Our Coaching Team
As your COACHES, we will help you identify ways to meet your basic needs, and encourage you to keep growing, connecting, and contributing.
Our services are always individualized...designed just for YOU!
Whether you want help meeting personal life goals, or developing skills and opportunities to connect socially with others, we're here to help!
Click here for more information on our coaching philosophy
Our services are always individualized...designed just for YOU!
Whether you want help meeting personal life goals, or developing skills and opportunities to connect socially with others, we're here to help!
Click here for more information on our coaching philosophy
Laurel Hoekman, Founder, CFLE, CETS
As a coach, I enjoy presenting information in new ways, helping people discover or develop strengths and strategies that will help them to be successful, and encouraging people to keep moving forward.
God has given me a "heart" for people who are struggling: those affected by autism and/or other diagnoses, those who have been abused or neglected, those who have difficulty "fitting in", those for whom "success" has always felt out of reach, those who feel that they could climb higher/grow better with help from someone else, those who are homeless or are having difficulty making ends meet...anyone who is seeking to grow personally and interpersonally, and to develop meaningful connections with other people.
I am blessed to be a mom to two sons and their wives, a precious granddaughter, an adult daughter, and a son who is in middle school. I have also been Mom to dozens of foster children. I value the "on the job" training I've received from my role as a mom, as a former teacher (Hudsonville Christian School, first grade), and through my former leadership at The Gray Center, a nonprofit which provided support to people with autism. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to continue to learn through Social Incites, LLC, which I founded in 2012.
I am a Certified Family Life Educator (member of the National Council on Family Relations), and a Certified Employment Training Specialist. I am also a Registered Social Service Technician (in Michigan) and have been a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate for children who have been abused and neglected). I graduated from Calvin University with a degree in elementary education, with a bilingual endorsement and Spanish major, and am bilingual.
For information on the presentations I am able to provide, click here. You can find the resources I've published by clicking here.
CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL...I can
I am blessed to work with other talented, compassionate individuals. Read below for more information on our other coaches... provide a FREE initial phone or email cone, workplace, and more!
God has given me a "heart" for people who are struggling: those affected by autism and/or other diagnoses, those who have been abused or neglected, those who have difficulty "fitting in", those for whom "success" has always felt out of reach, those who feel that they could climb higher/grow better with help from someone else, those who are homeless or are having difficulty making ends meet...anyone who is seeking to grow personally and interpersonally, and to develop meaningful connections with other people.
I am blessed to be a mom to two sons and their wives, a precious granddaughter, an adult daughter, and a son who is in middle school. I have also been Mom to dozens of foster children. I value the "on the job" training I've received from my role as a mom, as a former teacher (Hudsonville Christian School, first grade), and through my former leadership at The Gray Center, a nonprofit which provided support to people with autism. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to continue to learn through Social Incites, LLC, which I founded in 2012.
I am a Certified Family Life Educator (member of the National Council on Family Relations), and a Certified Employment Training Specialist. I am also a Registered Social Service Technician (in Michigan) and have been a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate for children who have been abused and neglected). I graduated from Calvin University with a degree in elementary education, with a bilingual endorsement and Spanish major, and am bilingual.
For information on the presentations I am able to provide, click here. You can find the resources I've published by clicking here.
CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL...I can
I am blessed to work with other talented, compassionate individuals. Read below for more information on our other coaches... provide a FREE initial phone or email cone, workplace, and more!
Andie Alsgaard
(We were fortunate to have Andie join our team as a college student, and are grateful that she has stayed involved even though she's now working full-time as a mechanical engineer! Coaches and people on her caseload benefit from her charisma, energy, compassion, and devotion to their success.
Official bio coming soon!)
Official bio coming soon!)
Shelly Alsgaard
I joined Social Incites at a time when there were many candidates who needed coaching support, mostly to give back to the community in a unique way. Having worked many years in employment, I have learned that above all, work gives people purpose. Work provides stability, intellectual stimulation, ways to learn new skills and meet new people, funds to do enjoyable things, and a path to set and achieve goals - which leads to a positive self-identity.
I want to help as many people as possible be successful in finding, accepting and maintaining enjoyable work. It is a pleasure to work one-on-one with our candidates, equipping them with the skills to be good performers for the businesses in our community.
I grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and received a Bachelor’s degree from Ferris State University. My family and I have been Holland residents for nearly 30 years. We have been blessed by the Eagle Crest Charter Academy, Holland Christian High School, Ditto, Hope College, and Ridge Point Community Church communities.
