Mykale-Kelly Garrett
Mayor of Lathrup Village mykalegarrett@gmail.com Phone: 248-302-0336 Brief Biography
Ms. Garrett currently serves as Mayor of Lathrup Village; the first African American to hold this role. Prior to her ascension to Mayor, Ms. Garrett was Mayor Pro Tem from 2013 to 2017. Along with her work as a public servant, Ms. Garrett is passionate about serving the community through charitable service. Her past board leadership has included Chair/President of the Southfield Lathrup Democratic Club, and the Family-Centered Care Advisory Council at Children's Hospital of Michigan. She presently serves on the Board of the national non-profit Mothering Justice (positions held: Board President and Board Secretary) and Subsidiary Advisory Board Member for Community Health at St. John/Ascension Hospital. Ms. Garrett has dedicated herself to the professional and educational development of youth in and around her community. She has given a multitude of motivational addresses at various educational establishments. Ms. Garrett delivered the keynote address at Wayne State University for The Golden Key International Honour Society Induction ceremony; while also becoming an honorary inductee based on her leadership and service in the community. Ms. Garrett holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Rochester University and a Master of Information Systems from University of Phoenix. |
Marcia Gershenson
Oakland County Commissioner mgershenson22@gmail.com Phone: 248-808-1032 |
Erin Gianopoulos
Tax Attorney erin.gianopoulos@gmail.com Phone: 313-949-0197 Brief Biography
Erin Gianopoulos recently began her legal career as a tax attorney in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel through the federal Honors Program. She is a proud Wayne Law grad, where she led the Jessup international law moot court team and served on the Wayne Law Review. While at Wayne she worked for the City of Detroit Law Department, the U.S. Attorney's Detroit Office, and as a judicial intern in the Eastern District of Michigan. Prior to law school, Erin served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the reserve forces in 2018. She earned her BA in History from the University of Michigan in 1998 and will complete an MA in American Legal History at Wayne State in 2022. Erin serves on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity Detroit where she leads veteran service initiatives. Erin is active in the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan and was a Michigan Political Leadership Program Fellow in 2020. She lives in Detroit with her husband and their two boys. LinkedIn: egianopoulos Twitter: @ecgianopoulos Instagram: egianopoulos |
|
|
|
|
Joan C. Gist
Business owner gistjoan@gmail.com Phone: 313-617-3033 Brief Biography
Joan retired as a paralegal from a major law firm in Detroit. Her prior positions were with WCCCD, City of Detroit Civilian Police and currently is managing member of the Gist Group LLC. Joan attended CPL and later ran for Detroit City Council. She has served on the board of Franklin Wright Settlements, Girl Scouts of Metro Detroit, and Divine Intervention Ministries. She currently sits as Board President of SHAR, Inc and SHAR Foundation. As a part of her continual civic duty she works as a elections worker. |
Hon. Christine Greig
Mentor christine@cegreig.com Chris was elected in 2014 to serve as State Representative for Farmington and Farmington Hills and served as the Democratic Floor Leader from 2017-2018 and the Democratic Leader from 2019-2020. During her time as leader, gender parity was achieved in the Democratic caucus. As a lawmaker, she championed legislation on economic development, public education and reproductive rights. She was a 2015 Fellow for the Council of State Government (CSG) Midwests Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development Program. Post-Lansing, Chris served as Senior Advisor to The Lawmaker Network, a nonprofit organization supporting state lawmakers across the country. She retired in January 2023 but continues to mentor aspiring candidates and community advocates. She continues to serve as the senior advisor to MiList, a state PAC dedicated to supporting women running for office and as a board member of the Michigan Civic Education Fund. Prior to serving in the legislature, Chris worked for Andersen Consulting (Accenture) as a business software expert and project manager in payroll, human resources, and benefits administration. In 1994, Chris became co-owner and lead consultant for Fulcrum Computer Services, a small business based in Farmington Hills; she also worked in non-profit management, including launching and leading the Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation. She earned her Bachelors Degree from the University of Notre Dame, majoring in American Studies and Computer Applications. She has resided in Farmington Hills for more than 30 years. |
Kirsten Nielsen Hartig
WONF Director and District Court Judge hartigkn@gmail.com Phone: Phone: 248-909-1624 (c) Brief Biography
