Royal Oak Woman Named to Michigan Political Leadership Program

Michigan State University’s Michigan Political Leadership Program announced Friday the 24 emerging leaders who will form the program’s Class of 2012.

The announcement came following MPLP’s celebration of the graduation of its Class of 2011. Graduation was marked in annual fundraising events in Livonia and Grand Rapids featuring Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.

“We are delighted to announce the Class of 2012,” said Douglas B. Roberts, Ph.D., director of MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. The Institute administers the leadership program considered one of the nation’s foremost political fellowships.

“These men and women will join the more than 500 leaders who are MPLP graduates. These graduates are now serving on school boards, in township offices, city and county positions and in the Michigan House of Representatives,” he said.

Not quite half of MPLP’s graduates are serving or have served in elected or appointed positions. In November 2010, 14 MPLP alumni were elected or re-elected to state House seats. With 2005 MPLP graduate Tim Greimel’s election Tuesday in state House District 29, MPLP’s record increased to 15 alumni in the Michigan House of Representatives.

MPLP Fellows are competitively selected from candidates from all professions and all corners of Michigan. Fellows are named each winter from among candidates who are welcome to express an interest in the program at any time during the year.

"Once again, Michigan is fortunate to have a diverse and talented pool of political leaders who have applied to the Michigan Political Leadership Program and demonstrated a yearning for training on bipartisan, ethical, and policy-focused political training,” said MPLP Co-Director Steve Tobocman.

Tobocman is a former legislative leader and an innovator in the state’s drive for economic vitality. A three-term state House member, he is a former Majority Floor Leader, the second-highest position in the chamber. He is now managing partner at New Solutions Group LLP and co-directs the Michigan Foreclosure Task Force.

MPLP Co-Director Anne Mervenne is CEO of Mervenne & Company, a governmental relations consulting firm, and served 12 years in the administration of former Gov. John Engler. Her roles included Director of Appointments, Executive Director of the Michigan’s Women’s Commission, Director of the Governor’s Southeast Michigan Office and Special Adviser to the Governor and First Lady.

A former Ingham County Commissioner, Mervenne most recently served on Gov. Rick Snyder’s Transition Team as Vice-Chair for Talent.

“Our new Fellows represent emerging talent throughout Michigan,” she said. “Their training will introduce them to experienced leaders at the highest levels in the state, to new concepts that will help them build skills and campaigns and lead each one of them to extraordinary relationships with 23 other talented men and women.”

MPLP’s Class of 2012 includes:

• Mandy Bolter, of Ada, legislative director for Rep. Peter MacGregor
  
• Darryle J. Buchanan, of Southfield, president of the Southfield Board of Education.
• Michelle Busuito, of Royal Oak,  law clerk for Michigan Supreme Court Justice Diane M. Hathaway.
• Sarah Bydalek, of Grand Rapids, second-term Walker City Clerk.
• Theresa Davis, of Metamora, a sergeant in the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Department.
• Graham Filler, of Lansing, an assistant attorney general in the state Department of Attorney General Licensing and Regulation Division.
• Dandridge Floyd, of Detroit, director of Legal and Labor Affairs for Southfield Public Schools District.
• Brad Heffner, of Ithaca, corporate counsel for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
• William Holley, of Detroit, director of constituent services for state Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
• John Kaczynski, of Lansing, director of the Center for Public Policy & Service at Saginaw Valley State University.
• Lena Koretzky, of Bloomfield Hills, a principal, general manager and board member of Vesco Oil Corporation.
• Kristina Leonardi, of Davison, senior program analyst with Michigan’s Department of Military and Veteran’s Affairs.
• Jelani McGadney, of Ypsilanti, a senior and student body president at Eastern Michigan University.
• Andrew Martin, of Grand Rapids, legislative assistant to House Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas.
• Nolan Moody, of Ann Arbor, a student in his second year of law school.
• Kayla North, of Midland, attends Central Michigan University studying political science and sociology, and works at Dow Corning Corporation.
• Emily Pontz, of St. Johns, office manager for state Sen. Darwin Booher.
• Syed Rob, of Madison Heights, is a multi-line insurance agent, who recently ran for state representative in Michigan’s 28^th District.
• Scott Russell, of Belleville, works in management at J.D. Power and Associates, specializing in automotive finance analytics.
• May Saad, of Dearborn Heights, attorney at Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC.
• Nicole Wells Stallworth, of Detroit, director of community outreach and governmental affairs for the Children’s Center of Wayne County.
• Ryan Stevens, of Ann Arbor, works at Genpact, Inc., a business consulting firm.
• Gregory White, of Detroit, financial analyst for the Detroit field office of the U.S. Office of Strategic Planning and Management.
• Angela Wilson, of Okemos, president of the Okemos School District Parent Council.

IPPSR is a part of MSU’s College of Social Science and specializes in public policy, political leadership and survey research.

Source: MSU