Baby Steps
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Who We Are 

Meet Our Team


Staff

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Michelle Schultz
Executive Director

Michelle resides in Auburn with her husband, Matt, and four of their six children. Matt and Michelle met while she was pursuing her degree in Apparel Merchandising at Auburn University. The couple married in 1989 and decided to make Auburn their permanent home. Matt and Michelle have embraced the gift of hospitality by opening their home weekly to invite members of the community to share in the joy of friendship and love.


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Kaitlyn Willing
Director of Operations

Kaitlyn graduated from Auburn University as a student-mom in 2013 with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and has lived in Auburn for over ten years. She met her husband (Will Willing) while serving at a local pregnancy resource clinic. The couple has four precious boys and a baby girl: Hudson, Croix, and Ezra, Tobias, and Haven Grace! Kaitlyn and Will enjoy hosting college students weekly in their home & sewing back into the Auburn community. 

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Hannah Whitecotton
Full -time Live-in Support

Hannah graduated from Auburn University in 2018 with a degree in Animal Sciences. She joined the Baby Steps team in the summer of 2019 and now serves as our full-time Live-in Support.  She truly enjoys exercising her passion for empowering college women, all while loving them in the process. When not hanging out with our student-moms or babies, you can probably find Hannah traveling all over the US and the world! 

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Samantha Ponder 
Full -time Live-in Support

​With a strong heart for connection, Samantha leads us with confidence and perspective. She brings a diverse work background to our team, including 7+ years of nonprofit work experience! She wants to empower and equip others so that together we can impact the world. Samantha graduated from Auburn University in 2020 with a Global Studies degree. She feels incredibly grateful to remain plugged-in the Auburn community getting to experience life alongside the incredible moms at Baby Steps!
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Grace Abernathy 
Branding and Content Media Coordinator  
Grace joined our team (part-time) in August of 2019 as our Branding and Content Media Coordinator. She is currently a full-time student at Auburn University, studying Interior Design. Grace is able to take her passion for creative content and combine it with the heart of Baby Steps, to produce a warm  brand for our student-moms and Auburn community. When not producing content, you can find her doing freelance photography, as well as enjoying the beach or lake with her friends!

Board of Directors 

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Kerri Hensarling

Kerri grew up in Auburn and went on to attend medical school at the University of South Alabama. She came back to work for the Auburn University Medical Clinic for a short period of time and then joined the Lee OB/GYN, along with raising her five boys and a dog here in Auburn! 
Dr. Hensarling's husband, Robert, works for Auburn University. She enjoys football, fishing, working out at Pure Barre and attending all of her kids' activities. While not taking care of her family, she serves as the trusted OB/GYN to most of our student-moms.

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Terri Knight
Terri lives in Opelika with her husband, Shey, who she met while in school at Auburn.  The two married after college and after a brief stint in Birmingham they decided to return to the area to raise a family.  They have two children who are also Auburn University graduates.  Terri has found her passion working with college kids not only as a lecturer at Auburn University but also through mentoring students and doing life with them in whatever capacity that may be.
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Evan Taylor

Evan is a designer and realtor living in Auburn with her husband and three sons. As a graduate of Auburn University’s Rehabilitation Services program, she has always had a passion for helping others. 
Evan was introduced to the Baby Steps founder Michelle Schultz. After learning more about their mission and work within the community, she immediately felt led to become involved. Evan brings many years of non-profit experience, specifically in fundraising, to the Baby Steps family. She looks forward to being a productive member of the organization and bringing awareness of the services, support and love Baby Steps so generously offers to the community. ​
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Dr. Rob Pate

My name is Rob Pate and I am married to my junior high school sweetheart, Dana Pate. We have five kids and I am an optometrist at Basden Eye Care. I am active in the Auburn community as a coach in multiple youth sports, the color-commentator for Auburn High School football, and a writer for 247sports.com. Baby Steps surfaced on my radar when Kaitlyn Willing described the immense impact that this non-profit has had on the many that have participated. 

In Memory of Bernie Brannan

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It is with deep sorrow that one of our founding board members, Bernie Brannan, passed away in June of 2019. He graduated from Auburn University and later went on to receive a Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama's Jones Law Institute. He practiced law, always seeking what is in the best interest of children in domestic litigation. 

Bernie's passion for Baby Steps goes back to events he witnessed as a student at Auburn. Two of his close friends who were in a relationship became pregnant during their sophomore year. The parents of the couple were unwilling to continue financially supporting their education, resulting in their dropping out of school in order to work. Bernie saw firsthand how tempting it was for them to end their pregnancy. He realized that although they chose to have their child, not everyone does. This is why he invested in Baby Steps, an organization that empowers women to have both their education and their baby. 

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As Baby Steps continues to grow, we are on the lookout for new Live-in Supports each year! If you're interested in applying for this position, click the link below. To learn more about what this position entails, contact thrive@baby-steps.org. 
Apply Here

CONTACT US 

We'd love to hear from you. 

Email

thrive@baby-steps.org

Phone

256.605.4799

Mailing Address

PO Box 713
​Auburn, AL 36831

​If you are someone you know is a student and finds themselves in an unplanned pregnancy or is a student-           mom, please call or text 256.605.4799 We are here for you!
Copyright © 2019
  • Home
  • Are you Pregnant?
  • Golf Tournament 2021
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Contact Us
    • Who We Are
  • Donate
  • Blog
  • Merchandise
  • Fathers On Campus
  • Calendar
  • Serve With Us
    • Volunteer
    • Internships/ Practicum/ Service Learning
    • Become a Live-in Support
    • Become a Student -Resident Assistant