DISTRICT
Washtenaw
Number of years as resident
74
I bring more than 40 years of organizational experience to the WCC Board having served in the past on the Ann Arbor City Council, the A2 Planning Commission, for more than a decade on both the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the A2 Zoning Board of Appeals. Additionally I founded and ran a publishing business in Ann Arbor before selling Current Magazine in 2007. After attending the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and following retirement from publishing and in addition to work on civic Boards and Commissions, I've been a student at Washtenaw Community College taking more than 20 credit hours of courses at the College.
My goal since first elected to the WCC Board has been and still is to increase access to high quality higher education and job training for everyone in the community. I've served as Board Treasurer on the WCC Board of Trustees for the past several years. During this time, with my leadership and support WCC continues to provide the lowest in-district tuition rates in the State at $99/credit for Washtenaw County residents. We also offer need based financial aid to further increase access for County residents. And for County residents over age 65 WCC offers our Emeritus Tuition program of FREE tuition, enabling older members of Washtenaw County to remain involved and bring their lived experience to campus to benefit our students.
I encourage and support a culture of collaboration between the WCC administration and faculty. The proof is in the pudding as they say; and over the past two years we have successfully negotiated union agreements with all our active unions; the WCC Education Association, the WCC Office Professional/Technical Association, WCC A.F.S.C.M.E Local 1921, and the WCC Education Association Part-time Adjunct Teaching Faculty. These contracts have been overwhelmingly supported by the members of these unions. All these agreements have been ratified and are in effect through 2028 and into 2029.
WCC has many constituencies to serve. The most important, is our students. We serve our students by keeping tuition low and providing top quality education and job training. County residents get the lowest in-district tuition rate in the State $99/credit. We maintain collaborative relations with local employers to offer training for their workers. We partner with every 4-year public University in the State offering a smooth transition and economical path to 4 year degrees. We partner with trade unions to provide training institutes to benefit trade workers through the country, adding millions of dollars of economic activity to our County. Our middle college WTMC, Fitness Center and Morris Lawrence event facility benefit the entire County.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Washtenaw
PHONE
7342771217
WEBSITE
none
Number of years as resident
28
Having served on the Board of Trustees since 2015, including my leadership as Board Chair during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I bring a decade of proven governance to WCC. My professional career includes over 25 years in the technology sector, growing from a Help Desk Technician to Data Center Administrator, which gives me practical insight into alignment between higher education and technical workforce needs. Additionally, my dual degree from the University of Michigan in Sociology and Classical Archeology (with specializations in Race, Class, Gender, and Social Inequality) shapes my commitment to removing systemic barriers for all students.
My primary goals are to maintain tuition affordability, expand high-demand technical and trade credentials, and strengthen student support services. To accomplish this within available resources, I will advocate for responsible fiscal stewardship that maximizes state funding and grant opportunities without raising costs for families. By leveraging my technology background, I will support modernizing campus data infrastructure to boost operational efficiency and align our curriculum with high-paying local career opportunities.
Strong relations between faculty and leadership require open communication, mutual respect, and shared governance. As a Trustee, I will encourage opportunities for ongoing communication between faculty representatives, the administration, and the Board to ensure academic priorities and faculty concerns are addressed transparently and constructively.
WCC is doing an exceptional job delivering high-quality, low-cost education, but as county needs evolve, our institution must evolve too. We excel in workforce development, union trade partnerships, and university transfer pathways. To serve our community even better, we must continue expanding career-technical programs to meet emerging local workforce demands, protect mental health and basic-needs support for students, and ensure WCC remains an accessible, open-door bridge to economic mobility for every resident in Washtenaw County.
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WRITE-IN?
No.
DISTRICT
Washtenaw
PHONE
7344743045
WEBSITE
NA
Campaign Phone
7344743045
Number of years as resident
56
I am a technologist with a strong business background. I hold Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science and Industrial Technology, as well as a Master of Business Administration. I was employed by DTE Energy as an Information Technology Senior Business Analyst for 17 years. I also operated a business for 22 years as a business and technology consultant. I have the skills necessary to work as a team player offering constructive advice in complex situations. Together my education and work experience provide me with the capability to serve as a member of the WCC Board of Trustees.
America faces a severe shortage of "creativity workers" (like engineers, programmers, researchers, teachers and skilled trades), due in part to the retiring Baby Boomers, whose skills keep industry running. Also, as world competitiveness increases, fewer creativity workers are coming to America for those specialized positions. My goal is for WCC to prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed for those unfilled positions. In addition, I believe they require additional training in critical thinking skills and awareness of current trends in their area of study, to ready them for an ever-changing workplace.
The Board’s primary roles are to provide independent oversight, protect the college’s assets, and guide the college to act in the best interests of the students, faculty, staff and the community. As President Bellanca makes administrative decisions and strategic plans for the college, my goal as a member of the Board of Trustees is to ensure these plans follow the college’s core mission while providing President Bellanca needed flexibility to manage the college. For the faculty and staff, my goal is to provide competitive compensation and adequate resources while working within budgetary constraints, thus creating a positive, healthy, and productive working environment.
First, Washtenaw Community College has significantly met the needs of the community since its inception in 1965 and is continuously ranked as the best community college in Michigan. Second, WCC adds $524 million in economic impact to the broader Washtenaw County community every year through its payroll, and also stimulates spending to local businesses such as restaurants, housing, entertainment and fuel (WCC is commuter college). Third, WCC also addresses a community segment that other institutions miss - WCC has a 100% acceptance rate for those with a high school diploma or GED without requiring entrance exams.
