VOTE411 Voter Guide

Maintaining enrollment in the context of fewer high school graduates is a present and future challenge for all of higher education in Michigan, including NMC. Increasing non-traditional learners and increasing the percentage of HS students who aspire to and are prepared for postsecondary education and training are both imperative. Working with employers and community leaders on career opportunity and regional economic development and diversification are also critical. NMC presently has excellent executive-level leadership. Leadership, faculty, and staff support and retention are essential to continue the College's trajectory of excellence. NMC's strategic planning process and achieving its goals in a disciplined manner is vital.

I have extensive professional experience in higher education, particularly in the areas of enrollment, institutional research, and enterprise systems. That expertise, along with my involvement in many other community organizations, informs my service as a Trustee. However, I understand the difference between the governance/policy role of a Trustee in contrast to the operational leadership. I work hard on Board committees, actively represent NMC at the state level, and serve as a well-informed, collegial, and respectful partner with by fellow Trustees and College leadership. For decades I have been a passionate advocate of higher education and its role in transforming individual lives, families, and communities.

NMC faces three connected challenges: keeping education affordable and accessible, adapting programs as technology and employers’ needs change, and preparing for a smaller pool of high school graduates in the years ahead. Meeting those challenges means serving students at every stage of life, from recent graduates to adults seeking new skills or a career change. As a trustee, I focus on carrying out NMC’s strategic plan with clear measures of student success, strong partnerships with regional employers, and careful oversight of major investments. I listen to students, faculty, and staff about barriers to completing their goals, while asking how each decision helps NMC serve learners and strengthen our region over the long term.

I bring 20 years of experience in finance, public service, and regional economic development. Serving as finance director for the City of Benton Harbor and Grand Traverse County, and as CFO for the City of Flint, taught me to evaluate difficult financial choices in terms of both long-term sustainability and public impact. Today, as CFO and Partner at Boomerang Catapult and Executive Director of Northern Michigan Angels, I work with entrepreneurs and growing companies on the capital and talent challenges they face. That gives me a direct view of the skills employers need and the opportunities NMC can help create. On the board, I bring financial discipline, experience turning strategy into action, and strong connections across northern Michig

I believe that the two biggest concerns are maintaining (ideally increasing) enrollment, and determining how to educate our students in a job market that will be increasingly defined by AI. Enrollment is a problem for all colleges, as high school enrollments decline and fewer grads attend college. We have to demonstrate the value proposition. At NMC, we have several outstanding programs that need to be marketed more effectively to attract students from around the country. As well, we need to focus more on the trades, all in high demand now. Regarding AI, the College is working hard to determine how best to organize curricula to maximize students' readiness. We need to work more closely with the community as we move forward.

I spent 45 years as a Univ. of Michigan School of Public Health professor, including 9 as a department chair and 5 as Dean of the School. That background reflects my devotion to higher education and has given me deep knowledge of both teaching and academic administration, both highly applicable to being an NMC trustee. My PhD in Economics gives me a sophisticated perspective with which to understand the fiscal challenges that confront the College. My involvements in the community are relevant too: years of service on the board of NMC's International Affairs Forum and membership in the Economic Club. My first term as a trustee has given me a profound respect for what NMC means to our students and our community.