Convention Speakers
Scott Adkins
Special Projects Administrator, City of Marine City
Scott Adkins is an experienced municipal executive with nearly 40 years in local government. He has served in a variety of municipal leadership roles in communities with populations ranging from 2,800 to nearly 50,000 residents, managing budgets of $1.5 million to over $120 million. He owns Apex Municipal Consulting, LLC, and serves as Special Projects Administrator for the City of Marine City. His areas of expertise include economic development, budgeting and finance, public safety administration, and land use planning and zoning. Scott holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern Michigan University.
Christina Anderson
Deputy Director, City Planner, Community Planning & Economic Development, City of Kalamazoo
Christina Anderson, AICP, is the City Planner and Deputy Director for CPED for Kalamazoo. Before working in Kalamazoo, Christina was a planner/urban designer with Farr Associates in Chicago focusing on sustainable development and form-based zoning codes. In addition to working with cities and private consultants, Christina has volunteered as a Zoning Board of Appeals member, neighborhood leader, community garden manager, and Master Plan task force chair for her communities.
The Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) awarded Christina the 2018 Leadership Award for Professional Planners. Christina was elected in Fall 2020 to the MAP board where she serves as vice president. Previously, Christina served on the boards for the Illinois and Michigan chapters of Congress for New Urbanism; and Building Blocks of Kalamazoo, a neighborhood development nonprofit. Christina is a graduate of Kalamazoo College and the University of Iowa.
Danielle Beard
Special Projects Coordinator, Policy Research Labs, Michigan Municipal League
Danielle is at the League because she believes local government plays a vital role in shaping people’s lives. On the Policy Research Labs team, she manages the Michigan Green Communities program, where she combines her love for all things local government and project management with her passion for creating a sustainable future.
Danielle loves working with communities across Michigan to support them as they tackle complex problems with sustainable best practices. She previously worked for the City of Albion in various positions, where her projects included community planning, grant writing, and economic development.
Danielle never stops talking about her adventures in intergenerational living in a duplex in East Lansing with her parents, her husband, and their two kids.
Dan Broersma
Author & Sustainability Manager, City of Holland
Holland’s first Sustainability Manager, Dan leads initiatives and aids individuals and organizations in developing sustainable opportunities for the city’s residents. He has over 25 years of experience in sustainability, having worked at Herman Miller (now Miller Knoll) and Goodwill Industries of West Michigan.
As a volunteer, Dan has helped local schools, organizations, businesses, and residential homes adopt more sustainable policies and practices. He lives in Holland with his wife and two children. He is passionate about faith, community, and sustainability, and believes that all three are interconnected.
Allyson Brunette
Founder, Allyson Brunette Consulting
Allyson is the founder of Allyson Brunette Consulting, an organizational development firm that partners with local governments and nonprofits to build stronger cultures, engage communities, and shape the future of public service. A former downtown revitalization and economic development leader in Wisconsin, Allyson launched her firm during the “Great Resignation” to address the growing challenges of workforce trust, institutional fatigue, and community disengagement.
Known as a “local government whisperer,” she brings bold ideas and practical strategies to the public sector and is a frequent speaker and writer for national and regional platforms including the National Main Street Conference, Engaging Local Government Leaders, and the Thomson Reuters Institute.
Julie Burrell
Senior Economic Development Director, The Right Place
Julie Burrell serves as the Senior Economic Development Director for Newaygo County at The Right Place, Inc., where she helps local businesses grow and succeed. She also leads a team dedicated to advancing rural development across the region.
Julie’s background includes 14 years in telecommunications at Sprint and Frontier and founding a patented startup, Pumpndo. She is involved in her community, currently serving as Board President of the Newaygo County Tourism Council, a Trustee for the Fremont Area Community Foundation, and a Board Member of Gerber Federal Credit Union.
Julie earned her B.S. in Health Communications from Grand Valley State University. She lives in Hesperia with her husband and two children.
Mahala Clayton
Michigan Director, Patronicity
Mahala is the program manager for the MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places grant program, a revolutionary crowd granting program that funds public spaces across Michigan.
Amanda Edmonds
Consultant & Researcher, Beehive Strategies
Amanda Maria Edmonds is a sustainable food systems consultant and researcher. A systems-change, big-vision thinker, she translates ideas and values into pragmatic, on-the-ground strategies and policies.
