Megan Leitheiser ('97) is DMC's first Alumnus to Join the Board of Trustees

When Megan (Groen) Leitheiser (‘97) walks through the hallways of Des Moines Christian, she makes sure to point out the 1995 State Cheerleading trophy to her kids. The second place trophy is historic because it was the first group of DMC cheerleaders to compete at state—a squad Megan is proud to have been a part of. 

Megan, a 1997 graduate of Des Moines Christian, attended the Franklin campus from 3rd through 12th grade, but these days, most probably know her as the mom of Hudson (‘26) and Harper (‘29) or as a current member of DMC’s Board of Trustees. Megan and her husband Rob have been married for 21 years. Megan is also the Executive Vice President of the Munshine Group.

Megan has many fond memories of her early years at DMC and readily acknowledges the impact the school had on her life during that time. “Those years molded me into the person I am today. DMC gave me a firm spiritual foundation and a broad worldview, which influenced everything from how I build relationships to how I approach challenges. It’s where I found life-long friends who remain my closest circle, more than three decades later. In fact, three of my closest friends from my graduating class currently have children attending DMC!”

And now, as a parent, Megan is thankful for the school’s continued impact and the ways it is helping shape the next generation, which includes her own kids.

“I’ll never forget Hudson’s first parent-teacher conference in 8th grade,” she says. “His teacher opened with prayer, then proceeded to speak about my son as if she had known him for years. It was such a beautiful moment—it still brings tears to my eyes—that my son was seen and valued. I’m so grateful for the commitment of the DMC teachers and staff. They genuinely know my children, recognize their gifts, and consistently draw out the best in them.”

As a graduate and parent, Megan is excited to offer both a historical and current perspective to the Board of Trustees—where she is the first alum to serve in this capacity. 

“I’m consistently impressed by the school’s leadership and administration, and I have no doubt that the future of DMC is extraordinarily bright,” she says. “Perhaps one day, my grandchildren will be sharing their own alumni story!”

Megan met up with some DMC class of 1997 friends at the 2024 DMC Homecoming Alumni Tent. They coordinated wearing their high school cheerleading jackets. From the left: Megan (Groen) Leitheiser, Sara (Swaim) Herman, Jennifer (Chiaramonte) Ruisch, Kerry (Kennedy) Bootsma.