My name is Maranda Ahlfeld. I have been working for Jumpstart since March 2020. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from DePaul University and my Master's degree in Human Services Counseling from Liberty University. My background is in customer service, psychology and education. My favorite part about working with families is walking alongside them in their journey. Learning is a lifelong journey. I am a firm believer in the experiential learning theory. I feel children (and adults) learn through their experiences in the world. My favorite books are Jumanji and The Polar Express both by Chris Van Allsburg. Before children are able to read words they read through pictures. These books, and all of Chris Van Allsburg’s books, have beautiful images where one does not need words to be able to read the story.