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small business family
small business family
My mother, Rhoda, started her human resources consulting company one month prior to my birth. Through her, my passion for leadership, innovation and giving back to the community began. I also experienced the hardship and sacrifice of entrepreneurship. The tradeoff between running a business and investing in childcare, healthcare for me rather than dental work for her, or even how taking a day off meant the business wasn't making money, were all tough choices my family was faced with while her business grew.
Scholarly Pursuits
Scholarly Pursuits
Juris Doctorate Candidate, WMU Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Ferris State University
Associate of Business Administration, Grand Rapids Community College
Certificate of Retail Management, Grand Rapids Community College
Business Management, Careerline Tech Center
Diploma, Jenison High School
My studies have been dedicated to the intersection of business, social policy, and law. I’ve completed extensive scholarly research on affordable housing and living wages.
career
career
As a nonprofit director and state board member, my deep understanding of public policy prepares me for the State Senate:
Executive Director, Chosen Family of Michigan | 2022-Present
LGBTQ+ advocacy, socio-economic policy, community education, consulting and training, youth homelessness prevention, voter education
Associate, Partners In Action, Inc. | 2023-Present
Human resources consulting, employment law research, personnel policy drafting
Lead Voting Rights Consultant, Voters Not Politicians Education Fund | 2022
Development of voting rights training materials, recruitment, placement, and oversight of nonpartisan poll-challengers at priority precincts throughout the state
Director of Advocacy, OutFront Kalamazoo | 2022
Rebuilt advocacy programs after prior mismanagement, including development of advocacy case management system, client intake system, and creation of new cultural competency trainings
Canvasser, CADC | 2021
Assisted in the special senate election in Georgia, where both Democratic candidates flipped their seats from Republicans.
Relational Organizer, Michigan United | 2020
Chaired LGBTQ+ Committee
Recruited, trained, and coordinated volunteer team in 2020 elections
Organizer, Human Rights Campaign | 2018-2020
Led lobbying efforts to a U.S. Congressman, hosted community events, organized and trained volunteers for text and phone banking in support of pro-equality candidates, removed barriers to voting by enrolling voters on the Permanent Absentee Voting list.
Store Leadership Team, LBrands | 2019-2020
Assisted in the opening of new-concept stores, interviewed candidates and trained new-hires
Manager-on-Duty for one of the largest stores in the company, dozens of employees and over $6 million in annual sales
Led team to sales records (Over $100k in one day)
service to community
service to community
State Board of Nursing, State of Michigan | 2022-Present
Appointed by Governor Whitmer, with Senate consent
Assigned to Education Subcommittee, Rules Subcommittee, and as an Alternate on the Disciplinary Subcommittee.
Michigan HIV/AIDS Council, State of Michigan | 2022-Present
Assigned to Policy & Advocacy Committee
Led advocacy effort to Trump Administration to protect HIV funding and Medicaid
Assists state in development of Integrated Plan – implementing evidence-based public health-best practices and working to remove socio-economic barriers to care
Medicaid HIV Policy Improvement Group, State of Michigan | 2023-Present
Oversight and accountability of health insurance companies
Board Secretary, American Red Cross of Southwest Michigan | 2023-Present
Chairperson of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
Led regional efforts to overturn FDA MSM blood donation ban, opening up blood donation to more potential donors while combatting a blood shortage
Board President, Chosen Family of Michigan | 2022-2025
Chair of Executive Committee & Events Committee
Strategic planning, oversight, budget development
Served as Past-President in 2025 in a mentorship role, resuming Presidency in 2026
Health Equity Grant Committees, Corewell Health & Trinity Health | 2025
Served on the grant review committees for two major health systems in Kent County, reviewing and scoring grant applications from community organizations seeking to create programs that were in alignment with the county’s Community Health Needs Assessment.
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