My passion for helping students launch into the workplace helps to make Social Incites a place where I can make a difference for both candidates, and their families.
I want to help as many people as possible be successful in finding, accepting and maintaining enjoyable work. It is a pleasure to work one-on-one with our candidates, equipping them with the skills to be good performers for the businesses in our community.
I grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and received a Bachelor’s degree from Ferris State University. My family and I have been Holland residents for nearly 30 years. We have been blessed by the Eagle Crest Charter Academy, Holland Christian High School, Ditto, Hope College, and Ridge Point Community Church communities.
My passion for helping students launch into the workplace helps to make Social Incites a place where I can make a difference for both candidates, and their families.
Faith Avery, CETS
I am a Certified Employment Training Specialist. I love serving others and helping those who are less fortunate or marginalized. I believe that we all have something to contribute to society and we all need somebody to walk alongside us in our journey.
I graduated from Davenport College (Grand Rapids, MI) with a degree in business management and administrative services. For the first 18 years of my career-life, I worked in the high-end residential furniture industry. Although there was much to be learned in “corporate America”, since moving into the non-profit sector, I have learned so much more and have found much greater job satisfaction in helping people than I ever found in all the successes I obtained at a young age working my way up the corporate ladder.
I have two incredible miracle children: my daughter, Kaitlyn and my son, Jordan. I also have three stepdaughters as a bonus through my marriage to my husband, Russ. They are: Nicole, Ashley and Katelyn. I also have a beautiful granddaughter. All five of our children are now grown but we are not yet “empty nesters”. God has given us the privilege of helping to care for my aging parents. Walking with them through chronic, serious health issues has taught me a lot and grown me as a person.
I have been a life skills coach to hundreds of women and men (varying in age from 13 to 90) and have much life experience to share with others. I have also learned much through my interactions with these very diverse individuals. My strength lies in my ability to openly share situations I have been through and to share the mistakes I made along the way that became great learning experiences. Life is a daily learning experience and my belief is that God, our Creator, loves us and is always there with answers to our life situations and is just waiting for us to call upon Him.
I graduated from Davenport College (Grand Rapids, MI) with a degree in business management and administrative services. For the first 18 years of my career-life, I worked in the high-end residential furniture industry. Although there was much to be learned in “corporate America”, since moving into the non-profit sector, I have learned so much more and have found much greater job satisfaction in helping people than I ever found in all the successes I obtained at a young age working my way up the corporate ladder.
I have two incredible miracle children: my daughter, Kaitlyn and my son, Jordan. I also have three stepdaughters as a bonus through my marriage to my husband, Russ. They are: Nicole, Ashley and Katelyn. I also have a beautiful granddaughter. All five of our children are now grown but we are not yet “empty nesters”. God has given us the privilege of helping to care for my aging parents. Walking with them through chronic, serious health issues has taught me a lot and grown me as a person.
I have been a life skills coach to hundreds of women and men (varying in age from 13 to 90) and have much life experience to share with others. I have also learned much through my interactions with these very diverse individuals. My strength lies in my ability to openly share situations I have been through and to share the mistakes I made along the way that became great learning experiences. Life is a daily learning experience and my belief is that God, our Creator, loves us and is always there with answers to our life situations and is just waiting for us to call upon Him.
Carole Hoskins, CETS
I am a Certified Employment Training Specialist. I have a bachelor’s degree in the Bible and ministry, and a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language), as well as further training in linguistics and literacy.
I have had the privilege of a varied career. I have worked in the Kmart sandwich shop, as a girl Friday for a small General Contractor, a bookstore clerk, an ESL teacher (in Japan and America), a receptionist and registrar for a training school, as a linguist and literacy specialist in Kenya, working with a remote tribe whose language had not yet been written, and later as a recruiter for the agency that took us there.
Perhaps what best qualifies me as a Social Incites job coach is that I’m the mother of an adult son with Autism. He works and lives independently with a friend. All we did as a couple and a family to help him get to this point helps me understand and empathize with clients and their families. I am aware of local resources and strategies to achieve what you hope and dream for, for yourself, your child and your loved one. It’s my great joy to come alongside you!
I am a warm and welcoming presence. I am an encourager, and I tend to see the potential in people and situations rather than the drawbacks. I love my work as a coach, helping each individual move forward, whatever their starting point might be. I genuinely like my clients and work hard to find the best for them as well as their employer.
