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Jessica AcMoody
Policy Director of CEDAM
Travis Alden
The Right Place, Inc.In his role, Travis focuses on impactful place-based [re]development projects and initiatives throughout the West Michigan region: community capacity-building, proactive growth planning, downtown development, public space placemaking and more.
Before joining The Right Place in 2019, Travis served as President of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Alliance, Executive Manager of the Historic Vogue Theatre of Manistee and as Manistee's first Main Street DDA Director.
Benjamin Anderson
DPW Superintendent at Village of CassopolisBenjamin Anderson is the President of the Cassopolis Main Stret Committee and Director of the Department of Public Works for the Village of Cassopolis. A Cassopolis native, Ben has been an advocate and leader to create a community that all residents can be proud to live in. Ben is a graduate of Southwest Michigan College and a licensed water operator in the State of Michigan.
Richard Anderson
Partner at Iron Fish DistilleryRichard Anderson, is a cofounder of Iron Fish Distillery. Richard serves on the Michigan Craft Beverage Council, chairing the Research Committee advancing Michigan’s craft wine, beer and spirits industry. He is a board member of the Michigan Craft Spirits Association and the Manistee Community Foundation. Earlier he focused his career on the challenges of rural sustainability and community development, founding Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution.
Tracey Barnes
MDARDTracey has been with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) since April of 2023. She began her career in grant management back in 2008. She has managed both state and federal grants. Tracey has close to 28 years of experience working for the State of Michigan. Tracey has a bachelor’s degree in public administration with a minor in Community Development and a master’s degree in administration with a minor in Leadership.
Tonia Betty
Village of CassopolisTonia Betty is the Village Clerk and the number cruncher for the Village of Cassopolis. Tonia has brought consistency and long-term planning to the Village, leading to a sound financial position and significant growth. Originally from New York, Tonia attended Andrews University for a Bachelor and Master’s degree and found she loved being a Michigander and contributing to the growth of rural Michigan
Julie Burrell
Senior Economic Development Director of The Right PlaceIn her role at The Right Place, Julie directly supports the Newaygo County Economic Development Partnership, focusing on talent development strategies, place-based community development and traditional business retention and attraction work across the communities in Newaygo County. Additionally, she leads the partner county team at The Right Place, supporting her colleagues who serve Ionia, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm and Oceana Counties.
Tammy Carey
CEO of Community Foundation for Oceana CountyTammy Carey's career began at ABC Television, followed by AC Nielsen/BASES Group in the NYC area. Carey joined the Oceana Community Foundation in 2002 and has led the organization to become more deeply engaged in community & economic development. Exec Committee member of Oceana County Economic Alliance & Oceana College Access Network boards, member of Shelby Rotary & Pentwater Service Clubs, Oceana County ARPA Advisory Committee. BS Marketing from Miami Univ. of Ohio
Marilyn Chrumka
Michigan Community CapitalMarilyn Chrumka has a degree in Community Relations from MSU. She uses her experience as a generalist rooted in human connection to balance the ever-conflicting needs of design and return on investment. She lives in Traverse City with her husband, daughter and German shepherd.
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Will Cronin
Michigan State University ExtentionA Community Development Educator working with MSU Extension, Will has extensive experience in asset-based community economic development, placemaking, tourism, planning and zoning, nonprofits, local government, facilitation, community outreach, and organizational development and strategic planning. He has strong skills in technology and remote learning, as well as experience in marketing and branding for community organizations.
William Derouin
Agriculture Manager at Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa IndiansWill is the Agriculture Manager of the GTB Tribe and responsible for the implementation of the fish waste composting grant project.
Devan Dodge
Recycling Specialist at Michigan Department of Environment, Greats Lakes, and EnergyDevan Dodge is the Southeast Michigan Recycling Specialist for Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), where she provides recycling, pollution prevention, and sustainability assistance for Michigan businesses and communities, such as training, networking, outreach, and grant support. Devan is also the conference coordinator for the Michigan Sustainability Conference and manages EGLE’s recycling reporting.
Neal Dreisig
Consumers EnergyNeal Dreisig is a Sr. Strategy Manager at Consumers Energy, responsible for overseeing the development and investment strategy for the decarbonization of the natural gas system. This includes assets associated with renewable natural gas, hydrogen, carbon capture, electrification and other alternative low carbon fuels. Neal holds a Bachelor Degree in Construction Management from Michigan State University and a Master of Science degree in Management from Colorado State University.
Zosia Eppensteiner
Chief Executive Officer at Community Foundation of Marquette CountyZosia Eppensteiner, CEO of the Community Foundation of Marquette County, was raised in Gdansk, Poland. She holds Master’s degrees in Math Education and Sociology from the University of Gdansk. In June 2005, she relocated to Marquette, MI.
