Board of Education

Sandra Wiitala began her term in 2023. She is a 35 year resident and she and her husband, both Manchester graduates, have two children attending Manchester Community Schools in the JR/SR High School. She has worked as a Journeyman Electrician for the last 25 years where she serves on a Board of Trustees and helps to manage large Pension and Healthcare funds. She has volunteered often in our Community and Schools over the last many years as a youth Softball, Soccer and Science Olympiad Coach, she works to help with the Community Fair and has helped with many events such as School sports events, Manchester Chicken Broil, Street Fairs, Math and Science nights, Movie nights, parades, etc. She looks forward to working with her fellow Board Members to make sound financial decisions that support our Community’s goals of raising competent and confident future-ready citizens, while strengthening the bond between our Community and our Schools and building our overall educational program so that we can support all of our kids in their educational and life journey.

Michael is retired from Chrysler Proving grounds, with 31 years of service.  He has 72 credit hours from Washtenaw Community College in Mechanical Engineering Technologies.  Michael also has 9 years of experience as Energy Manager for Manchester Community Schools. Michael, his wife Sally, their daughter Courtney, and son Andrew all started school and graduated from Manchester Community Schools. His granddaughter Meghan and grandson Carder are currently enrolled at Manchester Community Schools. Michael is a Co-Chairman of the Manchester Community Chicken Broil, and has volunteered for over 50 years with the broil and served in many areas of the broil.  He currently serves on the Oak Grove Cemetery Board of Trustees as their Clerk. Michael has shown a commitment to the community that he has lived in for the past 56 years, by volunteering in many ways, including several years on the Athletic Boosters, The Sesquicentennial celebration committee, and is active in his church.  Michael very much appreciates the opportunity to continue to serve his community as a member of the Board of Education. Michael began his Board service in 2019.

Jennifer Caszatt was elected as a trustee of the Manchester Community Schools Board of Education in November 2024 and began her term in January 2025.

Originally from Owosso, MI, Jennifer moved to Manchester with her family 27 years ago. Her background is in Real Estate Sales/Marketing and Restaurant Management. She has four children who all attended and graduated with honors from Manchester Community Schools. Since moving to Manchester, Jennifer has been a highly successful coach for Manchester Varsity, JV, and 7th grade Volleyball teams. In 2011, she coached Manchester Varsity Volleyball to their first-ever Cascades Conference Championship, as well as their first District title in 17 years. She ran the youth volleyball program for Manchester Community Education and volunteered as a T-ball, coach pitch, and youth softball coach for Manchester Area Youth Sports. For over a decade, Jennifer was the scorekeeper and announcer for Manchester Varsity Volleyball, 4 years for Boys Varsity Basketball, and assisted many other local and regional athletic teams. In addition to sports, she regularly volunteered to help with various school activities. Jennifer’s favorite and most memorable experience is being fortunate enough to have spent many years as a volunteer parent in the classroom, assisting students and teachers, several days per week.

Jennifer is grateful for the opportunity to now serve as a trustee of the Manchester Community Schools Board of Education. She looks forward to working with her fellow board members and administration to improve the district for the benefit of the students, staff, and the entire Manchester community.

Colleen moved to Manchester in 2019 and has two of her three children, Charlie and Lucy, enrolled in Manchester schools. Her oldest son Tray is serving in the Coast Guard and is now stationed in Connecticut with his wife and two sons. Colleen's mother Amy has also made Manchester her home. Colleen spent over 11 years serving in the US Army and was an AH-64D Apache pilot. Following the Army, she served as an investigator with Central Michigan University and then for University of Michigan, investigating concerns related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment. She also founded and worked for the nonprofit Center for Equity Education from 2020 until 2025. She is currently wrapping up a PhD where her work focuses on prevention of sexual harassment in the military and in other working and learning environments. She also works part time at the local Ace Hardware store.She is an active member of our community and tries to stay as involved as possible. She helps with coaching our youth wrestling team, is a member of the American Legion, the Lion's Club, the DDA's Michigan Main Street subcommittee, and the Manchester Area Historical Society. She also volunteers for other events (like the Chicken Broil) and organizations and looks forward to serving the community on the school board. Colleen enjoys reading, working on her 1880s farmhouse, and spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Deacons brings a unique and valuable blend of experience in educational leadership, finance, and technology to the school board. With a BA in Education and a PhD in Educational Leadership, Christine is deeply committed to ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed. Christine began a career in the finance industry, where she spent over 15 years, many of them in leadership positions. After a successful career in finance, Christine returned to academia to pursue a passion for education, earning a PhD in Educational Leadership. From there, Christine served for a decade as the Director of Academic Support Programs at Eastern Michigan University, where she oversaw a grant program dedicated to supporting vulnerable students. She also shared her expertise in the classroom, teaching courses in Human Development and Learning, and Diverse Children, Families, and Communities. Since 2013, Christine has been a leader in the field of educational technology, consulting with companies before being recruited in 2021 to serve as Vice President of Student Success for a global technology company. In this role, [he/she] specialized in how to harness the power of technology to better support all students. This expertise is further highlighted by a 2023 paper co-authored with a colleague from Columbia University on using machine learning to identify students who may need additional support. In addition to her professional work, Christine is dedicated to community service, currently serving as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Student Advocacy Center of Michigan, and is on the Advisory Committee for the My Future Fund program coordinated through the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. In her semi-retirement, Christine is focused on writing and supporting initiatives that work with children and families in the field of education. Christine's multifaceted background as a former teacher, educational leader, and technology expert provides a valuable perspective to the school board, with a focus on data-driven decision-making and ensuring equitable outcomes for all students.

Rebecca Harvey was elected to the Board in November 2014 and began her term in January 2015. Born and raised in New York, she relocated to attend the University of Michigan. She graduated in 1997 with a Bachelors of Sociology. She then attended Michigan State University College of Law, graduating in 2004 with a Juris Doctor degree. Harvey has been a self-employed attorney of Harvey Law, PLLC based in Manchester since 2006 specializing in the fields of Family Law, Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, Guardianships and Conservatorships, Divorce, Parenting Time, Custody and Juvenile Law. She is a member of the Washtenaw County Bar Association, State of Michigan Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She is also a licensed notary public.

Harvey has been an active member of the Manchester Community Fair since 2005 and currently serves as the Director. Harvey has lived in Manchester since 2004. Her husband is a lifetime resident of Manchester and a second generation graduate of Manchester schools. They married in 2005 and they now have 3 children.

Brandon recently started Newsmith North America with his wife Amelia. Newsmith is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of an extensive and versatile range of industrial washing machines, drying, automated handling, conveying and auxiliary equipment. Brandon attended Albion College in Albion, MI where he played baseball for the Britons.  He is married to Amelia and they have 4 children.  Brandon has three brothers whom all live in the Village and attended Manchester Schools.

Brandon was elected in November 2020 and began his School Board term in January 2021.