PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANTS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Content and Event Specialist
Ever since she was a kid, Aimee has always loved traveling. And while she revels in unique places and new cultures-especially if good food is involved-her passion for traveling is rooted in a deep appreciation of serendipity. Whether on a hike in the Upper Peninsula that unexpectedly ends up at Pictured Rocks or being stunned by the size and scope of the namesake attractions at Sequoia National Forest, Aimee is nourished most by those unexpected and unpredictable moments of beauty and delight.
Openness to new experiences led Aimee into a career as a content and event specialist at PSC, where she uses the qualities honed while traveling-flexibility, curiosity, creativity, and empathy-to ensure PSC staff members and clients receive high-quality documents and events that are meaningful and accessible to all.
With more than 20 years of experience working in special education nonprofits as a creative and production support assistant, Aimee brings her background in document formatting, event planning, and email marketing to PSC. Most recently, she worked at Alt+Shift where she produced a variety of accessible deliverables.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Indiana Energy Independence Fund
Alex has always sought harmony in his life-musical and otherwise. From oboe to guitar, his devotion to music and composition balances his focus, attention to detail, and appreciation for the creative richness that comes from artistic collaboration. It's also given him a quick, creative imagination that has fueled his personal and professional life for years.
At PSC, Alex is using that creativity to help launch and lead the Indiana Energy Independence Fund, a new green bank serving the state of Indiana. He will support the organization's development, oversee marketing and communications efforts, build relationships statewide and nationally, fundraise and provide leadership in clean energy funding, and conceive and oversee financing programs.
Alex's professional background spans industries like advertising and marketing, corporate business operations, small business and entrepreneurship, and public-sector economic and sustainable development.
Job Titles:
- Operations Coordinator, Michigan Saves
Every fall, going back to school was one of Alex's favorite times of the year. She spent countless hours organizing her school supplies before her first day and developed an afterschool system to include both homework and fun. Buying school supplies brought Alex joy because it meant she had a new planner to color code and notebooks to organize.
At Public Sector Consultants, Alex uses her love of organizing as the operations coordinator for Michigan Saves, a multimillion-dollar nonprofit organization that assists residents across the state in securing financing solutions for energy updates to their home or business. Alex uses her analytical mindset to find innovative ways to streamline new and existing processes. With experience discovering creative solutions to address obstacles, she thinks outside of the box to improve operational performance.
In her previous role as a project manager at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association Keystone Center, Alex worked to develop and implement a learning management system for her organization to spread programs and quality improvement education to healthcare providers across the state. She is excited to draw on this experience to improve lending programs operations at Michigan Saves and bring more energy-efficient solutions to Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Health and Human Services
When it comes to a topic as complex as health policy, Amanda leverages her strength in critical thinking and analysis to get at the heart of an issue. She is a pragmatic perfectionist who always sweats the details. Whether conducting literature reviews or analyzing key informant interviews, Amanda enjoys the challenge of discovering and elucidating the information that is most important for people to know. While she relishes the opportunity to sit down and wade through volumes of qualitative data, Amanda also finds great satisfaction in facilitating stakeholder discussions, where she gets to dig into what people are thinking and help them find areas of agreement.
As a vice president, Amanda leads and works on projects in a variety of health policy issue areas, including healthcare reform, behavioral health, and trends in primary care service delivery. She has led several large-scale stakeholder engagement efforts, where her fastidiousness and exceptional project management skills are on full display. In addition, Amanda is always happy to lend her expertise when clients need a skilled health policy presenter.
Amanda brings more than 20 years of experience in the fields of public health and health policy. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in fund development for nonprofit organizations serving victims of domestic violence and people with substance use disorders.
As an avid birder, Amy knows how a proper set of gear and a well-crafted plan can make all the difference when locating rare migratory birds. Whether investigating first-rate binoculars to spot the elusive Blackburnian warbler, examining comprehensive field guides about Michigan bird species, or choosing perfectly pocket-sized notebooks for on-the-go notetaking, Amy diligently arms herself with the best tools to get the job done right.