Eppensteiner joined the Foundation staff in 2013, and served in administrative and finance capacities, before being promoted to CEO in 2020. She has more than eight years of experience in the banking industry, having served as a Customer Service Manager at Wells Fargo Bank and First Merit Bank. From 2010 to 2017, she taught Math as an adjunct professor at Northern Michigan University.
Her work is motivated by a desire to strengthen communities through cross-sector partnerships, as well as achieve long-term, sustainable impact through meaningful investment in community.
Eppensteiner is a 2019 graduate of Lake Superior Community Partner Leadership Academy and the Council of Michigan Foundations’ Mentee Program. She serves on the Council of Michigan Foundations’ Community Foundation Committee, as well as the Marquette Food Co-Op Board of Directors, including its Finance, Governance and DEI committees. In 2021, Eppensteiner served on the Michigan Nonprofit Association BIPOC Census Regional Outreach Task Force and the Council on Foundations’ National Standards Review Committee.
Eppensteiner and her husband, Eric, live in Marquette. They enjoy spending time outdoors with their son, Max, and their dog, Nala.
Abigail Ertel
Huron PinesBorn and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, Abigail joined Huron Pines in 2010 as a Watershed Project Manager and eventually led the Kirtland’s Warbler Initiative. She currently leads the organization's community programming. Abigail has expertise in facilitation, community engagement strategy, strategic planning, organizational development and education programming. Abby resides in Grayling with her husband and two daughters.
Patrick Farver
Executive Director of Lenawee NowPatrick Farver has 40 years of economic development involvement in Lenawee County and 45 years in sales, marketing, engineering, and management with a Lenawee-based international manufacturing company. In addition to his business experience, Pat has been involved in various initiatives for community development, serving on various boards including Boys & Girls Club, United Way, and Promedica Hospital.
He is a lifelong resident of Lenawee County, where he lives with his wife of 44 years, is the father of two children, and a grandfather of two.
Brandon Fewins
State Director of USDA Rural DevelopmentIn October 2021, Brandon Fewins received a Presidential appointment as state director
for USDA Rural Development in his home state of Michigan. In this role, he serves as
the chief executive officer and is tasked with carrying out the mission of Rural
Development; to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for people and
communities in rural Michigan.
Prior to joining USDA Rural Development, Brandon has served as Northern Michigan
Regional Manager for U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow for over 20 years. He has
extensive experience working with elected officials, community leaders, and agencies at
all levels of government on local economic development and rural development
initiatives.
Ben Fineman
Federal Program Officer at NTIA, U.S. Department of CommerceBen Fineman joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in August 2022 as the federal program officer (FPO) for the State of Michigan. In this role, Ben coordinates partnerships and outreach with the state and local governments, community groups, and other entities with a vested interest on NTIA’s high-speed internet grant programs and policy issues. Ben works directly with Michigan’s broadband office, the state-level county and municipal associations, and other groups to ensure comprehensive engagement from all stakeholders in the state on the State’s high-speed internet planning and funding process.
Prior to joining the NTIA, Ben spent 18 years at the advanced networking consortium Internet2, where he led programs to enable transformational outcomes for research and education institutions using massive bandwidth. Ben also has grass-roots experience in the broadband space, beginning with leading his own Lyndon Township through the passage and construction of a township-wide municipal fiber network. Following this success, Ben helped to form and lead a broadband taskforce for Washtenaw County, resulting in funding for 100% of the unserved households in the County. Ben also co-founded and served as President of the Michigan Broadband Alliance, where he provided advocacy and consulting for Michigan communities working to close their own broadband gaps.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University.
John Fisk
With over 25 years experience in the sustainable food and agriculture sector John brings a wealth of knowledge, networks and expertise to meet the needs of organizations, businesses, government and philanthropy. He brings an emphasis on regional food systems development that fosters place-based economic activity and builds wealth and stability in communities, and encourages networks among community residents and sectors that build resilience and interdependence.
Eric Frederick
Chief Connectivity Officer at State of Michigan-High Speed Internet OfficeEric Frederick serves as the State of Michigan’s first Chief Connectivity Officer. In this role, Mr. Frederick leads the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) with the goals of achieving universal broadband access and creating a more digitally equitable state. Mr. Frederick is a state and community broadband policy and planning expert and a sought-after speaker on broadband and technology issues with experience working with local to international stakeholders to improve the access, adoption, and use of broadband. Mr. Frederick’s long-term and comprehensive approach to technology-related community development provides wide-ranging insights, education, and solutions to create digitally inclusive and equitable communities.
