Staff & Board
Our Staff

Milinda Ysasi
Chief Executive Officer

Kelli Smith
Chief Operating Officer

Maximiliano Velasco
Intake Specialist

Paola Mendivil
Business Development Officer

John Hendershot
Business Advisor

Karen Benson
Portfolio Manager/Business Development Officer

Trevor Sisk
Grants and Finance Manager

Stephanie Suero
Office Support Specialist
2022 Board of Directors

Deborah Phillips, Immediate Past Chair
Consultant and Chief People Strategist, Deborah Phillips & Associates, LLC

LaChaun A. Steverson, Board Chair
Owner, Fibrenew Grand Rapids

Julie Westra, Vice Chair
Steelcase
Assistant General Counsel
Legal Strategies Team

Debra Van Hevele, Secretary
Senior Vice President, Comerica Bank

Shannon Cohen
Principal/Founder, Tough Skin Soft Heart by Shannon Cohen

Zara Smith
Senior Project Manager, Emergent Holdings, Inc.

Veverly Austin
Owner/Founder, Confidentwear Boutique / Rock the Runway GR / Veverly Austin Enterprises

Floriza Genautis
CEO, Management Business Solutions

Damian Ciavattone
Branch Manager, Assistant Vice President, PNC Bank

Janis Petrini
Owner and Operator, Express Employment Professionals

Tracey Burke
President, Burke Professional Consultants, LLC

Catherine Kloska
Retired CFO, Muskegon Public Schools

Kim Suarez
Community Member

McKenzie Jackson
Good Food Systems Program Manager,
Access of West Michigan