Amy brings her impressive set of organizational skills to PSC, where she serves as the executive assistant for both the education and community and economic development teams. In this role, she schedules meetings, organizes calendars, and assists with event coordination and facilitation. She also supports her team members by ensuring they have the necessary tools to serve PSC's clients well.
Amy comes to PSC from IMPCO Microfinishing, where she worked as an engineering coordinator. In this role, she coordinated engineering projects from idea to delivery, provided administrative support, and managed engineering and manufacturing schedules.
Ann considers themselves an explorer in all aspects of life, whether out on the trail or at home. They find new adventures every day through books and reading, always connecting seemingly disparate or opposed concepts. While exploring these new theories and models, they blend ideas to see what works, looking for new paths to take to reach solutions that could help improve the world around them.
At PSC, Ann's inner explorer finds its feet on the energy and environment team. As a senior consultant, they cultivate new project opportunities and clients that contribute to strong, sustainable communities. In the day to day, Ann laser-focuses on climate change, sustainability, and community resilience, offering their expertise in planning, engagement, strategy development, mitigation, assessment, and capacity building to create effective outcomes for their clients and partners. Their history of connecting, convening, and curating a multitude of initiatives, programs, and policies has created positive change across the state.
Before joining PSC, Ann held a multidisciplinary career leading organizational change and accelerating initiatives in social justice, sustainability, and community resilience. They served as chief sustainability officer with Michigan State University, focusing on core business integration of sustainability into policy. They also acted in a number of capacities for organizations like the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Michigan Diversity Education Center, and Association of Climate Change Officers.
Anna spent much of her childhood working on her family's farm, where she helped tend the land and care for an array of animals, like horses, pigs, cows, and chickens. Life on the farm instilled in her a deep appreciation for the natural world and a sense of responsibility for improving the lives of all the creatures who inhabit it. Now in Lansing, without quite as many critters around, Anna's experiences still guide her everyday choices.
As a consultant on the energy and environment team, Anna supports a range of projects, conducting research, analyzing data, and writing reports. She also utilizes ArcGIS to visualize spatial data and produce high-quality maps.
Prior to joining PSC, Anna served as a research analyst for the Michigan Legislature, where she helped inform the development of legislation by providing state legislators and legislative staff with objective, nonpartisan research on topics like environmental protection and outdoor recreation. She also has experience working in the executive branch of state government and in academia.
Growing up, Aram got hooked on novels while browsing Ann Arbor's multitude of independent and used bookstores. He once even flew to Paris on a one-way ticket, hoping to live between the stacks at Shakespeare & Company. Through voracious reading and an inexhaustible curiosity about craft, Aram discovered that strong writing is often a matter of practice and patience, and that writing well requires radical revision as much as a red pen.
As a part of PSC's marketing and communications team, Aram now applies his enthusiasm for language to the role of editorial manager. He oversees the firm's editorial processes, ensuring consistent quality and objectivity across written materials. Additionally, he leads the firm's writing workshops and editorial training.
Prior to PSC, he served as an editor at several venerated literary magazines. He also has a wide-ranging background in content marketing and public relations and taught creative writing courses at several literary nonprofits and universities.
Setting ambitious goals, developing a plan, and executing on the big day are all equally important in Ben's roles as senior consultant at PSC and resident running enthusiast. To set new personal bests, Ben takes challenges in stride and does whatever it takes to break the tape at the finish line.
Ben applies his deep sense of personal commitment to project management, facilitation, research, and report writing at PSC. On the firm's talent and economic development team, he focuses on building consensus and developing concrete solutions to overcome challenges. Ben is particularly interested in identifying and promoting strategies that improve equity and ensure that all Michigan residents have an opportunity to thrive in today's global economy.
Prior to joining PSC, Ben led evidence-based policymaking projects and advocacy efforts in multiple states as part of the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative in Washington, D.C. Before that, Ben served as policy analyst and legislative senior aide, working on public safety, transportation, and health and human services at the Montgomery County Council in Rockville, Maryland.