Over the last decade, Eric served as the Executive Director and Vice President of Broadband Planning for Connected Nation Michigan where he advised several state agencies and was a steadfast advocate and resource for expanding broadband in Michigan. During this time, Eric advised the Michigan 21st Century Infrastructure Commission, was the principal author of the 2018 Michigan Broadband Roadmap, (and its 2021 update), created the Connecting Michigan Taskforce, and developed and administered the Connecting Michigan Communities grant program.
Laura Galbraith
Executive Director of Venture NorthUnder Laura’s leadership, Venture North has provided $10 million in flexible loan capital to 150 businesses, leveraged an added $35 million and provided consulting to 1,500 businesses. She administered an initiative that made lifeline grants during the pandemic to 300 small businesses. Laura holds a BA from Central Michigan University, an MBA from Lawrence Technological University, serves on the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation Board and is an advisory member of a statewide CDFI Coalition.
Christopher Germain
CEO of Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP)Christopher Germain currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Superior Community Partnership (LSCP) based in Marquette County. The LSCP offers a wide variety of economic and business development services ranging from networking and leadership development to advocacy, entrepreneurship support, and community development capacity building. Prior to joining the LSCP in 2022, Christopher spent nearly six years with the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Earlier in his career, he ran campaigns, worked at the Ohio Statehouse, and ran around recycling centers and landfills as a Waste Management Planer for the Ohio EPA. A born and raised Michigander, Christopher fell in love with the Upper Peninsula as a student at Northern Michigan University where he graduated with a bachelors degree in Public Administration. He later attended The Ohio State University where he received his master’s degree in City and Regional Planning. He is an avid hiker, video game nerd, baker, and lover of naps. He and his husband Aaron live along Lake Superior in Marquette with their Blue Heeler rescue dog Woody (Insta: WoodyInThe906), and watch the sunrise every chance they get.
Bonnie Gettys
Barry Community FoundationBonnie Gettys is the founding President of the Barry Community Foundation (BCF). The initial investment of $350,000 has grown to over $40,000,000 under her leadership. Bonnie served as the first paid “staffer” for the BCF Youth Advisory Council, a component fund that was created through a challenge by the Kellogg Foundation and the council of Michigan Foundations.
Steven Gilbert
Public Policy Analyst at Priority HealthSteven Gilbert is a public policy analyst for Priority Health and a city commissioner and mayor pro tem for the City of Walker. Prior to his time with Priority Health, Steven served as a legislative director in the Michigan Senate and an aide in the Michigan House. He received his BA from Grand Valley State University.
Valarie Handy
Michigan Deputy State Director of USDA Rural DevelopmentValarie Handy is a Certified Economic Developer and serves USDA Rural Development (USDA-RD) as the Deputy State Director in MI. Valarie moved to her current role from the role of Director of Community Programs where she led the RD-MI-CP team through a record-breaking fiscal year 2022, wherein the team’s rural infrastructure investments ranked 2nd in the nation (over $250M). Valarie has also implemented numerous internal process improvements that have removed the Division’s waitlist for funding.
Jennifer Heinzman
President at Barry County Chamber / EDAJennifer is a dedicated community leader who began her journey in 2006 as the Executive Director of the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce in Michigan, right after completing her college education. Her passion for community and economic development led her to the Mecosta County Chamber of Commerce, where she worked for over seven years. She now serves as the President and CEO of the Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance in Michigan.
Throughout her career, Jennifer has focused on overcoming barriers to employment, fostering community advancement, and supporting business development. She currently leads initiatives in critical areas such as housing, broadband access, workforce development, placemaking, and childcare, recognizing the importance of collaboration and partnerships in achieving success.
Beyond her professional role, Jennifer is deeply involved in her community, contributing her expertise to 14 different Boards and holding the position of President in her local Rotary Club. She also serves as the Treasurer for her children’s school PTO. Committed to continuous growth, Jennifer is currently enrolled in the Institute of Organizational Management (IOM) and values the importance of lifelong learning.
Jennifer holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Sociology from Central Michigan University, along with a Master of Science degree in Public Administration. Her commitment to making a difference in her community through collaborative efforts and a dedication to learning continues to drive her work forward.
Heather Huffstutler
Development Director of Huron PinesHeather joined Huron Pines in 2019 to lead and grow the Land Protection program as Land Protection Director. With a background in stewardship with several regional and national land conservancies, Heather brings a wide base of knowledge about land conservation, relationship building and strong connection to Michigan’s natural resources. As Development Director, Heather leads our fundraising efforts. Heather resides in Petoskey with her family and favorite dog, Emmet.
