Staff
Colleen Steinbruecker
Executive Director
Colleen Steinbruecker is a native of Sheboygan County. She grew up in Sheboygan Falls, and currently resides in Sheboygan with her husband and their 8-year-old son.
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Colleen is a graduate of both Moraine Park Technical College, where she earned her Associate's Degree in Child Development, and Lakeland College where she earned her Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in Early Childhood. Along with her education, she brings over 20 years of experience in early childhood education.
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Colleen began working for Family Connections in 2012, as an Early Childhood Consultant and Trainer. In 2019, she left her position as Early Childhood Consultant and joined the Sheboygan County United Way where she served as the Community Partnership for Children Coordinator. In 2021, she returned to Family Connections as Executive Director. Colleen has served many roles in Early Childhood Education. First, she began her career working in childcare centers as a teacher of all ages. Next, she worked exclusively with early learners as a Head Start Teacher for eight years. She has been an Adjunct Instructor in the Early Childhood Program at Moraine Park Technical College and also was the director of the childcare at the Sheboygan Falls YMCA.
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Colleen has a passion for early learning and has been advocating for Early Childhood Professionals for more than 20 years. In her free time, Colleen enjoys spending time with her family, walking and spending time outdoors.
Michelle Christus
Early Learning Support Specialist
Michelle Christus was born and raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and is the youngest of 3 siblings. Michelle earned her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Marian University. Throughout her career, Michelle has been dedicated to early childhood education and has held various jobs in the field, such as a child care teacher and center director. Michelle joined Family Connections in 2015, as an Early Childhood Consultant and Trainer. Michelle is dedicated to helping others and ensuring children receive high quality education. Michelle likes to attend events at Road America during the summer, spend time with family and friends, and catch up on her favorite television shows in her free time.
Michele Hemb
Family Support Specialist
Michele Hemb began her career at Family Connections at the beginning of 2023. She graduated from LTC with her associate degree in marketing in 2006. She later went on to graduate Cum Laude with a BA in Nonprofit Organizational Management from Lakeland University in 2012.
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Prior to her employment at Family Connections, Michele was the Executive Director of Rainbow Kids, Inc. in Sheboygan where she helped provide support to numerous families dealing with loss. She enjoys working with people and is willing to take the initiative to step in where needed to ensure the success of those in need.
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Friends and family are very important to Michele and when she isn't working, she enjoys spending as much time as she can with them. She loves to go 'bumming', bake, play, and get as many snuggles in as she can with her granddaughter, Marlee Grayce.
Shanda Yang
Welcome Baby Resource Specialist
Shanda Yang is a dedicated early childhood professional with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Lakeshore Technical College. She has over seven years of experience as a 4K Assistant Teacher, where she created supportive, engaging learning environments that fostered curiosity, play-based exploration, and developmentally appropriate growth. At Family Connections, Shanda serves as the Welcome Baby Resource Specialist, where she supports families through the early stages of parenthood and connects them with resources that promote healthy childhood development.
Erin Williams
Recruitment Specialist
Erin Williams resides in Sheboygan, Wisconsin with her three daughters. Erin attended college courses at Upper Iowa University and UW Green Bay. Throughout her career, Erin has been dedicated to early care and education and has held various jobs in the field, such as a childcare teacher and, most recently, a Head Start teacher. She is passionate about supporting the Early Childhood community and advocating for them. Erin likes to spend time with family and friends, spending time crafting, and attending local events.
Gabriela Bucio
Administrative Assistant / Marketing Specialist
Gabriela Bucio is completing her associate degree in digital marketing at LTC. Before her role as Administrative Assistant and Marketing Specialist at Family Connections, she volunteered with the organization on numerous occasions.
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Gabriela resides in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. During her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and watching basketball and hockey.
