder— I know firsthand how important high quality, dependable childcare is for local families. Professionally, I am a Commercial Loan Officer at Stockman Bank. I am enthusiastic about the future of Lewistown and believe that high-quality daycare and early childhood education are essential to a successful community.

Immediate Past Board President

Hello! My name is Karly DeMars. I am a Small Wonder parent as well as the current Board President of Small Wonder’s Board of Directors. The Small Wonder Board of Directors (BOD) is a dynamic, results driven group of volunteers comprised of both parents of Small Wonder children and interested community members.

I’ve been involved in the Small Wonder BOD since August of 2019, starting as a parent representative. I have enjoyed learning the ins and outs of early childhood education requirements and am proud of the positive learning environment our staff, leadership and BOD provides to the youngest citizens of Central Montana.

Outside of my involvement on the Small Wonder BOD, I work full-time for the U.S. Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM). I am the Montana/Dakotas State Fire Planner, where I provide strategic planning and implementation support (both workforce and budget strategy) to BLM fire suppression and fuels management programs throughout Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. The skills I use in my daily work life have been valuable in helping me contribute to the BOD’s strategic (long-term) sustainable goals.

My husband Casey and I are proud parents of Olivia (8 years old – 2nd grade/Kids Club) and Cody (4 years old – Preschool/Purple Room). We enjoy exploring Central Montana – camping, hiking and rock hounding!

I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at swboardofdirectors@gmail.com

Board Vice President

Hi, my name is Whitney Brady. I’ve been part of the Small Wonder Board of Directors since 2022 and currently serve as the board vice president. I grew up in Lewistown and am a proud former student of Small Wonder. My three young kids are Small Wonder graduates and our family is extremely grateful for their time spent at Small Wonder. My husband and I own and operate Lewistown Veterinary Service and are involved in my family’s cattle ranch. I enjoy cooking, horseback riding, and spending time with family.
As a small business owner and mother, I'm very passionate about providing quality childcare to working families. I'm very proud to be on the Board of Directors and to support Small Wonder and the Central Montana community.

Board Treasurer

I have been on the Small Wonder board of directors since August 2020, and I am the current board treasurer. I joined the Small Wonder board of directors because I wanted to help Small Wonder succeed in its mission to provide a nurturing and supportive environment to our young children as they grow and develop. As a Small Wonder parent and a CPA with over a decade of experience in accounting and finance, my professional background and my hope for a positive experience for my kids and others make me a dedicated and passionate board member for Small Wonder.

Board Secretary

Hi, my name is Erin Knerr. I was born and raised in Lewistown and attended Small Wonder growing up. I am new to the board as of July 2024 and currently a parent representative. I have two kids, 4 years old and 2 years old. We live in Roy where my husband’s family farms and ranches. I work in town at Fergus Federal Credit Union as the Vice President/COO. I’ve been at the Credit Union for 9 years and have seen first hand how important Small Wonder or daycare in general is to our community. We have implemented an Infant to Work program in our institution to help moms and parents return to work in hopes to help find spots and openings for childcare.
My goal for being on the board for Small Wonder is to help guide and bring awareness to employers in our community how important childcare is and where we would be without it. Small Wonder does so much for our children and I’m thrilled to be a part of helping us grow and thrive.

Parent Representative

I moved to Lewistown in 2018 and met my now wife, who is a lifetime local, shortly after. As the current Undersheriff for the Fergus County Sheriff’s Office, I bring a safety and fundraising background to the board. I look forward to helping Small Wonder grow and continue to be successful. My daughter attends Small Wonder and I think it is very important to have safe, dependable childcare in a small community like Lewistown.

Parent Representative

I am Clint Schaaf. I moved to Lewistown with my wife Kim, and my son, Roland. Since then, we have
added Marshall and Franny-Lou to the family. I am a Professional Geologist with a degree from MSU-Bozeman who works with Absaroka Energy in Buffalo, WY. I founded the local medieval sword club in town, so if you see some weirdo running around in Medieval armor, it’s probably (though not necessarily) me. My sons began learning at Small Wonder in lucky year 2020. Since then, Franny has joined them. My oldest boy, Rolly, has just graduated kinder-prep and is ready to begin kindergarten this fall. I was asked by Small Wonder to join the board in 2020, shortly after Roland and Marshall began there. I thought it would be a great way to get to know other parents and better understand the system Small Wonder has set up for the children. A daycare is nothing without the teachers. I have sought to make the teachers jobs more enjoyable and ensure they are compensated fairly for their hard work. Early childhood development is the most important time in a person’s life, and the teachers aren’t “watching children”, but rather building the foundations for successful adults.

Parent Representative

Hello! My name is Kylie Heilig, and I joined the Small Wonder Board of Directors in March 2026 as a parent representative. I am a first-time mom to a little girl who attends Small Wonder. We live in Moore, where my husband farms, and I work in Lewistown as a Credit Analyst for First Bank of Montana. I enjoy golfing, travelling, and spending time with family.
As a working parent, I understand the importance of quality childcare and enjoy advocating for both the families and the dedicated teachers who support them. I believe that investing in childcare is one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen the Central Montana community.

Parent Representative

Hello! My name is Clancy Hartman. I have been a Small Wonder parent since 2022 and a parent representative on the board since January 2025. Most importantly I am a mother to two boys ages 4 and 16 months. My family lives approximately 25 miles outside of Lewistown, residing on our family farm and ranch. I work full-time as a Family Nurse Practitioner at One Health and have been practicing primary care for 2.5 years. Although I did not attend Small Wonder, my husband did 30 years ago.

Childhood education is new to me given my history is primarily nursing and medical, but I am eager to learn. I have a passion for caring for others and being involved in the community as much as possible. My goal as a board member is to assist the staff, board of directors, families, and the executive director to ensure our children are receiving safe and nurturing care with a curriculum that fosters appropriate child development. Childcare is an imperative pillar in our community and I am excited to be an advocate for this non-profit organization that has long standing roots in our community.

Parent Representative

Hi, My name is Mike Lucas. I am one of the current parent representatives on the Small Wonder Board of Directors. I work for the Natural Resources Conservation Service as Supervisory District Conservationist for Lewistown, Stanford and Winnett Field Offices. I have lived in Lewistown since 2014, and my wife Allison grew up here in Central Montana. We have two boys Beau (5) and Jack (3) who are currently enrolled at Small Wonder. As a parent with children enrolled, I feel it's my duty to represent and advocate for parent interests at Board meetings. Feel free to stop me in the halls and let me know if you have any comments or concerns you would like me to bring to the board.