Dena Isabell
Consumers EnergyDena Isabell is a Stakeholder Engagement Manger for Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider. Dena leads statewide engagement for major projects including coal plant decommissioning, wind energy, battery storage, renewable natural gas projects, and significant gas/electric reliability projects. Dena holds an MBA from Ferris State University and a Bachelors in Biosystems Engineering from Michigan State University.
LJ
Larry Jaques
Director of Strategic Planning at Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Lori Johnson
EightCAPLori Johnson serves as President of EightCAP, Inc., an community action agency located in Central Michigan focused on addressing poverty and promoting self-sufficiency among rural communities. Under her stewardship, the agency efficiently manages a $20 million budget to support essential services, including Head Start, AmeriCorps Seniors, and various housing and emergency assistance programs.
In her role, Lori places a strong emphasis on collaboration and thoughtful planning, working closely with her team to advance the agency’s objectives. Her approach to leadership is grounded in fostering partnerships and understanding community needs, reflecting a deep commitment to making a positive impact for all involved.
David "DJ" Jones
Executive Director of Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community FoundationDavid Jones “DJ” has been with the Community Foundation since 2000. He served as the program officer from 2000 to 2009. DJ has a BA degree in International Studies from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Lawrence Technological University through the University Center at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey. He is a member and past-president of the Kiwanis Club of Petoskey. In 2001, he completed the Leadership Little Traverse program and later served in its steering committee.
Tonya Joy
NHID Director of MSHDATonya Joy is the MSHDA Neighborhood Housing Initiatives Division Director. She attended and received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in Policy Analysis and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. Tonya has also completed the University of Notre Dame’s “Leading in an Era of Complexity” Program and the Executive Leadership Program from the Broad College of Business at MSU. With over twenty-five years at the State of Michigan, Ms. Joy brings a tremendous amount of experience in state and federal regulations and policies which enabled her to establish a technical and supervisory role at MSHDA. She has been providing technical guidance in collaboration with legal counsel and workgroups to develop grant agreements, training and monitoring materials, an internal database program, and establishing the NEP, MSHDA Mod, SHRP, and MI-HOPE Programs. She provided oversight of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program awards statewide totaling over $330 million. She currently oversees the NEP Team, which received the high performing award at MSHDA, and has continued to grow and support Michigan’s communities ever since. She is very proud to have received four national awards to date from NCSHA and COSCDA.
Oliver Kim
Senior Policy Director of Corewell HealthOliver Kim is senior policy director at Corewell Health. He served as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and the deputy staff director for the Special Committee on Aging. Oliver has a BA in English and history from Indiana University and a JD from the University of Minnesota, and he served as the Millender public policy fellow at Wayne State University and a Fulbright Scholar at University of Ottawa.
Tim Klont
MSHDATim Klont is the Chief Engagement & Strategy Officer at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. In addition to his role on the senior leadership team, he supports groups charged with external affairs, equity and inclusion, and housing strategies. Tim has worked in and with urban, suburban, rural, and indigenous communities across the country to create housing solutions. Prior to joining MSHDA, Tim held positions with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the City of Tempe, Arizona. He is a founder of the Newtown Community Land Trust (Tempe, AZ) and served on the board of directors of the Chicago Housing Trust.
Kate Knight
Executive Director of Farmington Downtown Development AuthorityKate Knight is Executive Director of the Farmington Downtown Development Authority, a Main Street Oakland County Select Level Community. She holds a BA in Design from Michigan State University and a Master of Urban Planning from Wayne State University. Her team has led the recent transition of more than half of downtown square footage to new ownership, with major streetscape construction, public art projects, over 100 concerts and cultural programming events, and developer/business recruitment and retention, all amid a changing brick and mortar culture. As a Redevelopment Ready Community, Farmington has layered technical assistance support from MML and MEDC to maximize marketing and developer attraction. The program works, and Farmington has wins and losses to share.
Madeleine Krol
Clean Energy Land Use Specialist at Graham Sustainability Institute - University of MichiganMadeleine Krol helps Michigan's rural communities with planning and zoning for renewable energy by developing sample zoning language, guidance documents, and other educational opportunities, enabled by U-M's partnership with EGLE. She contributes to research on renewable energy zoning throughout the Great Lakes states and studies land use conflicts over renewable energy development. She worked for a local government in Germany prior to joining U-M and holds a master's degree in Spatial Planning.
EMILIE LAGROW
Village Manager at Village of CassopolisEmilie LaGrow is the Village Manager for the Village of Cassopolis. Emilie is a graduate of The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University and Cooley Law School. Emilie has spent the last nine years guiding her team and the Village of Cassopolis through a complete community transformation into the vibrant, sustainable, rural, relevant and exceptional community that it is today.