From an early age, Brianna's keen sense of curiosity and desire to understand the world and her place in it have been constants in life. Always itching to learn more, she became an avid reader. Her natural inquisitiveness about the world helped her advance her own storyline as she hopped from state to state before landing in Michigan. With a keen eye for even the smallest plot hole, Brianna took her main-character energy to PSC as an executive assistant.
As the executive assistant on the energy and environment team, Brianna applies that natural curiosity and eye for detail as she manages calendars, coordinates team member meetings, and aids in board meeting preparation. She also acts as a key communication link, smoothly connecting the team to clients.
Before joining PSC, Brianna spent several years in the healthcare field, where she used her adaptive and curious nature to serve older adults in Indianapolis.
Brooke has always believed in high standards. Whether developing new processes, planning engagement sessions, redesigning programs, or seeking out opportunities for improvement, Brooke uses her razor-sharp attention to detail to expertly diagnose inefficiencies and create a step-by-step plan to correct them. This signature commitment to continuous improvement motivates her to work hard and strive to always meet, or exceed, project goals and deliverables.
As a senior consultant at Public Sector Consultants, Brooke brings her infectious enthusiasm for improvement and acute project management skills to the Energy and Environment team. She seeks to effectively and efficiently research, analyze, engage, and strategize to deliver enhanced or improved outcomes for Michigan residents. Brooke's keen skill for planning and organization help her successfully execute a project from start to finish, always ensuring everything is in perfect order.
Prior to joining PSC, Brooke spent eight years in state government, where she focused on continuous improvement initiatives. Most recently, she managed the statewide Lean training and certification program and facilitated process improvement engagements for all departments.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Senior Consultant With
From the first time Carmen heard the rumble of a racecar engine and realized that just a small turn of a screw on the carburetor could boost its performance, he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life tinkering to improve the things around him. His drive to understand how the components of any device work and diagnosing and solving breakdowns nurtures his methodical approach to problem solving. Carmen applies his patience and curiosity to dissect and simplify complicated public policy concepts and regulatory decisions.
As a senior consultant with Public Sector Consultants, Carmen brings his love for making sure things run smoothly to the energy and environment team. He conducts research and analysis, develops reports, and provides strategic counsel for the firm and its clients on issues related to local, state, and national energy policy and utility regulation.
Prior to joining PSC, Carmen spent more than a decade in public service, holding numerous roles within the Michigan Legislature. With the Michigan Senate, he honed his research and negotiation skills, guiding several policy and appropriations proposals through the legislative process and cultivating expertise in the policy and regulatory structures related to energy and technology.
Job Titles:
- President and Chief Executive Officer of Michigan Saves
On many Friday nights, '70s funk and R&B echoed throughout Chanell's childhood home as her father deejayed their family dance parties. Most other nights, Chanell was busy with homework and extracurriculars, as the family's appreciation of music and culture only came second to a steadfast pursuit of achievement. Today, this dual focus on creativity and excellence characterizes Chanell's leadership style as she collaborates to build equitable and sustainable solutions across diverse communities.
Chanell serves as the president and chief executive officer of Michigan Saves, a nonprofit managed by Public Sector Consultants that provides accessible financing solutions to advance climate equity and resilience. Chanell collaborates with the board of directors on strategic growth and partners with staff and stakeholders to cultivate resources, implement programs, and deliver outcomes to increase energy efficiency and clean resources throughout Michigan.
Chanell joins PSC and Michigan Saves with 15 years in community economic development and most recently served as executive director of ProsperUs Detroit. Under her leadership, ProsperUs was spun off into a successful standalone operation and formally certified as a community development financial institution (CDFI). Earlier in her career, Chanell consulted on community economic development initiatives, served as a National Urban Fellow at the Cleveland Foundation, and launched an online retail store of fair-trade and sustainable goods.
