About Us

Sara established Communications by Design in 1991 to help clients leverage the power of technology, aligning possibility and expectations with practical and financial outcomes. She skillfully researches, defines and articulates “solutions designs” for learning and work environments.

These designs become the platform used by our clients to articulate their district’s evolving technology vision to decision-makers and other constituencies. These designs map the practical aspects of every project – including decisions, roles and timelines that guide the district, Communications by Design team and contractors.

Carl VanderZee joined Communications by Design as an equity partner. Carl’s rich background and extensive experience in technology is impressive as well as effective. Carl’s unparalleled skills as a communicator and a project manager help ensure that all projects are completed on time and within budget – exceeding customer expectations. It can be difficult to find an individual with an engineer’s approach to detail and design, yet with an innate ability to communicate effectively with people – we found him!

Our clients might argue that Rebecca really runs the business. Rebecca’s skills in organization and communication make her a valuable member of the Communications by Design team. Rebecca is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and her background as a State of Michigan certified teacher enables her to blend her training and experience into practical classroom solutions. Rebecca focuses her energy on project management with our clients, internal operating responsibilities and human resources at Communications by Design.

Erik is a 10 year veteran of the classroom teaching Math and Science at Forest Hills Public Schools and a 2008 Milken Award Winner with a Masters Degree from Michigan State University in Educational Technology. Erik has been fundamental to the development of our Instructional Learning Center and has worked with thousands of teachers across the State. One of our clients said it best: “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink…but Erik has a funny way of making you thirsty!”

Pete joined our team in the summer of 2013 after serving Kentwood Public Schools for 7 years as a High School Math teacher. He received his bachelor’s degree from Albion College, his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and his Specialist in Education and PhD in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. As the leader of our professional learning team, Pete brings a quiet confidence to his work with teachers. Our work in classroom transformation is a long journey with many ups and downs but Pete does a fabulous job of breaking down the most complex problems into their simplest forms in order to assist each teacher.

Doug Ransom has a rich history supporting schools and educators. Before joining Communications by Design, Doug was the President of Tekkies Incorporated where he was actively involved in serving schools as an integrator for over 20 years. He maintains a strong reputation for exceeding expectations and consistently delivering on time and on budget. Doug earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University. His attention to detail and love for spreadsheets combine well with his passion for better teaching and learning.

Zach Ripley earned his bachelor’s in ELA Secondary Education from Cornerstone University. Zach was a high school ELA and history teacher at West Michigan Aviation Academy for 5 years where he also developed curriculum, directed online learning, and coached cross country. As a member of our team, his thoughtful and thorough approach to teaching and learning is well grounded and effective with teachers.

Matt Tarrow has facilitated youth technology camps and worked with K-12 educators on integrating technology into classrooms. Matt was a member of a research team that developed an application designed to teach machine learning to middle school aged students. Matt used this experience to co-author a research paper that was published and presented at IDC (Interaction Design and Children). As a project manager with Communications by Design, Matt is organized and knowledgeable while being dedicated to each task as well as the project development plan.

Chris Meuser joined Communications by Design in 2022 after working for 5 years in security systems and 5 years as a design consultant supporting schools and colleges. Chris brings years of experience in the K-12 industry, managing details such as budgets, bids, and project design, as well as degrees in advertising and public relations from Grand Valley State University. Between his experience, competence, and engaging personality, Chris is an immediate asset in the Communications by Design team.