Michelle LaJoie
Community Action Alger MarquetteMichelle became the Executive Director of Alger Marquette Community Action in 2018 and has been a part of the Community Action family since 1991. Michelle’s former position was the housing assets director for CLM Community Action Agency.
Tony Lentych
Chief Housing Investment Officer at MSHDATony Lentych was appointed the Chief Housing Investment Office for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) in May of 2023. Prior to this, he was the Executive Director of the Traverse City Housing Commission (TCHC) and has a long history in affordable housing and community economic development. He was the executive director of a citywide association of community development corporations (ICND – Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development) and a statewide association of organizations that work to rebuild neighborhoods and communities (CEDAM – Community Economic Development Association of Michigan). While at CEDAM, he was recognized by the Michigan Historic Preservation Network for his contribution to historic preservation in establishing the Michigan Main Street Program. He remained active with CEDAM by serving on its Board of Directors as a regional representative from 2016-2021.
Before his role with the TCHC, he worked in the private sector for more than eight years as the general manager of a large Michigan winery during which time he served a full term as a gubernatorial appointee to the MSHDA Board. More recently, he was appointed to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, for which he was elected chair and served in that capacity until the end of 2021. He was also a founding board member of Housing North, a 10-county regional housing nonprofit that builds awareness, influences policy, and increases capacity so communities can increase their own housing solutions. In 2022, CEDAM honored him with the “Gene Kuthy Award” for his service on the Housing North Board of Directors. Most recently, he was appointed by the Grand Traverse County Commissioners to the Northern Lakes Community Mental Health Authority Board of Directors.
He is a graduate of Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana and holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs where he worked as a research assistant at the IU Center on Philanthropy. He earned a Fannie Mae Foundation Fellowship to attend the 2005 Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School for Government at Harvard University.
Pepper Lockhart
City Manager at City of EvartThe City of Evart is a certified local government, Michigan main Street, and looking to complete our redevelopment ready certification this year. We are currently working on our historic district designation. We have been working on our first downtown rehabilitation project for the last 18 months and hope to have the project moving forward this spring. The City of Evart is located on US10 just west of Clare, our population is 1,774 and our largest employers are Flex n Gate, Attitude Wellness and 6251.
I have an Arts degree within the criminal justice track and Bachelor in Business degree from Ferris State University. I spent the first 25 years of my career at Ferris State University and have over 20 years in Finance. I came to local government four years ago and was the Finance Director for a year and am now serving as the City Manager. My husband and I have six grown children and seven grandchildren. I like to snowmobile in the winter and spend time at my cabin in northern Michigan.
Sarah Lucas
Director of Michigan Office of Rural ProsperitySarah Lucas, AICP, has worked in community and economic development in Michigan’s small towns and rural areas for over 20 years. Currently, she’s the director of the Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity.
Jim Lundberg
Upper Peninsula Engagement Manager at Merit NetworkJim Lundberg has been the Upper Peninsula Member Engagement Manager at Merit
Network for the past 13 years and is one of the founding members of the Merit Advisory
Council. Prior to joining Merit, Jim was the former Director of Technical Services at Bay
de Noc Community College. He started at Bay in 1980 with just 4 Radio Shack Model
One personal computers. Upon his retirement, Bay had grown the number of
workstations to over 1,000 between two campuses and 30 plus Windows and Linux
servers in the data center.
Jim first brought networking to Bay College’s campus in 1989 and grew it from an all
copper backbone using 10base5 on the main campus only, to a full 1Gb fiber backbone to
all the buildings on both campuses. He first connected the main campus to the Merit
Network in 1995 with a 56k data circuit which has now grown to the current 1Gb fiber
connections at both the Escanaba and Iron Mountain campuses. While with Merit Jim
has assisted REMC-1 with their fiber WAN projects in both the GOISD and the CCISD
areas.
At Merit Jim has worked across the UP to bring on new members and to assist current
members with various IT endeavors. He also works with the Merit’s OSP and
Net/Engineering groups to be a set of hands on the ground to assist members. Recently
he assisted with bringing the new Iron Mountain West campus for Bay online and has
also worked to begin the Geographical community process in the Iron Mountain area.
Over the years Jim has taught numerous programming language classes to include,
Fortran, Basic, RPG II, Cobol, Perl scripting and numerous assembly languages for
different processor families. He has also taught a number of different Linux classes for
Bay College on a part-time basis in the evenings. Jim holds a B.S. degree from NMU
and a MBA from LSSU.