Judge Hartig is a graduate of Traverse City Senior High School and Michigan State University (James Madison Honors College). Judge Hartig was one of six students nationally to be selected to intern at the White House during the tenure of President Ronald Reagan. Judge Hartig received her law degree from the Washington College of Law at the American University and graduated in the top 5% of her law school class. Judge Hartig served as an Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor for six years prosecuting misdemeanors and felonies. Judge Hartig co-founded the Domestic Violence Assault Unit and specialized in prosecuting serious domestic physical and sexual abuse. After leaving the prosecutor’s office, Judge Hartig was in private practice for 14 years, specializing in criminal and traffic law. She was elected to the bench as a District Court Judge in 2010 and named Presiding Judge of the 52-4 District Court in January 2018. Judge Hartig was honored as a Michigan Super Lawyer in 2009 and 2010, designating her as among the top 5% of all attorneys in Michigan who practice criminal law. In November 2017, Judge Hartig was presented a certificate of special senatorial recognition from Senator Gary Peters and the first Legacy Prevention Advocate Award by the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. Judge Hartig is currently a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association, the Oakland County District Judges Association, and the Michigan District Judges Association. Judge Hartig is a frequent volunteer at various Troy Public Schools, has donated her hair to Locks of Love, a charity providing free hair pieces to children with cancer, is an active member and the immediate past President of the Kiwanis Club of Troy, member of the Troy Community Coalition, Troy Community Foundation, and Board Member of the North Woodward Community Foundation. Judge Hartig was born in Clawson, Michigan and is a longtime resident of Troy. |
Claudia Heinrich
chein75@ameritech.net |
Ruth Holmes
Handwriting and Document Examiner pentecinc@aol.com Phone: 248-891-8557 Brief Biography
Ruth Holmes, CDE, is a professional handwriting & document examiner whose forensic, personnel and jury consulting firm, Pentec in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, advises individual, legal and corporate clients in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Pentec often works for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and Office of the Prosecutor serving as an expert witness in major trials. She recently taped a segment for Forensic Files. Ruth, who lived eleven years in Brussels, Belgium and in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, West Africa is former President of the International Women's Forum – Michigan. Ruth was named one of Michigan’s Top 10 Women Business Owners. Corp! magazine listed her among “Michigan’s 95 Most Powerful Women.” Formerly she served on the Board of Directors for the Women Officials Network. She was also named a 2018 Diversity Champion by the Race Relations & Diversity Task Force. Profession: Handwriting & Document Examiner Award(s) / Recognition(s): WONder Woman Award, 2018 Diversity Champion |
Brief Biography
|
Brenda Joyce Howard
Math Teacher / Coach brendaj.howard@yahoo.com Phone: 313-333-9575 Brief Biography
I am a math teacher and coach for Detroit Public Schools Community District. I have been in the field of education for 24 years and have served in several leadership roles. I enjoy participating in Outreach and Community projects that involve connecting with the youth. |
|
Amanda Jaczkowski
City of Hamtramick Council Member ajaczkowski@hamtramckcity.com Phone: |
Eunice Myles Jeffries
Chair, Board of Regents at Eastern Michigan University jeffrieseunice@gmail.com Phone: Brief Biography
Eunice Jeffries was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Rick Snyder in December of 2016 to fill the seat of Beth Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., whose term had expired. She is appointed for a term expiring December 2024. Eunice Jeffries received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and received her Master of Business Administration from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. Recently Jeffries stepped into her new role as Director of Government and Community Affairs at Oakland Community College. Prior to taking her new position, Jeffries was the Director for Read to a Child and was responsible for helping foster a love of reading and improving literacy for elementary school students. Having over twenty-five years of experience in public service, Jeffries has spent much of her career as an active community member. She is affiliated with the Marygrove College Institute of Music and Dance as costume coordinator. In addition, Jeffries serves as a Commission member to the City of Farmington Hills Commission on Community Health. Regent Jeffries serves as Chair of the Board of Regents. She is the Regent representative on the EMU Foundation Board of Trustees and is a member of the Board of Regents Personnel and Compensation Committee. |
|