Meet the Team
Jess McGee
Childcare Center Director
Jess McGee is the Florence M Lakin Child Development Center Director. In partnership with MICAH House, she and her staff will support the Mission to provide families a safe and nurturing childcare environment with support services for families experiencing or are at risk of experiencing, the crisis of homelessness and our community. She will use her experience and education in the Montessori Method and Trauma Informed practices to develop a holistic curriculum that provides children with hands on, sensory based, activities that builds children’s skills of independence, supports social emotional competence, and develops self confidence in accordance with the Iowa Early Learning Standards. She will also collaborate with the local community to provide access and/or resources to community services that benefit the whole family.
Jess is deeply passionate about early childhood education and providing high quality care for children. Jess was raised in a family of 5 children and a single mother who experienced some challenging times. Jess always loved learning and school became her safe place as a child. This sparked her interest in teaching. She accepted a position as a floating assistant at a Montessori childcare in 2006 and obtained her credential in 2009. She worked her way up through multiple schools to become a director in 2019. Since then, she has served as the director and Lead Toddler classroom teacher for multiple schools in the Omaha Montessori community. She joined the MICAH House’s team in January 2023 to support the mission and vision of giving children and families access to high quality, service rich, affordable early education to build stability and consistency for families in need.
Jess attained her Associate Infant and Toddler Credential from the American Montessori Society in 2009 and just recently achieved her National Administrator’s Credential. She has studied at Northwest Missouri State University and Omaha Metro Community College for Early Childhood Education. She also graduated from Omaha South Highschool in 2003.
Jess is married to her high school sweetheart Bobby and has a family of 3 children, Kaiden, 19, Kyah 15, and Ashton 12, her 10 year old Australian Shepard Scooter, and cats Obsidian and Ginger. She enjoys spending time with her family, listening to live music, crafting, yoga, reading books of all genres, and enjoying the outdoors when able.
Payton Holloway
Cosmos classroom
Mr. Payton is a teacher in our Cosmos classroom for preschool-aged children. He is 21 years old and loves playing sports like soccer, basketball, and baseball. He was born in Silverdale, Washington and moved to Council Bluffs at 12 years old. He has a fur child, a cat named Vageta.
He joins our team from working at the MICAH House, for the past 2 years. He was so excited to join the Child Development Center. He is a great asset to our team and the preschool classroom. We are thrilled to have him begin his early childhood education career with us.
Jess Hyme
Lavender classroom
Jess is a dedicated and passionate educator with a commitment to nurturing the growth and development of young children. Jess went to Iowa Western Community College where she got her associate’s in early childhood education. She has two years of experience in the childcare industry. Jess also has taught dance for six years. Growing up Jess loved to help her mom with her in home daycare. In her free time Jess likes to dance and spend time with family.
Sam O’Brien-Rowedder
Assistant Director
Sam O’Brien-Rowedder is a dedicated childcare professional serving as the Assistant Director at Florence M Lakin Child Development Center. With a passion for early childhood education and a commitment to providing high-quality care, she plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and success of the childcare center.
With 8 years of experience in the childcare industry, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. She has held various positions within childcare settings, including being the Child Program Specialist with Micah House, where she has demonstrated strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, where the University of Kansas is also located. Go Jayhawks! She moved to Nebraska after receiving a scholarship to play softball at Wayne State College. After completing 4 years, Sam holds her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood. Sam continually seeks opportunities for professional development to stay current with best practices and industry standards.
Beyond her role at the childcare center, lives in the Omaha area with her now husband, Scott and 2 dogs, Shadow and Leia. She enjoys being with friends and family, a good podcast (typically true crime) and being outside with her pups.
Kadena Burgess
Cosmos classroom
Ms. Kadena is a teacher in our Cosmos classroom for preschool-aged children. She has be teaching for nearly 30 years and has her bachelor’s degree from UNO and many other certifications. Ms. Kadena has 3 adult children, Jackson (21) is attending his senior year at Iowa State University. She also has twins Ben and Hannah (20). Ben is entering his sophomore year at Iowa State as well.
Watching children gain new skills and preparing them for life drives Ms. Kadena to work with young children and their families. She loves the questions preschoolers ask and helping them find the answers. In her spare time, Ms. Kadena loves to read, cook, and spend time with her family. We love having Ms. Kadena’s expertise and experience in the classroom.