In his spare time Jim has been a volunteer firefighter for the last 40 years and has been an
instructor for the Michigan FFTD for the last 25 years. He is also an avid woodworker
and builds cabinets and furniture.
Jane Mackenzie
Northern Homes CDCJane MacKenzie has been the Executive Director of Northern Homes Community Development Corporation for 24 years. During that time Northern Homes CDC has developed eight apartment projects with 168 units using almost every state and federal funding program available for apartment development. Northern Homes has also built or rehabbed 54 single family homes and has a scattered site Community Land Trust with 16 homes. Northern Homes is also a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency. Prior to Northern Homes, Jane worked for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina as Redevelopment Planner, implementing neighborhood plans.
Pablo Majano
Senior Community Planner at MEDCPablo Majano is a Senior Community Planner at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation working with the Redevelopment Ready Communities Team to provide Technical Assistance support around planning and economic development tools to communities across the state of Michigan. He received his bachelor’s in urban planning at Michigan State University, and master’s in public administration at Central Michigan University.
Prior to working at the MEDC, he served as the vacant property coordinator, historic preservation officer and city planner for the City of East Lansing.
Zona Martin
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)Zona Martin is a renewable energy expert at EGLE's Energy Services Unit. Her work focuses on community engagement and providing communities with resources and opportunities on planning for utility-scale renewable energy projects. She recently helped shape the Renewables Ready Communities Award, rewarding Michigan communities $5,000 per MW for hosting utility-scale projects. She holds a master's degree in Environmental Policy and Planning from U-M's School for Environment and Sustainability.
Brian McGrain
Executive Director of MI Community ACtionBrian McGrain is the Executive Director of MCA. Previously, he has served as Director of Economic Development and Planning for the City of Lansing and Chief Operating Officer of the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). Brian also served five terms on the Ingham County Commission. Brian received both his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Public Administration and Urban Studies from Michigan State University.
Scott McLennan
Mayor at Rogers CityScott McLennan is a retired RN and Healthcare Administrator, he has been serving as the Mayor of Rogers City for the past 9 years. He is a MSU Certified Strategic Planner. Scott also served as a past President of the Community Foundation of North East Michigan. He currently is a member of the NEMCOG Executive Committee and a Board Member for Michigan Municipal League.
Kelly McNicol
Career Education Navigator at Align Center for Workforce DevelopmentKelly has a master’s degree in Family Studies and is an adjunct professor. She is a Career Education Navigator for Align Center for Workforce Development. She is passionately dedicated to our k12 students, leading career exploration, career readiness activities, and making vital connections between students and local employers.
Prior to her work as a Career Education Navigator, Kelly dedicated nearly 20 years to the human service world. She is a Certified Maxwell Trainer, Speaker, and Coach.
Kristie Mendoza
Career Education Navigator at Align Center for Workforce DevelopmentKristie has a diverse background in education, business, and community involvement, which has spanned over two decades. She has a bachelor's degree in business education and a master's degree in educational leadership. Regarding business, she has been successful in insurance and real estate, developing relationships with local businesses and community organizations. Currently, Kristie is a Career Education Navigator with Align Center for Workforce Development.
Alexis O'Flynn
Village of CassopolisAlexis O’Flynn leads community development and communications efforts for the Village of Cassopolis. She began her career in local government as a Community Development Fellow with CEDAM after graduating from Western Michigan University with a bachelor of arts in political science and communications. Alexis strives to make a positive impact in the community by utilizing creative problem solving, strategic communications, and forming intentional relationships.
Richard Raffaelli
Peterson Farms, COO & Shelby Township SupervisorRichard Raffaelli serves as the COO to Peterson Farms since 2012 - the largest processor of apples & cherries in the US. From 2007-2012 VP of Operations for Pinnacle Foods and 1998-2007 Managing Director for Byron Bay Cookie Company. 37 years food operational professional. Shelby Township Supervisor since 2020, Chair MTA Oceana Chapter, Board Member West MI Research Station. BA Finance & Marketing, MBA.
Kristine Ranger
NEMI Healthy Food ProjectKristine Ranger is an Agri-food Systems Consultant with over 30 years of practical experience leading innovative projects and interventions to boost sales and consumption of locally grown food and educate consumers on farming issues. In her consulting practice, she offers facilitation, coaching, and team, leadership and organizational development resources to businesses who desire to achieve a competitive advantage through their Human Resources. Currently, she leads the NEMI Healthy Food Project that strives to foster a vibrant, regional food environment that is rooted in community-centered goals and fueled by an emerging network of local food leaders.
