Our Goal Champions for mASON CAN!

Wendy Gradwohl Wells, Ph.D., is currently the Interim Talent Pipeline Coordinator at West Shore Community College. She received her doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron.  Before coming to WSCC, she was Associate Professor and Chair of the Business Department at Wittenberg University.

Why the 60% by 2030 goal is important to me: 

Having 20+ years of experience as an educator, I believe in the value of post-secondary education and lifelong personal development. Helping individuals become the best version of themselves has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.

 Annie Jacobson is the Director of Enrollment & the First-Year Experience at West Shore Community College. In this role, she works across departments to ensure students have access to the tools and resources they need to pursue their academic goals, and partners with K12 schools, scholarship programs, and university partners to support student success. Her primary focus is fostering a sense of belonging and community throughout the college campus. 

 Dr. Jason Jeffrey is the Superintendent of the West Shore ESD. Prior to joining WSESD, Jason served as an assistant superintendent, director, principal, teacher and coach. He has also served as an adjunct professor at several universities including CMU, WMU, FSU and GVSU.   

People who earn a college degree and/or technical certification enjoy a higher standard of living and quality of life than others. Communities with a highly educated workforce are more prosperous than those with lower rates of educational attainment. Everyone wins when students exit high school and earn a post secondary credential. Research conducted by the University of Chicago found high-school grade point averages to be five times stronger than test scores for predicting college graduation. This is one rationale for the Mason CAN’s college readiness goal of a 3.0 GPA for local students.
 

Lynne Russell, United Way of Mason County’s Executive Director has served in this role for 25 years.  Prior to becoming

the Executive Director, she worked at West Michigan Community Mental Health System (WMCMHS) for

13 years where she had both direct care and administrative responsibilities.  During the Executive

Director’s tenure at United Way of Mason County, she changed the community’s perception of the

organization from fundraiser to community leader.  

She has facilitated multiple partnerships with private business, non-profits, government, foundations,

educational institutions, and faith-based organizations, most notably Mason County Family Link,

Lakeshore Employer Resource Network, Bridges Out of Poverty and 2-1-1.  She was instrumental in the

creation of several organizations such as Hospitality INC, Lakeshore Food Club and Oaktree Academy. 

Currently she serves as a member of the Michigan Association of United Ways Board of Directors

and Treasurer of Oaktree Academy Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Great Start

Collaborative, along with playing a leadership role in two initiatives - Interconnected Systems

Framework for school based mental health and regional childcare study. She has presented at

state and regional conferences on such topics as time management, outcome and evaluation, and

embedding on-site resource navigation in the workplace and schools.  

A graduate of Michigan State University in 1984, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic

Recreation.

Jody Maloney is the Mason County Promise Zone Director and College Access Network Specialist.  Previously, Maloney was an academic advisor at Ferris State University in the Retention & Student Success unit.  Prior to that role, she directed a federal TRiO Student support services director at Finlandia University in the Upper Peninsula.  Jody has nearly two decades of experience in growing educational opportunity and supporting student success for youth and adults in rural Michigan. 

"The shared goal of the College Access Network and the Promise Zone is that young people from Mason County are prepared for college, can afford college, and will graduate from college! My goal is to support our vibrant communities in catalyzing such success," says Maloney. 

On the web: MasonCountyCAN.org

Email: Jodym@ludington.org

Call: 231-239-8224

Visit: The Ludington & Scottville Chamber of Commerce

Mail: 119 S. Rath, 

Ludington, MI 49431

FB: Mason County CAN

Insta: Mason County CAN