Martha Boks has a 20 + year career working with students, families, and schools. She came to Grand Rapids in 1997 to attend Aquinas College earning degrees in Sociology and Spanish. While leading the after-school program in Grand Rapids Public Schools she earned a master’s in Public Administration from Grand Valley State University. From there she worked with the Kent School Services network implementing the community school initiative placing social workers, behavioral health specialists, and family coordinators in schools throughout the Kent Intermediate School District. To increase her skill set in the non-profit sector she worked in fundraising with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors before returning to her true passion for working with youth and families. In 2021, she was accepted to Western Michigan University for the Early Childhood Education graduate school program while working at the Grand Rapids Community College Early Childhood Learning Laboratory. Upon completing the master’s, she started as a lead teacher at Head Start for Kent County.
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Martha knows now that all of her combined experiences were preparing for her role as the CEO of Lake Michigan Academy. As a person who has struggled with ADHD herself, Martha sees her neurodivergent brain as a strength and what a safe harbor LMA is to the students and the community alike. Martha lives in Grand Rapids with her 2 sons and sweet dog, Maggie. She loves fitness and wellness and is a certified personal trainer. She is thrilled to lead the LMA family in strengthening its rich foundation as we prepare for the future.