Amanda founded and directed the Ypsilanti nonprofit Growing Hope, dedicated to improving healthy food access in the city. She served as mayor of Ypsilanti from 2014 to 2018. She was a Granholm appointee to the Michigan Food Policy Council, founding member of the Washtenaw Food Policy Council, and a member of the Michigan Good Food Charter leadership group.
After a stint living in London, Amanda returned to Ypsilanti in 2024 and works as a consultant focusing on food and sustainability policy, evaluation, and strategy. She is completing a doctorate in spatial planning at Wageningen University of the Netherlands, researching municipal policy and planning for farmers markets. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment (now the School for Environment and Sustainability).
Melvin Eledge
Director of Operations, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc
Melvin is an award-winning operations professional. In Grand Rapids, he leads his organization’s efforts in maintenance, beautification, Business Improvement District operations, and small business support to create a lively and welcoming downtown. He’s passionate about building enduring, people-centered communities through thoughtful, collaborative placemaking.
Rachel Frisch
Senior Manager, Rehmann
Rachel has been a member of Rehmann’s Public Sector Solutions team since 2022, working primarily with municipalities. She began her career in public accounting, spending a decade as an auditor with a focus on public sector accounting and auditing. She then transitioned to Otsego County, where she served for 17 years—first as finance director, then county administrator. Rachel draws on her extensive background to support clients in a wide range of areas, including reporting, budgeting, financial policy development, and organizational management.
Dave Hodgkins
Legislative Associate, State and Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League
Dave’s current advocacy at the League includes municipal services, elections, labor, and parks and recreation. His work with the government relations firm Midwest Strategy Group provided him opportunities to work closely with several municipalities on their specific needs and local government groups, including the League, on the broader impact state government has on Michigan’s communities. Dave has led advocacy operations on many policy issues, from food access to economic development, and has extensive experience in issue-campaign oversight and coalition building.
His career began in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he worked for two state representatives, including former Speaker Pro Tem John Walsh.
Dave earned his bachelor’s in English from Central Michigan University and has been awarded Outstanding Performance in Team Building and Persuasive Communication from the Dale Carnegie Immersion Seminar.
Paula Holtz
Managing Director, Regional Development, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Paula joined the MEDC in 2017 as a Community Assistant Team specialist and has been in her current role as Managing Director since 2022. Prior to state government, Paula spent nearly 20 years working in local economic development with a special focus on downtown and redevelopment initiatives. Paula holds a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a master’s in urban planning from Wayne State University. She lives in Tecumseh with her husband, two children, and a golden retriever. When not working on revitalization projects, Paula enjoys spending time in the woods or on the lake with her family.
Julie Jozwiak
Regional Manager, DTE
Julie is in her fifth year as the DTE Regional Relationship Manager for the City of Detroit. Prior to this, she spent over 20 years at 3M Company in roles related to facilities, engineering, sales, and marketing. She joined DTE in 2014 for a change of pace, a new challenge, and the opportunity to work in her own community— Detroit. Julie holds an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Wayne State University.
Stephen Kepley
Mayor, City of Kentwood
Stephen Kepley, P.E., has worked for the City of Kentwood since 2003, and has been mayor and head administrator since 2013. He has served on the board of The Rapid, Grand Rapids’ public transportation operator, for the past 12 years—four as chair and two as vice-chair; the Executive Commitee of the Grand Valley Metro Council; the Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee; Kentwood’s Young Life board; and is the founder and president of the Kentwood Community Foundation.
For the past 36 years, Mayor Kepley has helped build both public and private infrastructure across Michigan. He loves working with people to solve problems, encourage growth, and serve the common good. He holds a B.S. in engineering from Virginia Tech. He and his wife Susan are celebrating 30 years of marriage. They have three daughters and a son-in-law.
Ryan Kilpatrick
Founder/CEO, Flywheel Companies
Ryan is the CEO of Flywheel Community Development Services, which helps communities of all sizes foster lively neighborhoods with diverse housing stock. He has spent 20 years teaching local governments how to build economically healthy communities through the use of planning, zoning, process improvement, and financial tools. He is also the co-author of the Michigan Statewide Zoning Reform Toolkit. Ryan has a master’s in design from Kendall College of Art & Design and a bachelor’s in community development from Grand Valley State University.