Job Titles:
- Customer Service Representative for Michigan Saves
Being in nature has always been important to Christina. From whale watching off Maine's northern coast to ziplining through the salty air over the deep sea in Haiti, she's always looking for new outdoor adventures. Her memorable vacations don't just spontaneously happen-she does a lot of behind-the-scenes legwork to pull it all off and is delighted when everyone enjoys themselves. Her passion for the outdoors and Michigan Saves' involvement in affordable clean energy financing allows Christina to utilize her skills in research, organizing, and planning to protect the natural world she loves while also improving the economy.
As a customer service representative for Michigan Saves, Christina supports customers, contractors, and lenders as they navigate the program's services. Michigan Saves offers solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements with low-interest financing. She educates customers on programs, offers, and qualifications; builds contractor relationships; and provides administrative support to the Outreach Team.
Before joining PSC, she held positions as an office manager with emphasis on lending options for home improvements, a repair analyst who worked with clients and contractors to get vacant houses back on the market, and as a parapro at an elementary school.
Job Titles:
- Director at PSC
- Director, Economic Development
Fifteen years of living and working in foreign countries has given Colin a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of our world. He knows that solving difficult problems requires looking for answers in sometimes unexpected places and "seeing the whole field." Colin's track record of finding solutions across diverse sectors and cultures has armed him with a creative global perspective on issues critical to Michigan's present and future.
As a director at PSC, Colin guides strategy, research, and analysis related to local, state, and national energy policy. He helps clients identify opportunities and overcome challenges around traditional and renewable power generation, grid modernization, sustainable mining, and EV supply chains. Colin is passionate about work that helps Michigan residents and companies be full participants in the clean energy transition.
Colin comes to PSC after serving as an economic affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State, where he advised ambassadors and senior U.S. officials on energy, mining, supply chains, innovation, telecommunications, and health policy. His foreign postings included Canada, Mexico, and Chile. Before working in government, Colin was a lawyer in Chicago.
When he was a kid, many of David's remote-controlled cars succumbed to his overly enthusiastic one-man pit crew. His fascination for how individual elements operate independently as well as how they work as part of a larger system gives him the perfect mindset for helping clients understand their most complex and vexing challenges and spark solutions to accelerate success.
David leverages nearly two decades of experience researching and evaluating public policy, programs, and processes for public, private, and nonprofit clients. As a senior consultant on PSC's talent and economic development team, he facilitates strategic planning, advisory boards, focus groups, and state workgroups and helps clients identify, implement, and measure innovative approaches through rigorous applied research.
Before coming to PSC, David worked at the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, where he provided association development and management to ensure public funding of arts and culture in Michigan. He also has a background in talent and economic development consulting, having provided rigorous program evaluation, facilitation, and thought partnership for governmental, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations across the United States.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Senior Marketing and Communications Consultant at PSC
As senior marketing and communications consultant at PSC, Dawn uses her creativity and attention to detail to develop effective marketing communications content and strategies for clients. She also takes on the challenge of turning complex policy issues into engaging content, manages project timelines and budgets, and collaborates with team members and clients to deliver results.
Before joining PSC, Dawn focused on marketing communications and public relations for organizations in the nonprofit, education, and governmental sectors. She has worked for organizations of many different sizes and can relate to clients with a variety of issues and resources.
As a true-crime aficionado, Dayna respects the investigative process-from examining the who, what, when, where, and why to solving the case. Fortunately, this interest pairs well with her work, serving as the foundation for her research and analytical methods and critical thinking skills. No matter the topic or project, Dayna takes what she's learned as a self-appointed sleuth to get the job done.
At PSC, Dayna employs her investigative prowess to identify, analyze, and interpret data for the firm and its clients on a variety of topics. As a data scientist, she also applies her skills to measure program and policy impacts, support continuous improvement of client initiatives, and develop reports and other deliverables to support data-driven decision making.
