Who We Are
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Our Staff
Our Mission
MCAN will dramatically increase the college participation and completion rate in Michigan, particularly among low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color.
Our Vision
In order to build and sustain a vibrant economy and strong communities based on a highly educated population, MCAN will work to ensure that everyone in Michigan has the opportunity to access and succeed in postsecondary education.
Our Goal
Increase the proportion of Michigan residents with college degrees or high-quality credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Staff
Brandy Johnson
Executive Director
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Before joining MCAN, Brandy most recently served in the Governor's Office as College Access Coordinator. In this capacity, she coordinated the state's college access and success agenda and advised Governor Granholm on postsecondary education policy issues. Brandy attained a B.S. in Political Science with a concentration in public policy advocacy from Arizona State University. Upon graduation, she served as a Teach for America corps member and taught 3rd grade in a low-income neighborhood in Las Vegas, NV. Brandy relocated to Michigan in 2007 and received a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.
Follow @MCANBrandy on Twitter!
Lisa Sommer King
Assistant Director
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Lisa Sommer King serves as the Assistant Director for Michigan College Access Network. Prior to joining MCAN, she was the Public Relations Manager for the Michigan Nonprofit Association. Lisa has extensive experience in public relations, brand management and advocacy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University where she studied integrative public relations. Lisa is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, serves on CMU’s Volunteer Center Alumni Board, volunteers with Lansing's Keep Learning coalition, and is a member of the Habibi Dancers, a dance company that specializes in Middle Eastern and related dance.
Sarah Anthony
Director of Finance and Strategic Partnerships
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Sarah Anthony joined the Michigan College Access Network in November 2010. In this capacity, she works closely with the Executive Directors of MCAN and The Imagine Fund to coordinate internal operations for both organizations. Prior to accepting the position, Sarah served as the Legislative Assistant to State Representative Joan Bauer (D-Lansing) in the Michigan House of Representatives. She received a B.A. in Political Science/ Legal Studies from Central Michigan University and will graduate with an M.P.A from Western Michigan University in 2012. A native of Lansing, Michigan, Sarah is an active community organizer and volunteer. She currently serves a board member for the Lansing Branch NAACP, Accelerate Lansing, and the Capital Area United Way Community Investment Committee. In her spare time, Sarah teaches dance, serves as a mentor and spends time with her large family.
Jamie Jacobs
Manager, Professional Development
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Jamie Jacobs manages the Michigan State University College Advising Corps and professional development for the local college access networks. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University where she also completed her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Jamie is interested in examining college access and success from both the local community/K-12 system and higher education perspectives particularly focused on first generation students, low-income students, and students of color.
Katie Klante
Administrative Assistant
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Katie Klante, originally from Wisconsin, joined MCAN in the Fall of 2011 as an Administrative Assistant. She graduated from Michigan State University in the Spring of 2011 with a B.S. in Economics with a concentration on Environmental Economics. She also works and travels with the Michigan State University Debate Team and coordinates a summer camp for high school debaters.
Sarah Hood
Public Relations/Marketing intern
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Sarah Hood joined MCAN as a public relations/marketing intern in January, 2012. She is an integrative public relations major at Central Michigan University and will graduate in May.
Brittany Ricca
ItsMiLife, Public Relations/Marketing Intern
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and
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Brittany Ricca joined MCAN in January, 2012 as a Public Relations/ Marketing Intern. She is currently a junior studying Communications and Spanish with a specialization in Public Relations at Michigan State University.
Nanette Reynolds
Consultant
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or
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President Emerita and Co-Founder
The Imagine Fund
Dr. Nanette Reynolds is recognized across Michigan for her distinguished career in state government, including more than ten years service as Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Nanette holds a B.A. from Howard University and M.S. in Education from Southern Illinois University. She earned a doctorate in higher education administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University, after beginning her career in deanships at MIT and Brown University. Since transitioning from state government in December 2004, Nanette has been engaged as an administrator and consultant on access and equity issues at several Michigan institutions of higher education, as well as a diversity consultant in the private sector where she emphasizes the importance of infusing and embedding diversity into the day-to-day life of an organization. Her most rewarding work over the past three years has been as co-founder of The Imagine Fund, a non-profit organization formed in response to Proposal 2006-02, which banned affirmative action in Michigan's public sector. As of mid-October 2010, Nanette is serving as a consultant to both The Imagine Fund and the Michigan College Access Network, for which IFund serves as fiscal sponsor. This work with both organizations brings together Nanette's lifelong efforts and devotion to the values of educational attainment and social justice.