Kate Knight
Executive Director, Northville Downtown Development Authority
Kate has been executive director for almost 150 days, and needs 150 more to fill Northville with public art. Under her leadership, Main Street Farmington was the Michigan Downtown Association’s 2024 Organization of the Year and was a semi-finalist for the Great American Main Street Award. Kate earned her bachelor’s in design from Michigan State University and a Master of Urban Planning from Wayne State University, specializing in community development.
John LaMacchia II
Director, State and Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League
John joined the League as a legislative associate in 2013 and now leads the coordination of the organization’s lobbying activities. He oversees special initiatives and projects related to the Urban Core Mayors and the Coalition for a Strong and Prosperous Michigan. His advocacy work for League members focuses on transportation, infrastructure, tax policy, and municipal finance issues.
John was engaged in efforts to secure passage of the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In 2015, he was honored by the Michigan Society of Association Executives as one of “15 in ’15 Rising Leaders.” Previously, John served as chief of staff for former Sen. John Gleason for six years and worked in the office of former Senate Minority Leader Bob Emerson.
John holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Michigan State University and lives in DeWitt with his wife, Dana, and their three children.
Michelle Massey
Vice President Community Outreach and Technical Support, TechSmith
Michelle Massey serves as the Vice President of Community Outreach and Technical Support for TechSmith. With over 25 years of Information Technology industry experience, she has a deep background in community engagement, business operations, corporate planning, support, and proposal development for state and local governments.
Michelle’s work involves maximizing the impact of the customer experience and growing TechSmith’s philanthropic impact in education through outreach and community engagement. In addition, Michelle oversees corporate technical support operations, ensuring TechSmith’s customers receive superior service from the best agents.
Michelle graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and telecommunications, and a master’s degree in international telecommunications.
Megan Masson-Minock
Principal, Carlise|Wortman Associates, Inc.
Megan Masson-Minock is a Principal at Carlisle Wortman Associates and one of the state’s leaders in food systems planning. She has over 20 years of experience in zoning, land use, site plan review, and comprehensive planning for municipalities and nonprofits. She co-facilitated the Michigan Local Food Council Network from its founding in 2015 to 2021.
Cory Mays
Grant Coordinator, City of Jackson
Cory Mays is the Grant Coordinator for the City of Jackson. He administers funds from state and federal grants, including CDBG, CDBG-CV, HOME, and ARPA. Cory oversees various rehabilitation and construction programs and serves as the staff liaison for the City’s Affordable Housing Development Board. He previously managed the City of Jackson Downtown Development Authority and comes from a background in education and nonprofit management.
Cory is an avid golfer and loves spending time with his amazing sons George and Henry, and his wonderful wife Lindsay.
William Mathewson
Legal Consultant, Michigan Municipal League
Bill Mathewson is a legal consultant to the League and writes the Legal Spotlight column for the League’s magazine, The Review. He is also the editor of the Municipal Legal Briefs for the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys. A former League general counsel, Bill handled corporate legal matters and represented the League on municipal policy issues. He also administered the Legal Defense Fund. Bill is a frequent speaker on OMA, FOIA, roles and responsibilities of local officials, and ethics. He holds degrees in economics and urban planning from the University of Michigan and earned his JD at the Thomas Cooley School of Law while working for the League as a lobbyist.
In addition to his work at the League, Bill serves as board secretary of an Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women in middle and high school.
Michael McGee
Chair, Michigan Municipal League Foundation
Senior Counsel, Miller Canfield PLC
Mike has devoted more than 50 years to local government in Michigan, beginning as a mayoral intern in his hometown of Livonia. He later served six years on the Livonia City Council and, as an attorney with Miller Canfield’s Public Law group, has advised dozens of communities and authorities as city attorney, bond counsel, and general counsel. His work has spanned municipal finance, organizational law, compliance, economic development, and intergovernmental cooperation. Mike also helped launch the League’s Elected Officials Academy, is a former Vice Chair of SEMCOG, and now serves as chair of the MML Foundation.
Scott McLennan
Mayor, City of Rogers City
A retired RN and healthcare administrator, Scott served as a councilmember in Rogers City prior to becoming mayor in 2018. He previously served six years as a local school board member and chair. Scott is currently a board member of the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan, the Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, and the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments. He was instrumental in Rogers City’s designation as a Main Street and Redevelopment Ready Community. Scott focuses his passion on building a more vibrant community through positive communication along with the networking of businesses, government, and citizens.