Prior to joining PSC, Dayna worked at the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, where she supported policy and advocacy efforts on a variety of civil liberties issues at the state and local levels.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager for the Michigan Department of Education 's Catamaran
- Project Manager, Catamaran
From a very young age, Donna has always sought to figure out all of life's little details. Her Mom always thought she'd be a lawyer because Donna never shied away from punching holes in any argument if someone missed even a minute point. This inquisitiveness developed into a passion for problem solving that serves her well when helping to build new technologies, business models, and process workflows in the Catamaran system.
Donna is a project manager for the Michigan Department of Education's Catamaran system, a PSC-coordinated project that tracks special education data compliance with federal special education laws and regulations. She sets her fresh eyes and keen problem-solving skills to the job by keeping track of even the tiniest techy details, supporting system upgrades and enhancements and working out any bugs that pop up.
Prior to joining PSC, Donna worked with the State of Michigan, ensuring that public school districts reported retirement credit accurately so that teachers, administrators, and support staff received their earned pension benefits.
Job Titles:
- Director of Clean Energy Financing, Michigan Saves
Eli's love for skiing has put him in some precarious situations in the past. On one occasion at the edge of a steep couloir high on Mt. Rainier, Eli and his partners had to decide if the slope was safe to descend. After assessing the avalanche conditions, verifying their position on the map, and talking with his partners, they dropped in, and it was best run of his life. Whether backcountry skiing or at work, Eli loves to gather and evaluate information from a variety of sources and use that data to lead a group or project forward.
Eli brings those leadership and analysis skills to PSC, where he serves as the director of clean energy financing for Michigan Saves. Primarily, he manages the adoption, design, and implementation of new financing products to ensure all Michiganders have access to the clean energy economy. He accomplishes this in part by building partnerships with local, regional, and national financial institutions to identify and fill market gaps.
Eli comes to PSC from a career in the public sector where he most recently managed an energy efficiency and renewable energy revolving loan fund for the State of Washington, which focused on nonprofit facilities, affordable multifamily housing, and small businesses. He also has experience addressing climate change through a state-run carbon pricing program.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Senior Consultant at PSC
As a senior consultant at PSC, Elizabeth focuses on cultivating sustainable economies and strengthening communities. She also flexes her expertise in natural resource management and policy for the firm's energy and environment practice. Elizabeth applies her unique set of skills to advance placemaking initiatives and community development planning. She also conducts research, analyzes data, and writes reports and strategy documents across many of the firm's focus areas.
Before joining PSC, Elizabeth served as both the deputy director and program manager for the Huron River Watershed Council. While there, she forged strategic partnerships, secured funding for work on emerging issues, such as dam removal and nutrient pollution, and led the process that secured federal designation of the Huron River Water Trail as the country's 18 th National Water Trail.
Emily tends to believe that she can do anything, and she approaches life with that limitless belief and love of learning. From scuba diving to tearing down walls in her home to growing and preserving her own food, Emily optimistically tries, likely fails, and then masters many skills. The curiosity, desire to learn, and optimism that serve as the cornerstone of her personal life also guide her work at Public Sector Consultants.
A generalist at heart, Emily supports a variety of nonprofits and government agencies in their research, strategy, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and anything that the organization needs to address essential issues in their communities. She has worked with various communities to effect positive systemic change and strategic organizational growth. These communities include people who are children, homeless young adults, refugees, asylum seekers, neurodiverse, the elderly, arts professionals, medical staff, and medically complex children. Each opportunity has deepened Emily's understanding of program development, informed her approach to community-based work, and challenged her to strengthen her strategy, cross-sector collaboration, relationship-building, and program development skills.
Before PSC, Emily worked as a leader, program specialist, and research analyst with a consulting firm and nonprofits in Michigan and Illinois.
At PSC, Erika applies her linguistic skills as an editor, providing copy, line, and developmental editing for the firm's written materials, including reports, surveys, proposals, and social media. She also formats documents to meet style and branding guidelines. Additionally, she works with PSC staff to improve their writing, with the goal of producing high-quality materials that lead to actionable solutions.
