Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is pleased to introduce you to The McCalla Family: Mike, Laura, Michael, Kathryn and Mary Jane. Life for the McCallas is full of happiness and hard work in a community they love to call HOME.
Mike grew up in Drexel Hill with his parents and brother, Keith. He attended St. Bernadette Grade School, then graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School, where he was a student council member and played baseball, basketball and football.
After high school, Mike attended the University of Scranton, where he played club sports actively and earned his undergraduate degree in Finance. Mike then went on to earn his MBA from St. Joseph’s University. “I have always known that I wanted to be an entrepreneur from an early age,” Mike said. “I started my first company when I was in high school and, from that point, knew that I wanted to blaze my own path.”
Mike spent a few years after college as an independent management consultant specializing in software delivery efficiency improvements before starting his own SaaS (Software as a Service) company. Today, Mike is the President and Founder of Lean Agile Intelligence. This SaaS platform enables organizations to measure and improve their software delivery capabilities and benefit from management consulting services. “I love working with my team and enabling our clients to achieve their goals,” he added.
Laura is originally from Ardmore, where she lived with her parents and two older brothers, Lou and Owen. She went to St. Denis and then graduated from Merion Mercy Academy, where she served on the Student Council and the Ministry Team.
Laura said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher, so she went to Shippensburg University and earned her bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Reading. “My dad was a teacher in the Philadelphia School District for 35 years,” she explained. “As kids, my brothers and I would visit him and spend our days off in his classroom.” After Shippensburg, Laura went on to earn her Master’s in Education from Cabrini University.
She taught fourth grade in the Upper Darby School District for twelve years before deciding to take some time off after her youngest daughter was born. Today, Laura is busy volunteering her time for Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) and managing her kids’ busy school and extracurricular activities.
Mike and Laura’s story began in their high school days. “Back then, the boys from Bonner and the girls from Merion Mercy would spend time together, so we had a lot of mutual friends,” Laura said. “We started dating in the summer of 1997 when Mike and I both worked at the same restaurant in Avalon, NJ, during our senior year.” Their relationship con-tinued through their college years, and eventually the two were engaged.
The happy couple exchanged vows in June 2006 at Our Mother of Good Counsel in Bryn Mawr, with a honeymoon to follow in Aruba. The newlyweds then bought Mike’s grandparent’s house in Drexel Hill, where they lived for a few years before moving to Havertown. Their goal, though, was to move to Newtown Square to raise a family eventually. “My grandparents lived in Newtown Square, and I always remembered having such a great time when I visited them,” Mike said. “Being a kid who loved sports, I was also in awe of the Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) complex.”
Laura and Mike’s wish came true in 2016 when they found a home in Newtown Square in a fantastic neighborhood. “We live on a street that is the perfect balance between quietness and social-ization,” Laura said. “Our neighbors are so kind and friendly, and our kids have made such wonderful friends that will last a life-time.” They also enjoy entertaining family and friends on their newly finished back patio. “We love to spend time outside enjoy-ing our new firepit and TV, where we look forward to watching the Phillies games this spring and summer.”
Michael is Mike and Laura’s oldest, who is in 6th grade at St. Anastasia and is in his last year playing baseball at NELL. “Michael is quiet and reserved until he gets on the field or court,” Mike laughed. “When he does, he is fast, aggressive and determined.” Michael plays baseball, basketball and soccer and was recently chosen to play for St. Anastasia’s CYO All-Star Soccer Team and plays for the PBT Bell Ringers baseball travel team.
Kathyrn is next in line and is in 3rd grade at St. Anastasia. Laura said Kathryn loves basketball, field hockey and softball and is trying lacrosse for the first time this spring. She also loves to dance and play outside with her best friends, Belle and Cora. “Kathryn, or Kat as everyone calls her, is a spitfire,” Laura added. “She has such a witty sense of humor and loves to make us laugh.” Kat also takes her big and little sister roles seriously. She is Michael’s number one fan at his games and enjoys teaching her little sister dance and gymnastics in the backyard.
Kat and Michael’s little sister is Mary Jane, who will be in Pre-K at St. Anastasia next year. “Mary Jane is quite the fashionista,” Laura remarked. “She loves to dance with Miss Maureen and her cousin, Brooklyn, at From the Top and cannot wait to shine on the big stage!” Mary Jane is known for wearing her signature pink cowgirl boots and bold accessories all around town, but will occa-sionally change into some cleats for her NELL Rookie League baseball practices. So, if you can’t find Mike, Laura and the kids on the patio, chances are they’re at the ballfields. “NELL is our second home,” said Mike. “When I first started coaching at NELL in 2016, I immediately joined the board as head of player development.” Mike’s tenure has had him in many different roles over the years, and he now serves as Vice President. “It is such a pleasure working with like-minded people to help evolve and shape the program to create a great experience for every player.”
Laura works on the NELL Day Committee, a fun-filled day for the entire family. “This year, NELL Day is on June 3rd and everyone is welcome,” Laura explained. “We have lots of games and activities for the kids, raffle baskets and silent auction items donated by local businesses and a homerun derby for the 12-year-old players.” Mike added that this is Michael’s last year playing at NELL, which is bittersweet. “Our family has made so many great memories at NELL,” Laura said. “We have made friends we now consider family, and we are looking forward to many more nights at the snack bar and on the bleachers cheering on Mary Jane’s team.”
Mike said that besides having the largest registration of players to date for the 2023 baseball season, there is more exciting news to share. “We at NELL are honored to have been selected as the host of the Little League World Series PA State Championship that will take place from July 26th through August 1st,” he explained. “We are planning an amazing event that will see 1,500 attendees from all over Pennsylvania. Our community and complex will be front and center, and we couldn’t be more proud.”
Whether on the field, in the community or around the firepit, the McCalla’s said they are blessed to call Newtown Square their home. When asked to describe how they feel about living here, they said, “Do you know why home plate is shaped differently than any other base? Because there is no place like home.”
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.