Dan Merritt
Principal, Rehmann
Dan works in Rehmann’s public sector assurance practice and manages a wide range of assurance and consulting engagements. He works extensively with municipalities, counties, school districts, and special purpose governments. Dan specializes in GASB standards, fund accounting, budgeting and financial reporting. He also regularly leads federal award compliance engagements.
Zach Michels
Associate Planner, Charter Township of Canton
Zach works in Canton’s Planning Services, where he manages the community’s more than 6,900 public trees, and is leading the effort for Canton to join the family of Tree Cities. He has worked in urban planning for two decades and has served as a local elected official and appointed official. He grew up in downtown Shepherd, under the shade of ancient maple trees.
Margaret Mooney
Membership Associate, Michigan Municipal League
Margaret joined the League in 2021 as a graduate of Michigan State University’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH), where she pursued her interests in community engagement, arts, culture, and writing. In addition to her RCAH degree, she earned minors in Spanish and arts and cultural management. At the League, Margaret provides support to member communities and core affiliate organizations. She also fills a variety of administrative, customer service, programming, and communications roles. A proud Michigander, Margaret is proud to assist Michigan communities. Outside of work, Margaret enjoys travel, concerts, board games, and being a cat mom.
Richard Murphy
Sr. Program Manager, Policy Research Labs, Michigan Municipal League
Murph is a giant nerd who turned to a life of urban planning only after studying computer science and aerospace engineering. (He’s not technically a rocket scientist, but you’d be forgiven for thinking so.) He worked in city hall and regional planning roles before going statewide with the League. He can see the matrix of your zoning ordinance when walking down the street, though he enjoys walking in national parks even more.
Murph also enjoys biking, tabletop role-playing games, and caring for a number of kids and cats. He has used a one-word name since sixth grade.
Emmie Musser
Future of Work Strategist, TechSmith
Emmie is passionate about the evolving landscape of the workplace. She focuses on communications in remote and hybrid work environments. With over 15 years of experience leading social change communications campaigns, Emmie believes in the power of communication to connect people to information and resources that improve their lives. At TechSmith, she uses her expertise to shape strategies that support employee engagement, collaboration, and productivity in the future workplace.
Michelle Parkkonen
Managing Director, Technical Assistance Programs, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Michelle leads MEDC’s technical assistance team, supporting the Make it in Michigan economic development strategy. She directs initiatives including Redevelopment Ready Communities, Redevelopment Services, and Michigan Main Street. Prior to joining the MEDC, Michelle was a senior planner for the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission. She is a graduate of Northern Michigan University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master of Public Administration.
Born and raised in Marquette, Michelle now lives in the Lansing area with her husband and son. Outside of work, she enjoys cheering on all the Detroit sports teams and discovering local coffee shops, restaurants and stores across the state.
Herasanna Richards
Legislative Associate, State and Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League
Herasanna Richards is a powerhouse coalition-builder and a magnetic communicator who infuses energy into her work as a legislative associate for the League. With over a decade of experience leading coalitions and shaping issue advocacy campaigns, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Since joining the League in 2019, Herasanna has been an advocate for municipalities in the areas of energy, environment, public safety, and technology.
Before the League, she was the founding executive director for the Detroit Restaurant & Lodging Association and played a key role in President Biden’s Michigan campaign as deputy coalitions director. A proud Michigan State University alumna, Herasanna holds dual degrees in political science and communication and is a 2017 Michigan Political Leadership Program graduate.
Beyond her professional life, she’s #DeltaLoyal and loves nothing more than exploring the world with her husband by her side.
Jennifer Rigterink
Assistant Director, State and Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League
Jennifer advocates on behalf of Michigan’s communities with a concentration on economic development, land use, and municipal services issues. Before joining the League, Jennifer directed technical assistance for community development at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and now sits on their Technical Assistance Advisory Council. She also managed the Genesee Institute, now the Center for Community Progress, building awareness of Michigan’s land bank authority model and vacant property initiatives.
Jennifer was appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Michigan State Housing Authority Statewide Housing Partnership to execute the state’s first-ever Statewide Housing Plan. She also sits on the Executive Committee of the Housing Michigan Coalition. She holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University.
Jennifer lives in DeWitt with her husband, Chris, and two children. She and Chris own a small business called The Mattress Source in East Lansing and Lansing, selling locally made products.
