MASON COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK LEADERSHIP TEAM

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.

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.
 

 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.   

Why the 3.0 county GPA goal is important to me: 

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.

Kathy has a BS, MA, and EdS from Michigan State University. In nearly 30 years of experience in education, she has been a teacher, coach, athletic coordinator, mathematics and science coordinator, STEM Director, and President of the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network. 

She was a co-creator of ASM Tech Early College. Kathy now works remotely for Grand Valley State University to support K-12 computer science education.
 

Monica Schuyler is the Executive Director of the Pennies from Heaven Foundation and Promise Board Chair.  Her post-secondary education includes a liberal arts associate's degree from Oakland Community College, a Public Policy and Administration degree from Michigan State University, and a Law Degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.  She believes education is an investment  that opens the door to opportunities. 

Kathryn moved to Ludington after graduating with a B.S. in Chem. Eng. from University of Illinois. She retired as a senior process engineer after 43 years. Together, the Nixon's have four children and one grandchild, and they have operated The Instrumental Music and Sound retail since 1981. Kathryn is interested in quality education access for all children and has led the program between her church and a school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She joined the Mason County College Access board in 2021. 

Darby Johnsen has worked at a variety of community colleges in roles as faculty, coordinator, director, and dean. A committed bibliophile, her degrees in English language and literature have served her well throughout her career. Currently Darby serves as the Dean of Arts and Sciences at West Shore Community College, whose mission to make the community a better place in which to learn, live, work, and prosper aligns with Darby’s core values of collaboration, creativity, and integrity. 

Brian Dotson is the MiSTEM Network Regional Director for Region 9, West Central Region. Brian started working with the MiSTEM Network in April 2022. Previously, he was an administrator at Ludington Area Schools serving as principal at Foster Elementary for seven years, and athletic director at LHS and OJ DeJonge MS for one year. In 2020 Brian was named Michigan’s Elementary and Middle School Outstanding Practicing Principal by the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association.

Dr. Kyle Corlett has been the superintendent at Ludington Area School District since January of 2022. Dr. Corlett previously served as the superintendent of Delton Kellogg Schools for four years and has experience as a curriculum director, elementary principal, and high school English teacher. Dr. Corlett earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership from Western Michigan University in 2021 and holds degrees from Cornerstone University and Olivet Nazarene University. 

Becky Bruett is the KickStart to Career Coordinator for the Community Foundation for Mason County. She grew up in the U.P., then attended Central Michigan University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Community Development.  She recently moved to Ludington in 2022. Prior to that, she lived in Genesee County and serves as a Project Coordinator at the Genesee ISD, managing a 21st Century Community Learning Center program and educational programs throughout Genesee County.