Prior to joining PSC, Erika was the office manager for the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office, where she tracked the office budget, drafted and edited internal and external communications, and researched developments in the film and digital media industries as well as relevant legislation. Before that, she taught composition courses at Central Michigan University and Olivet College.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Consultant at PSC
Erin has always been drawn to complex, intense, and emotional literature, especially poetry. She adores studying the written word, which led her to a college internship at a poetry center. There, her admiration intensified as she reviewed manuscript submissions and saw there was both an art and a science to writing poetry. She developed an appreciation for writers' choices of structure, form, and organization, marveling at the shifts in meaning that arose from precise, deceptively minute decisions.
As a consultant at PSC, Erin maneuvers the line between art and science to support the health and human services team. Creative thinking is essential in her position, especially for considering multidimensional topics and working toward effective, practical solutions. She conducts research for the firm and its clients and interprets and presents collected data in ways that highlight the data's meaning. She leads and supports facilitation efforts related to strategic planning and gathering stakeholder feedback, including developing materials, hosting sessions, and synthesizing findings. She also assists in developing proposals, presentations, and reports.
Prior to joining PSC, Erin worked as a client relations manager for a public affairs consulting firm. There, she administered business license applications, developed and scheduled communications to clients, and oversaw research efforts at the municipal government level.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Project Support Associate, Catamaran
Gabrielle has been an avid reader since elementary school. After being lured into literature with fiction and thrillers, she ventured into nonfiction and memoirs; each book opened new ideas and worlds for her, bringing her knowledge and insight into current events, history, and people's lives. Her love of the written word helped her develop multiple perspectives and insights when approaching texts.
At PSC, Gabrielle is a project support associate on the team that supports Catamaran, a Michigan Department of Education-sponsored software system that tracks local school district compliance with federal special education laws and regulations. She unifies the voice and language on all client deliverables and training materials to ensure accuracy and consistency. She also supports her team by maintaining project management tools, drafting agendas and reports, and tracking project outputs.
Prior to working at PSC, Gabrielle worked in customer service and marketing.
From her very first news article in high school on police brutality, Gena has devoted herself to finding and sharing the stories of those who may not have a voice. She's driven to find the right descriptive words and capture the precise camera angle to convey the complete story, because she's lifting up the stories and concerns of those in her community.
Gena brings the creativity and attentiveness to detail she honed as a journalist to PSC, where she serves as the executive assistant of the marketing and communications team. In this role, she organizes calendars, schedules and arranges meetings, and provides administrative support for her team members to help bring diverse groups together to solve real-world issues.
Gena comes to PSC from a news station, where she worked as a multimedia journalist. In this role, she wrote, shot, and edited breaking news stories in Mid-Michigan including higher education, reproductive rights, the 2022 election season, and the marijuana industry.
Ever since her first multiplication test in elementary school, Hannah has always loved playing with numbers. From learning long division to studying a multitude of accounting principles, numbers have always been her thing. Even in her personal life, her excitement for numbers drives her to craft intricate spreadsheets, invent budgets for outlandish scenarios, and calculate the average gas mileage her car gets every week. These frolics with figures have led her to become a meticulous and organized individual who delights in data and revels in reports.
As senior accountant at PSC, Hannah uses her passion for numbers to ensure accuracy in every accounting document that crosses her desk. She processes accounts receivable, maintains the general ledger, and creates informative financial reports for staff and leadership. Hannah also provides support to all PSC project managers by providing timely and accurate reporting of actual project costs and budget variances. She is the go-to person when the finance and administration team needs additional support.
Prior to joining PSC, Hannah worked on an audit team for the Michigan Office of the Auditor General, where she participated in various types of audits and conducted research related to new accounting principles.
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Manager for the Catamaran
- Senior Project Manager, Catamaran
Every summer since she was a kid, Jeanne and her family have spent a week or two fishing for walleye in northwestern Ontario. For Jeanne, what comes before and after the trip is as important as the trip itself. She's as happy ensuring the tackle boxes are well stocked, reading the updated fishing regulations, and creating a photo album as she is catching fish. Those fishing trips taught Jeanne the importance of planning, attention to detail, and the value of reflecting on outcomes-all crucial for successful project management work.