Ryan Fewins-Bliss
Consultant
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Ryan Fewins-Bliss hails from northern Michigan and received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Central Michigan University in Integrative Public Relations and Educational Administration and Community Leadership respectively. He is currently a PhD student in Media and Information Studies at MSU. When not studying, he consults with nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in college access, service-learning, fundraising and other topics.
Liliana Stoneback
Consultant
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Liliana's experience includes working as Executive Assistant at the Michigan Department of Civil Rights from 1994 to 1999. She has B.A.'s in Economics and Political Science from Villanova University and an M.A. in Public Administration from Michigan State University. She had been volunteering for the Imagine Fund since February of 2010 and is currently working with MCAN on its diversity and equity focus and its strategic planning.
Board of Directors
Chairperson
Greg Handel
Senior Director of Workforce Development
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
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Vice-Chairperson
Amy Smitter
Director of Institutional Development
Campus Compact
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Amy Smitter serves as the Director of Institutional Development for Campus Compact, a national, nonprofit coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents. Prior to this role, Amy served for ten years as the Executive Director of Michigan Campus Compact where she raised funds, advocated on behalf of higher education and service and built programs, services and partnership for member higher education institutions. During her tenure, the organizations grew in capacity, staff, services and support. Amy worked at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WA in student affairs. Amy holds a Master's Degree in Student Personnel Administration from Ball State University and a BA from Michigan State University. Before working in higher education, she worked for the volunteer center of Calhoun County, Michigan and other nonprofits.
Sharlonda Buckman
Executive Director
Detroit Parent Network
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Laura Coleman
President
Bay de Noc College
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Laura L. Coleman is President of Bay de Noc Community College, a position she assumed in July of 2006.· Laura has been instrumental in developing and bringing Bay Middle College onto the Bay College campus. She was influential in developing a partnership with area adult basic education providers and Michigan Works! resulting in increased college enrollment and persistence of GED students. Laura is also President Elect of the Continuous Quality Improvement Network (CQIN), a national initiative dedicated to improving student success.
Jessica Cornwell
College Adviser
Battle Creek Central High School
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Jessica Cornwell, a Detroit Native, is a College Adviser with the Michigan College Advising Corps, stationed at Battle Creek Central High School. She received her BA from the University of Michigan in Spanish and Sociology with a Sub-Concentration in the Economy, Business and Society. She is currently pursuing her MPA at Western Michigan University and plans to found and manage her own nonprofit organization in the future. While in college, Jessica was heavily involved on campus. Participating in Greek Life, Studying Abroad in Brazil, working for various departments as a work-study student and serving as both a Resident Adviser and Diversity Peer Educator in the Residence Halls, she has had a more than eventful college experience. Jessica loves to share these experiences with her students and others motivating them to enroll in higher education.
Dan DeGrow
Superintendent
St. Clair County RESA
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Mr. DeGrow received an Associate Degree from St. Clair County Community College, Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Michigan State University.· He was Phi Beta Kappa at Michigan State University.· Mr. DeGrow was a practicing attorney and partner for several years until he began his political career as State Representative to the 76th House District in 1981. Mr. DeGrow served as State Senator to the 27th District from 1983-2002 and during that time served as Senate Majority Floor Leader and subsequently Senator Majority Leader from 1999 to 2002.· He also served as Chair of the K-12 Appropriation Subcommittee from April 1984 through December 1998.· Mr. DeGrow’s employment with the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) began on January 2, 2003, as Assistant Superintendent/CEO.· On April 14, 2003, Mr. DeGrow assumed the position of Superintendent.· During Mr. DeGrow’s employment at St. Clair County RESA he served on Governor Granholm’s Emergency Financial Panel and Lt. Governor Cherry’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth.
Catherine M. McNamara, CPA
Assurance Senior Manager
BDO USA, LLP
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Cathy is an assurance senior manager for BDO USA, LLP in Troy, Michigan with more than 20 years of experience in public accounting and industry. She has extensive experience serving both public and privately held companies, as well as hand-on experience as an industry CPA. She is also a subcommittee member for BDO's IFRS taskforce and she participates in developing and teaching internal and external Continuing Education courses. She is a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Cathy is a graduate of the Leadership Detroit program (Class of XXXII) and currently serves as a board member and the Chair-Elect for Common Ground, an Oakland County crisis agency. She is also a Board Member and Treasurer for ACVIM Foundation and a member of the AICPA Board of Trustees Benevolent Fund.