I have had the privilege of a varied career. I have worked in the Kmart sandwich shop, as a girl Friday for a small General Contractor, a bookstore clerk, an ESL teacher (in Japan and America), a receptionist and registrar for a training school, as a linguist and literacy specialist in Kenya, working with a remote tribe whose language had not yet been written, and later as a recruiter for the agency that took us there.
Perhaps what best qualifies me as a Social Incites job coach is that I’m the mother of an adult son with Autism. He works and lives independently with a friend. All we did as a couple and a family to help him get to this point helps me understand and empathize with clients and their families. I am aware of local resources and strategies to achieve what you hope and dream for, for yourself, your child and your loved one. It’s my great joy to come alongside you!
I am a warm and welcoming presence. I am an encourager, and I tend to see the potential in people and situations rather than the drawbacks. I love my work as a coach, helping each individual move forward, whatever their starting point might be. I genuinely like my clients and work hard to find the best for them as well as their employer.
Jamie Jarchow
Jamie comes to us with a wide variety of experience in business and ministry. We are blessed to have her lend her compassion, creativity, and passion to our team. She also shares the following:
My husband and I do foster care so our lives are super busy and have many ups and downs. I love working for Social Incites because I feel it is something that allows me to be there for my family when I need to, it is very fulfilling, and Laurel is so wonderful to work for. I'm in my 30's, married for 16 years, have no bio kids, but we have two awesome kiddos through the system currently. We love to camp, spend time with family, and cuddle up by our fireplace reading. We have had 7 fosters total that we have taken care of so far, and hope to continue growing that number!
My husband and I do foster care so our lives are super busy and have many ups and downs. I love working for Social Incites because I feel it is something that allows me to be there for my family when I need to, it is very fulfilling, and Laurel is so wonderful to work for. I'm in my 30's, married for 16 years, have no bio kids, but we have two awesome kiddos through the system currently. We love to camp, spend time with family, and cuddle up by our fireplace reading. We have had 7 fosters total that we have taken care of so far, and hope to continue growing that number!
Becky Myers
We are honored to have Becky on our team, sharing her 28 years of training and experience in the world of education! Her passion, creativity, professionalism, and ability to build relationships with others is a benefit to our team and to the people we serve. (Official bio coming soon!)
Kara Terpstra, CETS
I am a certified employment training specialist. I am also a mom to two beautiful kids, which keeps me very busy! Throughout my journey of motherhood, God has taught me many things. I’m especially thankful for the lessons I learned throughout the five years I spent homeschooling my children. I have learned to be very creative while navigating different obstacles of teaching to different learning styles. Each individual is different and requires discernment and intentionality, and the students I interact with through Social Incites give me such wonderful opportunities to enjoy using these talents! My creative talents have been honed throughout my various employment opportunities over the years, including in my work as an antique dealer where I owned my own business selling my wares at flea markets and antique stores for over 8 years.
God has given me a heart for single moms, which led me to start and lead a single mom’s support group at my church where I have been able to cultivate treasured friendships and allowed me to learn and grow through those experiences. I have recently been hired to start a Single MOMM program in Holland! I am passionate about being involved in my community, getting to know my neighbors, and supporting the marginalized. In my free time, you can find me working on DIY projects, hiking, in the ceramics studio, volunteering, or spending time with friends and family.
I take joy in encouraging others, seeing the cup “half full”, and meeting new people of all different backgrounds! I love my work with Social Incites and I am continually learning and growing alongside amazing coaches and students!
God has given me a heart for single moms, which led me to start and lead a single mom’s support group at my church where I have been able to cultivate treasured friendships and allowed me to learn and grow through those experiences. I have recently been hired to start a Single MOMM program in Holland! I am passionate about being involved in my community, getting to know my neighbors, and supporting the marginalized. In my free time, you can find me working on DIY projects, hiking, in the ceramics studio, volunteering, or spending time with friends and family.
I take joy in encouraging others, seeing the cup “half full”, and meeting new people of all different backgrounds! I love my work with Social Incites and I am continually learning and growing alongside amazing coaches and students!
Julie VandePol
Julie has blessed our team and the people we work with as she applies her years of experience in special education, as well as her wisdom, empathy, and enthusiasm for helping others experience success. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family as a loving mom and grandma. We are fortunate to have use her extra time to work with us!
