Staff & Board
Our Staff
Milinda Ysasi
Chief Executive Officer
Kelli Smith
Chief Operating Officer
Lauren Conrad
Director of Programs
Maximiliano Velasco
Intake Specialist
Paola Mendivil
Business Development Officer
Karen Benson
Portfolio Manager/Business Development Officer
Trevor Sisk
Grants and Finance Manager
Stephanie Suero
Office Support Specialist
2022 Board of Directors
Deborah Phillips, Board Chair
Consultant and Chief People Strategist, Deborah Phillips & Associates, LLC
LaChaun A. Steverson, Board Vice Chair
Owner, Fibrenew Grand Rapids
Debra Van Hevele, Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Comerica Bank
Julie Westra, Secretary
Steelcase
Assistant General Counsel
Legal Strategies Team
Shannon Cohen
Principal/Founder, Tough Skin Soft Heart by Shannon Cohen
Zara Smith
Senior Project Manager, Emergent Holdings, Inc.
Katy Felver
Business Advisor, Hungerford Nichols CPA’s + Advisors
Floriza Genautis
CEO, Management Business Solutions
Veverly Austin
Owner/Founder, Confidentwear Boutique / Rock the Runway GR / Veverly Austin Enterprises
Janis Petrini
Owner and Operator, Express Employment Professionals
Jason Reep
President, Employers’ Association
Rebecca Dutcher
President, RED66 Marketing
Tracey Burke
President, Burke Professional Consultants, LLC
Catherine Kloska
Retired CFO, Muskegon Public Schools
Damian Ciavattone
Branch Manager, Assistant Vice President, PNC Bank
McKenzie Jackson
Good Food Systems Program Manager,
Access of West Michigan
Kim Suarez
Community Member
