Leadership Oakland Announces LOXXXIII Cornerstone Program Class

(Pontiac, MI) Leadership Oakland is proud to announce its LOXXXIII Cornerstone Program Class -- a diverse and ambitious group of leaders from Metro Detroit.

The LOXXXIII Cornerstone Program Class kicked off recently with a two-day retreat, where the group of 40 professionals met and began the nine-month leadership experience. During their program, the class will participate in monthly sessions on topics facing this region: Education, government, the justice system, health and human services, race and ethnic diversity and more. Experts in each subject area will lead the discussions.

Included in this year’s class are professionals from the legal, medical, health care and nonprofits – to name a few. Each participant is engaged and ready to embrace change – learning and growing together.

“Every year, we are so excited to kick off another great class and this year is no exception, said Susan Hollady, executive director of Leadership Oakland. “We have a class made up of individuals who are impressive on their own but as a team, they are strong, resilient and ready to take on this challenge. What they learn here will benefit not only their own communities, but this region as a whole. We are looking forward to seeing what they can achieve.”

This year’s participants are:

· Sunil Asija, Chief Learning and Development Officer, Oakland County

· Lola Banks, Associate Dean for College Readiness and Secondary Partnerships, Oakland Community College

· Chris Baringhaus, Manager of Appeals and Grievances, Health Alliance Plan

· Andrea Barnes, Senior Manager, Plante Moran

· Tina Berishaj, Nursing Director, Critical Care, Beaumont Health

· Nelly Brown, Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual

· MiVida Burrus, Director of Development, HAVEN

· Jeni Carino, Director of Development, Oakland Christian School

· Matt Corbin, Career Specialist, Baker College

· Nathalie Demers, Assistant Director, Community Living Centers

· Sheila Denstaedt, Vice President, Troy Chamber of Commerce

· Rachel Devries, Membership Engagement Manager, Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber

· Chelsea Ditz, Director of Human Resources, City of Rochester Hills

· Patricia Duke, Executive Director, Love INC of North Oakland County

· Lisa Forsyth, Clinical Pharmacy Manager, Beaumont Health

· Alex Haney, Member, Bodman PLC

· Jen Harban, Business Development Specialist, Chief Financial Credit Union

· Autumn Hegner, Group Benefits Advisor, Oswald Companies

· Tiffanie Hilgendorf, CCBHC Project Director, Easterseals Michigan

· Christina Hix, Vice President Specialty Benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

· Eric Hydorn, Associate Attorney, The Dobrusin Law Firm

· Shanna Johnson, President, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital

· Billie Ketelsen, Laboratory Manager, Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital

· Carolynn Krause, Assistant to the County Executive, Oakland County

· Shannon Lee, Chief Central Fiscal Services, Oakland County

· Andrew May, Vice President, May Technologies Group LLC

· Kevin McCarty, Manager, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

· Chaka McDonald, Veteran and Military Families Navigator, Oakland Community Health Network

· Carlyn McIntosh, Services Coordinator, Oakland Community Health Network

· Sarah Nirenberg, Associate Attorney, Butzel Long

· Kendra Pitts, Director of Engagement, Center 4 Success

· Misty Raatz, Supervisor Facility Planning and Engineering, Oakland County

· Kai Scott, Office Supervisor, Oakland County Health Department

· Kim Simmons, Dealer Training Manager, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

· Michelle Simon, Sr. Director, Surgical, Beaumont Health

· Mike Spicer, Chief Operating Officer, Forgotten Harvest

· Heidi Steinman, Director of Operations, Wilshire Benefits Group

· Sheri Stuart, Director of Communication Services, Oakland Schools

· Chip Tischer, Director Community Outreach and Strategic Partnerships, Health Alliance Plan

· Shatoria Townsend, Senior Analyst, ASTHO

About Leadership Oakland

Established in 1990, Leadership Oakland is a 501 (c)(3) organization focused on business and community leadership development. The organization provides a nine-month Cornerstone Program to participants from businesses, organizations, and governmental agencies that are selected based on an application process. Leadership Oakland graduates are key business and community leaders serving as catalysts on boards of various organizations throughout the region.