Patrick O'Connor
College Counselor
The Roeper School
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Patrick O’Connor is Director of College Counseling at Roeper School in Birmingham and on the Political Science Faculty at Oakland Community College.· A native Detroiter, he is a past president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and a past president of the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling.· He teaches the only comprehensive class in college admission counseling in the state of Michigan, and is the author of the highly acclaimed college guide, College is Yours in 600 Words or Less.
Rudy Redmond
KCP Manager
DELEG
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Mr. Redmond has over 25 years of service in State Government. He worked in the Office of Governor James Blanchard on policy issues affecting women and minorities (1983); and was appointed Director of the Bureau of Workers Disability Compensation (1983-85).·· He also served as the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Director of Advocacy in the Michigan Department of Labor.· Mr. Redmond currently serves as the Manager of the King▪Chávez▪Parks (KCP) Initiative in the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth’s (DELEG), Division of Life Long Learning.
Diana Sieger
President
Grand Rapids Community Foundation
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Diana R. Sieger is the President of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and has held that position for more than 23 years. Some professional and community activities include:
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Council on Foundations, Board member
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Council of Michigan Foundations, Immediate Past Board Chair
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Kent County Family and Children's Coordinating Council, Immediate Past Chair
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Office of Foundation Liason - Governor's Office State of Michigan, Board member
Diana has two honorary degrees - Doctor of Humane Letters from Aquinas College and Grand Valley State University. Some other honors include: Leadership Grand Rapids Distinguished Community Trustee Award in 2001 and one of the “50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan” Grand Rapids Business Journal. Her career extends more than 36 years and she earned a Masters of Social Work degree from Western Michigan University focusing on Policy, Planning and Administration.
Carmen Turner
President, Lansing Boys & Girls Club
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Carmen Y. Turner is the President of the Boys & Girls Club of Lansing located in Lansing, Michigan.· Named President/CEO in July 2001, she oversees the daily operations of the Club.· Carmen graduated with a B.A. from MSU where she majored in Marketing/Communications.· Before accepting the position at the Boys and Girls Club, Carmen worked for NBD (now Chase) Bank and Aurora Mental Health Hospital in Detroit.· Beyond being very active in her church, she also participates or has memberships in:· Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, PTA, the Lansing Rotary Club Board of Directors, Lansing Rotary Foundation Board of Directors, the Michigan Non-Profit Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield Advisory Committee, Capital Area United Way’s Agency Relations Committee, Capital Region Community Foundation Board and Co-founder of the Building Brighter Futures Children’s Charity Fund.· In 2006 the Uplift Our Youth Foundation awarded Carmen Turner the “Youth Advocate of the Year” Award.· In 2004 she received a certificate of achievement for successfully completing the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Executive Leadership Program.
Willard Walker
Senor Policy Consultant
Public Policy Associates
Mr. Walker serves as Senior Policy Consultant at Public Policy Associates, Inc. a national research firm. He comes to that position having served as Director of the City of Lansing's Department of Community Development and Human Relations and as a Program Officer at the C. S. Mott Foundation in Flint. Mr. Walker had previously retired from Michigan state government having served in various administrative positions in the MI Departments of Education, Commerce, and Labor. He has extensive experience working with workforce, state policy, school-to-work, and race and diversity issues. He is a long-standing social justice activist, having engaged in desegregation activities with the Birmingham, Alabama Urban League. Mr. Walker is a member of The Imagine Fund's Founding Board of Directors.
Chuck Wilbur
Senior Policy Consultant
Public Policy Associates
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Chuck Wilbur is a consultant to Michigan’s ten Promise Zones as they strive to create universal placed-based scholarship programs to enhance educational attainment and promote economic development in high poverty areas.· He is a Senior Consultant at Public Policy Associates, a Lansing based public policy firm.· From 2003 to March of 2010, he was a Senior Advisor for Education and Communication to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.· In that position, he helped develop policy on a range of education policies, including the adoption of Michigan’s rigorous high school graduation requirements.· He also worked closely with the Cherry Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth as it developed its recommendation aimed at doubling the number of college graduates in Michigan.· Prior to joining the Granholm Administration, Chuck served United States Senator Carl Levin for ten years as his State Director and in Washington as his Chief of Staff.· He holds BA and MA degrees from the University of Michigan.