Nate Scramlin
Senior Community Assistance Specialist at MEDCNate is a 17-year Community Planning and Development veteran working in many disciplines, including community revitalization & planning, downtown development, and development finance. He has been integral in activating large-scale redevelopment projects and public space solutions across the state. A planner by trade educated at MSU, Nate continues to traverse the great state of Pure Michigan, fueling revitalization and community vibrancy guided by new urbanist and placemaking principles.
Lee Shirey
U.S. Dept of Commerce Economic Development AdministrationLee is a native Michigander, and serves as the MI Representative for the U.S. EDA. For 13 years, he has supported develop economic development projects that will help create high-skill, high-wage jobs and leverage private sector investment. Prior to EDA, Lee spent the previous 10-years leading economic development efforts for communities in Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula. Lee holds a Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan, and a Master of Science from Eastern Michigan.
Julie Staveland
Assistant Division Director Materials Management Division of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy- Consumers Energy Put Your Town on the Map Pitch Competition
- Money Talks: A conversation with state agency leaders
Julie is the Assistant Division Director for the Materials Management Division (MMD) within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and Director of the State Energy Program. She is responsible for overseeing energy, pollution prevention, and recycling grant and technical assistance programs. Programs range from energy efficiency and renewable energy, food waste reduction, recycling infrastructure, the electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, to installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state. Her role is also to establish program objectives, goals, and priorities, and determine operating policies within the context of federal, EGLE, and MMD policies, procedures, and guidelines. Julie also coordinates the Catalyst Communities Initiative.
Randal Stephens
Operations and Grant Administrator at Antero GroupRandal Stephens is the Operations and Grant Administrator for the Antero Group. She graduated from University of Illinois Chicago with a Master's in Public Health. Ms. Stephens offers an understanding of the holistic approach necessary in creating a healthier community and workplace. Additionally, she uses design skills to create meaningful maps, presentations, and graphics to articulate analysis results visually for impactful discussion with clients and stakeholders from a range of backgrounds.
Jon Stimson
Home Stretch Housing Corp.Born in Washington D.C., and raised in Evanston, Illinois, Jonathan Stimson is a descendant of Lewis Cass, Governor of the Territory of Michigan. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego, he worked for a mortgage banking firm in Santa Ana, California called Westmark and became involved in Developer Financial Services by linking developers with short- and long-term debt. During that time, he also obtained his Real Estate Sales and Appraiser License.
After moving to Leland, MI in 1996, Jon received a Residential Builder’s License and became a General Contractor for the next 20 years.
Stimson was appointed as Executive Director of Homestretch Nonprofit Housing Corp. in 2018. He’s married with 3 children ages 13, 15 and 17. Jim has served 10 years on his local Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals and is currently serving on his local Board of Review. Jon is considered a workaholic by friends and enjoys nothing more than being at home on the weekend with the family.
Bob Stoval
Vice President of Infrastructure Strategy & Research at Merit NetworkBob Stovall, Vice President of Infrastructure Strategy & Research, has an extensive
background in networking and has served in several technical and managerial capacities since
joining Merit in 1989. Prior to becoming vice president, Bob served as director, department
manager, team leader, supervisor, engineer, and technician. He has lead Merit Operations,
Engineering, the Network Operations Center, and IT departments. Bob and his team have
engineering and operations responsibility for Merit’s backbone network, member access
circuits and IT services.
Providing technical and strategic leadership for nearly 30 years, Bob has lead or been involved
with many high profile and critically important projects contributing to Merit’s growth and
service to its community. In the ’90s, Bob was the technical leader for Merit’s dial-in
expansion to provide local access to every telephone exchange in Michigan. In 2003 he and his
team provided engineering and operational direction and support to move Merit from a circuit
leased infrastructure to an owned fiber optic infrastructure based on obtaining fiber IRU
access and lighting over 600 miles of infrastructure by 2008.
In 2010, Merit was a recipient of two federal ARRA NTIA BTOP grants to build and light over
2400 miles of fiber optic infrastructure through Michigan and Wisconsin t o expand Merit’s
capability to provide high capacity services into rural unserved and underserved communities.
As of 2016, Merit’s optical network is nearly 4000 miles and reaches into Illinois, Ohio,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada.
Bob has represented and continues to provide outreach to both the local, national and
international communities by giving presentations at Internet2, the North American Network
Operations’ Group (NANOG), Merit Joint Technical Staff (MJTS) meetings, as well as other
network related venues. Bob is an executive team member of the Northern Tier Network
Consortium (NTNC) and The Quilt’s Facilities Futures Group. He also represents Merit at
NANOG and EDUCAUSE.
