All lead teaching staff hold at least a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, one of the most widely recognized credentials in early childhood education.
After seven years of teaching at HLCC, Lori became director in 2013. She also holds her CDA credential. Lori and her husband Tim have three children and five grandchildren. She enjoys painting ceramics, doing puzzles, and reading.
A member of the HLCC family since 2001, Karen is our longest-serving teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Ashford University. Karen and her husband Rob have four children. She enjoys reading, gardening, and fostering kittens.
Tricia has been part of the HLCC teaching team since 2013. She holds an associate’s degree in x-ray technology from Xavier University and her CDA credential. Tricia and her husband Bob have four children. Outside of school, she enjoys gardening, quilting, and DIY projects.
Scrapbooking, crocheting, and going to car shows with her husband George and two children are some of Michelle’s favorite ways to spend her free time. She joined HLCC in August 2016 and holds a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from California State University.
Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in preschool–third grade education and a master’s degree in K–12 intervention from Ohio University. She joined the HLCC staff in 2017. She and her husband Travis have two daughters. Amanda enjoys reading, music, and camping.
Erin has been part of the HLCC staff since 2018 and holds a master’s degree in social work from OSU, along with her CDA credential. She and her husband Brad have four children. Erin enjoys singing, spending time with her kids, exercising, and vacationing at the beach.
Kathleen first joined HLCC in 2018 as a lunch aide and office assistant and now works as a substitute. She and her husband Tim have three children. Kathleen enjoys baking and cooking, painting, and working with her church youth group.
Family adventures, new recipes, and a good TV series are some of Tabatha’s favorite ways to spend her free time. She joined the HLCC staff in 2019 and holds her CDA credential. Tabatha and her husband Thomas have two children and several animals.
An HLCC staff member since 2019, Abby holds an associate degree in business management as well as her CDA credential. She and her husband Kevin have two children. Abby enjoys boating, camping, and spending time at the beach.
Brandy joined HLCC as bookkeeper in 2014 and became assistant administrator in 2019. She has a bachelor’s degree in management from OU. Brandy has four children and one grandchild. She enjoys music and superhero movies.
After retiring from the USAF, Gary joined HLCC in 2019 as a lunch aide. He also helps with building and IT maintenance. Gary and his wife have four children and one grandchild. He enjoys fixing things and working with computer technology.
Alicia joined HLCC in 2024 as a lunch aide after earning a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from OSU. She and her husband Ryan have two children and are also foster care parents. Alicia enjoys gardening, cooking, and trips to Disney World.
A former HLCC student herself, Brylie joined the staff as a teacher aide in 2026 after graduating from Watkins Memorial High School in 2025. She lives with her mom and three siblings. Brylie enjoys drawing, painting, and creating art projects.
Hope Komatz MA, CCC-SLP – Hope provides speech therapy at HLCC. She earned her master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Wayne State University. A native of Texas, Hope also lived in Austria, where she taught English, and she speaks fluent German.