Ryan Schmidt
Partner, Indigo Design + Development
With nearly 25 years in the real estate development industry, Ryan has spent considerable time in both market rate as well as affordable housing development, primarily focused on infill and mixed-use projects. He holds a B.A. in Community Leadership from Aquinas College–Grand Rapids.
Camille Steverson
Co-owner, Second Vibess
Five years ago, Camille launched Second Vibess, a sustainable fashion brand, alongside a longtime friend. What began as a love for thrifting has grown into a thriving downtown Grand Rapids storefront A self-taught designer, Camille has built Second Vibess into a hub for connection, hosting workshops, fashion shows, and collaborative events that highlight the power of small business in shaping culture. She works closely with organizations such as Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. and serves on the board of the Heartside Business Association. Through her work, Camille highlights how small businesses are not just places to shop, but important gathering spaces that foster connection, creativity, and community resilience.
Joe Sulak
Parks Superintendent, City of Grand Rapids
A green space management expert focused primarily on urbanized environments, Joe has been working in municipal forestry for close to 30 years. As a tree and plant broker, he has facilitated the planting of approximately half a million trees over the course of his career. Joe earned his bachelor’s in biology from the University of Michigan and a master’s in forestry from Michigan State University.
Kathy Szenda Wilson
Founder and Co-Executive Director, Pulse at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Kathy has spent more than three decades building systems to improve the lives of children and their families. She founded and co-leads Pulse, an early childhood organization, at the WE Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. In 2020, Kathy was elected as Battle Creek’s Ward 4 City Commissioner. A facilitator, coach, storyteller, and trainer, she takes pride in her empathy and ability to weave concepts together to help people and their organizations discover their best ideas and progress towards their goals.
Daniel Taber
Stormwater Manager, City of Grand Rapids
A Grand Rapids native, Dan takes great pride in contributing to the development of the city in which he has deep roots. He has been with the City since 2013, currently overseeing the implementation phase one of its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit and related programming. Prior to this, he was a project engineer in private development. Dan’s notable projects include the innovative underground stormwater detention system at Studio Park, the transformation of the GR Press site into the MSU Research Center, and addressing both stormwater and brownfield site management. He is an alumnus of Michigan State University.
Johnnie Turnage
Co-Founder, Black Tech Saturdays
Johnnie and Alexa Turnage are the dynamic co-founders of Black Tech Saturdays, a model for community-driven innovation and economic mobility. In just two years, their vision has connected over 25,000 people to tech and entrepreneurship, generating over $40 million in economic impact and creating more than 250 jobs. With a relentless commitment to their community, they’ve hosted hundreds of workshops, talks, and mass convenings that have made tech accessible and empowering.
Mark Vanderpool
City Manager, City of Sterling Heights
Since 2004, Mark has been a leading advocate for Sterling Heights’ economic development program, including the City’s largest development—Lakeside City Center, valued at $1.2 billion. He helped lead the City’s Visioning 2030 and 2040 Plans, which resulted in a $135 million voter-approved initiative to reinvest in quality-of-life assets. He also helped preserve the city’s superior bond rating after steering it through economic crisis.
With nearly 40 years of municipal management experience, Mark serves on many boards, including Connect Macomb’s Board of Directors and SEMCOG’s Executive Committee. He holds a bachelor’s in political science from Augustana College and an MPA from Northern Illinois University. Mark is married with four grown children and six grandchildren. A private pilot in his spare time, he enjoys flying around Michigan—the most beautiful state in the country.
Mark Washington
City Manager, City of Grand Rapids
Mark is committed to making Grand Rapids a city that is nationally recognized for being a welcoming, innovative, safe, and economically healthy. He has worked in local government for nearly 24 years—in Austin, TX, as assistant city manager and director of human resources and civil service; and in Fort Worth, TX, as assistant director of human resources and street services operations program manager. Mark has a bachelor’s in business administration from Tarleton State University, an MBA from Amberton University, and a PhD in education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a member of member of many organizations and sits on numerous boards, including the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, Tarleton State University College of Business, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and Paul Quinn College.
Jon Jon Wesolowski
National Speaker & Educator, The Happy Urbanist
Jon Jon is an avid urbanist, national speaker, and content creator passionate about decoding what makes spaces great. His TikTok channels have garnered over 8.6 million likes and 406,000 followers. After spending eight months abroad exploring cities, he continues to advocate for better urban spaces.