In 2008, Bob testified at the U.S. Department of Education public hearings regarding matters
related to research and education networking, specifically the Higher Education Act of 2008.
Bob holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cleary University and an
Associate in Electronic Engineering Technology degree from Jackson Community College.
Sakura Takano
CEO of Rotary Charities of Traverse CityPrior to her work at Rotary Charities, Sakura led the homeless and housing and workforce development programs at Goodwill Northern Michigan. She laid her groundwork for leveraging financial tools to support community change at JPMorgan in the investment banking and capital markets divisions. Sakura holds a BS in Finance and Economics from Boston College, and an MBA in Social Enterprise from Columbia. Board memberships include Munson Healthcare, IFF, and Venture North Funding & Development.
Audrey Tappenden
Director of Coldwater Main Street and Branch County Economic Growth AllianceAudrey Tappenden is the Director of the Coldwater Main Street program and the Branch County
Economic Growth Alliance. In her role, she leads strategic redevelopment of Downtown Coldwater and supports the growth and development of Branch County’s diverse manufacturing sector.
Previously, Audrey served with AmeriCorps as a Food Security and Agriculture VISTA in Fairbanks, Alaska before returning to the Coldwater area where she has worked since 2018. Audrey graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science, and minor in French, from Grand Valley State University in 2016. Audrey also holds an Economic Development Finance Professional certification through Grow America (formerly the National Development Council).
Locally, she is the President of the Corner Farmers Market, participates in the Schools of Hope reading program, and is a member of Women Who Care. Audrey loves to hike, play Ultimate Frisbee, go for bike rides, and partake in spirited debates. She considers herself an amateur gardener, hot sauce enthusiast, and ice cream aficionado.
AT
Angela Thompkins
Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Community Affairs at Consumers EnergyAngela Thompkins is Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Community Affairs of Consumers Energy.
In this role, Thompkins leads and advances the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and strategic talent sourcing strategies. She partners with Consumers Energy’s leaders to embed diversity, equity and inclusion within Consumers Energy’s corporate culture. Thompkins also establishes and builds business and community relationships to help boost diversity within the company’s talent pipeline. She also advises the company’s employee resource groups.
Jada Tillison-Love Porter
Program Coordinator at Michigan Municipal LeagueJada is a Program Coordinator with the Policy Research Labs at the MML. She assists with engaging communities and coordinating a variety of League technical assistance services. Previously, she gained community and economic development experience in her role as a CEDAM Community Development Fellow and work with the MEDC in the RRC program. In addition, Jada served as the Chair of MAP's Emerging Planning Professionals. Jada holds a degree in Urban Planning from Michigan State University.
Dana Walker
Director of Michigan Downtown Association"Dana Walker is the director of the Michigan Downtown Association, a position she has held since 2019. She is responsible for managing all aspects of the state-wide, non-profit organization and enjoys helping its 215 members with all things related to downtown. Prior to 2019, Dana assisted a Main Street program with promotions and sponsorships and was the director of the Imlay City, DDA.
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David Walker II
Public Policy Advisor at Corewell HealthDave Walker serves as a public policy advisor for Corewell Health. In his role, he primarily manages the system’s regulatory policy functions. Before his time with Corewell Health, Dave managed a legislative research team at K&L Gates, LLP in Washington, DC. Dave is also a former Michigan legislative staffer. Dave holds a BA in political science from Albion College and an MPA from Grand Valley State University.
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Michele Wildman
Senior Vice President - Community Development at MEDC
Cathy Wilson
Consumers Energy FoundationCathy is the Executive Director of Corporate Giving where she directs the corporate giving and volunteer programs. She also serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the Consumers Energy and CMS Energy Foundations.
Before joining the Corporate Giving team, she served as the Executive Director of State Governmental Affairs where she spearheaded the company’s advocacy efforts in the Michigan Legislature.
Cathy also has experience in State Government as she served in a variety of positions, including deputy policy director for Gov. John Engler, legislative liaison for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and legislative staff member in the Michigan Legislature.
Cathy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and political science from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University.
Cathy is a board member of the of Michigan Political Leadership Program and Michigan Youth in Government. She is also engaged in a variety of volunteer service roles in her church, school, and community.
Dale Wiltse
City Manager at City of Au GresDale is the City Manager for the City of Au Gres, located near the shores of Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. He has held the position for the city since 2018 after serving many years of private sector managerial positions. Dale is an active board member of the Arenac County EDC, Au Gres Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Arenac Community Funds of the Bay Area Community Foundation. As a lifelong resident of Northeast Michigan and a water enthusiast, he has a passion for Lake Huron and
preservation of the Great Lakes for future generations to enjoy.