Board of Directors

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

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.

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

Hello! My name is Allison Wahl. I have been a member of the Small Wonder Board of Directors since 2021 and am currently the secretary. I am the mom of two handsome, rambunctious boys (currently 3rd grade / 1st grade) who are past students of Small Wonder. I work for First Bank of Montana as a Commercial Lender.

I am excited for the future of Lewistown and know that quality daycare and early childhood education are important to it’s success.

Parent Representative

Hi, my name is Whitney Brady. I grew up in Lewistown and am a former student of Small Wonder. I'm a mom of three young kids and co-owner and operator of Lewistown Veterinary Service. I love cooking, spending time with my kids and husband, and working on my family's cattle ranch.
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 am excited to support Small Wonder and our amazing Central Montana community.

Parent Representative

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 1 ½ 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.