Jenae Hoekman, Coaching Coordinator
I have grown up in the "coaching world," helping to lead classes, assisting with record-keeping and paperwork, and connecting with students in their workplaces.
I have also been a licensed foster parent and have cared for dozens of children from other countries. The opportunity to foster children who speak only Spanish has also provided me the education and experience to be bilingual in English and Spanish.
When I am not working, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and playing with and caring for my pets.
I have also been a licensed foster parent and have cared for dozens of children from other countries. The opportunity to foster children who speak only Spanish has also provided me the education and experience to be bilingual in English and Spanish.
When I am not working, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and playing with and caring for my pets.
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Comments from Subscribers to the Social Incites(TM) articles/blog:
To subscribe to our Social Incites(TM) blog, click here. To read past issues, click here.
- I have not subscribed to the news letter all that long, but now that I do, I literally cannot wait to check my e mail when I know it is coming! It is such a valuable resource for working with small children with ASD! I try to learn and implement something from almost every news letter I receive. Whether it is a new idea, or an AHA moment that lets me know I am doing the right thing for a certain child. It validates what I am doing and feeling, it makes me laugh and smile and yes at times even cry! It helps validate that I truly do belong working with children with autism. Thank you so much for always providing great ideas!!!!
- Excellent Resource. I enjoy the newsletters and find them very informative.
- We are in the UK and struggle with accessing appropriate medical and educational services for our 9 year old son, with ASD. The weekly newsletter means that despite our struggles with outside organizations we remember our son and his importance in our family and in his own life. Without it, we might be in danger of forgetting who actually matters.
- As a clinician, this is an excellent resource to direct families to following diagnosis. I also use it to obtain information and resources to use with the families. I appreciate Laurel's positive perspective and way of looking at things.
Keep up the great work! - Thank you for taking the time to send out the newsletters. Lots of very good topics
- I look forward to reading Laurel's e-mails when they appear in my mail box. I enjoy applying the tips I have learned when interacting with the children with autism at my job in the resource classroom. You have taught me patience and respect for those who struggle with the day-to-day challenges of autism. For that, I thank you!
- I like the weekly email blasts that provide a perspective some times that you don't hear from other literature out there.
- I am a preschool special ed teacher who tries to help everyone with everything. I enjoy the insights shared in the newsletter. I received permission to adapt one of the newsletters for a parent handout, and I appreciated Laurel's willingness to share.
- As an educator you provide a great service/resource to my ECSE parents and peers. Laurel's news letters are super for my parent ed group.
- In one of the weekly articles last year, Laurel wrote about "appropriate behavior" and how that language puts the judgment of the behavior in the observer. That really stuck with me and now I use the term "effective behavior" to describe target behaviors for students. That is the one article I share on a regular basis
- I love the weekly article from Laurel. I teach students on the autism spectrum and the articles are very helpful. I often share them with general ed teachers who have my students.
- As a teacher with a nephew who is severely autistic, I enjoy using this website and Social Incites(TM) to help spread the word of social awareness. I believe our work has indeed taken hold on society. When my nephew was diagnosed 18 years ago, not too many people were aware of autism was and what type of challenges he faced.
- I love the emails! They keep me informed, give me ideas and reminders of ways to work with and respond to my son. Thank you!
- As a provider for individuals with autism or Asperger's syndrome, Laurel's weekly e-mails provide me with continuous positive support for what can sometimes feel like a an impossible job. I truly enjoy the real life examples presented in her newsletters, as I am usually able to connect her anecdotes to experiences I have had with individuals I have or am currently working with. Keep it up!
- I enjoy the e-mails that I read from Laurel. There have been many occasions when I have had tears in my eyes while reading the e-mail because it means so much to me when I know that there is someone out there who really "gets it." I benefit from each and every e-mail that I receive. Thank you for all that you do!!
- I have been receiving Laurel's newsletter for the past 2 years and I've utilized the articles in many ways. I have shared many of the newsletters with parents that I work with as well as provided important insight to the instructional assistants I train on a daily basis. That information has helped bring so many subjects to light for the assistants and general education teachers. Each article provides a clearer picture of what it is like to have autism and what we all can do to assist students to interact with our "neurotypical" world. Thank you for providing great weekly articles that put the world of ASD into a very manageable perspective.
- We are so thankful for your insight given in your weekly notes, as we walk this journey with our kids. A daily struggle to maintain a peaceful, respectful environment in a world filled with the opposite is a true test at times. Thank you for your time, hard work & endless dedication.
