Who We Are

Beth Ehlis Strube is the President and Owner of Funshine Express. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, and a Master’s Degree in Education. FunShine Express™ began in 1995 from her search for curriculum materials to use in her licensed child care home. While licensed in Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota, she was active in local early childhood associations and conducted training for ND Child Care Resource and Referral. Beth is a recipient of the Greater ND Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and has received recognition for business excellence. She is a member of the Dickinson and ND Chambers of Commerce; Stark Development Cooperation; SWND Manufacturer’s Roundtable; Job Service ND Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council; Vistage, Chapter 3133; Dickinson Catholic Schools Educational Foundation; and serves on various community and school committees. She has three teenage daughters and spends free time with her children, horses, and garden.

Cindy Sandman is the Customer Service and Marketing Manager. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising. She has 27 years of management and customer service experience and was a business owner for 12 years. She has served on the Parent Advisory Committee and the Booster Club for the junior high and high school and served on the Business Education Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. She taught Sunday school for 4 years and served on the Council and Parish Education Committee of her church. She currently sits on the Trust Fund and Altar Guild and is an assisting minister. She has been with FunShine Express™ since 2001. She is married and has two children, ages 23 and 25.

Jerry Tuhy is the Production Manager. He has 36 years of production, manufacturing and supervisory experience. He has attended numerous seminars in management training, including the 12-week Dale Carnegie training course. Jerry has earned a Certificate in Management from Dickinson State University's Center for Management and Leadership. Jerry is a firm believer that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. He is married and has three daughters and three grandchildren. Jerry takes every opportunity to provide his grandchildren with FunShine Express™ products.

Kelley Jilek is a Curriculum Coordinator and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics. She has teaching experience with preschool and school-age children in home and classroom environments. She has also spent many hours working with young children as a Boy/Girl Scout leader and is currently the president of the Parent Teacher Association at her children's school. She loves children and believes that they learn best by playing and hands-on activity. She tries to incorporate her creativity and fun-loving nature into the curriculum so both the children and the provider/teacher have fun each day. She has four children of her own, ranging from ages six to eighteen.

Corina Zalesky is a Curriculum Coordinator and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She has 20 years teaching experience in the elementary classroom. She is fortunate to have most of her teaching experience in a Christian school district. She believes in education excellence and finds sharing faith with children to be most rewarding. She loves books and has had research opportunities working at Dickinson State University Stoxen Library. Corina is married and has one daughter. Corina is thrilled that her daughter was the first generation of preschoolers to use FunShine Express™ curriculum. Megan would bring home ideas for Corina to use in her classroom.