About Us
Great Start members function as a team exemplifying loyalty, productivity, unity, work ethic, confidence, kindness, decisiveness and most of all a high level of empathy and compassion!
Great Start is a movement that ensures every child in Michigan is safe, healthy and eager to succeed in school and in life. Great Start has become the voice for children and their families.
Great Start prioritizes relationships with lawmakers and business-community leaders to make MICHIGAN a place where all children have the opportunity to thrive.
The Dickinson-Iron Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition is responsive to the needs of families by understanding local root causes and early childhood trends.
"We are proud to be apart of Michigan's coordinated Great Start system that is always available to guide our efforts and provide professional development that is extraordinary in advancing our skills and knowledge!"
BARB REISNER, M.S., M.ED.
Barb is the Director of the Dickinson Iron Great Start Collaborative. Barb's leadership role in Great Start is to engage Dickinson and Iron County community partners in providing services, resources and support to families! By system building and involving the entire community, Great Start meets the challenge of achieving school readiness for all young children.
JONATHAN RINGEL, M.S.
Jonathan is the Coordinator of the Dickinson Iron Great Start Parent Coalition. Jonathan's leadership role is to bring parents together to enhance their leadership and parenting skills. Strengthening families and promoting parents as leaders is the key to Great Start's success!

Executive Board
The Great Start Executive Board is responsible for administrative oversight. The Great Start Director and Parent Coordinator report directly to this governing body that is made up of key decision makers representing 12 Great Start Partners. Board members assist in formulating policies and procedures; and evaluate and endorse the Great Start work plans and operating guidelines.
Dickinson-Iron Great Start is valued in our community through the exemplary service and collective impact made by the Great Start Executive Board and all the believers in the positive impact Great Start makes in the lives of children and families.
The Great Start Executive Team, made up of Directors, Parent Coordinator and Chairperson are responsible for completion of the Strategic Plan and all data collection and assessments; as well as oversight of Action Teams, budgets, initiatives and local early childhood system building.

Action Teams
Great Start takes on specific tasks to accomplish the detailed work and processes written in annual work plans. The Action Teams provide support and advocacy to sustain Great Starts initiatives. Presently, the Dickinson-Iron Great Start has 5 ACTION TEAMS:
- COMMUNICATION & EARLY LITERACY: planning and promoting initiatives
- CHILD CARE & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH: supporting child care providers
- PEDIATRIC & FAMILY HEALTH: developing and disseminating prenatal and family resources
- SCHOOL READINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: overseeing GSRP and communicating policies
- PARENT LEADERSHIP & FAMILY SUPPORT is also an action team led by the Parent Coordinator, core parent leaders and Trusted Advisors in the Great Start Parent Coalition.