Jeanne is a senior project manager for the Catamaran system, the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education's online system for interacting with the field on matters related to special education compliance and improvement activities. Jeanne works collaboratively with a team of people from the Office of Special Education to design and implement solutions leading to Catamaran's continuous improvement.
Prior to joining PSC, Jeanne spent more than a decade with the State of Michigan in the Office of Special Education. She also taught special and inclusive education in Kalamazoo Public Schools.
When at summer camp as a child, Jill lived for arts and crafts time-it was a chance for her to create anything she could imagine. She ran wild with each Popsicle stick picture frame and pinecone bumblebee, adhering glitter, buttons, pipe cleaners, and every other craft supply she could find to tell her inner story. She never grew out of this passion for creativity, and it led her to a vibrant career in the arts.
Now, as a senior designer on PSC's production team, Jill collaborates with other staff to ensure every project tells its own story in a creative, engaging way. With superb attentiveness and artistic flair, she finds just the right typeface, the precise color, the ideal image, and the perfect placement to make materials clear, approachable, and exciting.
Prior to joining PSC, Jill worked as an art director and graphic/web designer for Redhead Design Studio. Before that, she created print and digital materials for TechSmith.
Job Titles:
- Director at PSC
- Director, Community Resilience
Whether he's tending his tomatoes, baking sourdough bread, or hitting the bike and ski trails, Joel's passions involve interacting with and learning from the natural and human world. This fascination with the world around him has helped him uniquely understand new information and systems, tell stories with data, understand people's motivations, and guide organizations seeking to confront existential issues like climate, equity, and sustainability.
As a director at PSC, Joel brings this love of the natural world to work, helping clients advance their efforts in sustainability and climate. His days are filled helping organizations develop and implement strategic climate and sustainability plans, energy efficiency and electrification strategies, and integration of equity into policy and programs to help communities make progress on these issues.
Before joining PSC, Joel spent more than a decade in private, public, and nonprofit energy and environment organizations, leading the City of Detroit's first Office of Sustainability and developing the Sustainability Action Agenda, in addition to helping over 40 local governments address climate, energy, and sustainability issues at the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office.
An outdoor enthusiast from an early age, Jon combines his passion for Michigan's natural resources and good public policy with his work in the firm's environment and energy practice. His time spent canoeing Michigan's rivers, hiking its trails, and exploring its woods gives Jon a real-world perspective on natural resource management. His love for adventure also feeds his penchant for pragmatism, thoroughness, and order when it comes to work. After all, you don't complete multiday treks in remote wilderness without the ability to plan and execute.
Jon specializes in natural resource and environmental issues, including water quality, land use, and watershed and resource management. He conducts research and analysis and writes reports on a wide range of environmental issues. Jon also serves as the trust manager and secretary for the multimillion-dollar Great Lakes Fishery Trust, which is managed and staffed by PSC. In this role, he oversees project staff and provides fiscal management and strategic direction to the organization. Additionally, he works with local, state, and federal entities, universities, and nonprofit organizations to develop and administer projects that advance the mission of the GLFT.
Over the years, Jon has worked for several organizations-including a university-based policy research center; a trade association based in Washington, D.C.; and an environmental engineering and risk management company-which has helped him understand the multiple and differing views that shape public policy.
Whether buying a new bicycle or planning a vacation, Julie meticulously researches all of her options, weighs the costs and benefits, and triple-checks the numbers before making a decision. It is this innate desire to find the best solution that has led her to explore a wide spectrum of issues-from carbon exchange policy to fundraising for local nonprofits. For Julie, the world is full of policy problems just waiting to be solved-all that is needed is an endless curiosity and a willingness to dig into the challenge.
As a senior consultant at PSC, Julie brings her research and problem-solving skills to the talent and economic development team, where she crunches data, facilitates policy leaders through strategic planning sessions, and connects with community members to understand how policy directly impacts them. In a single day, she may even do all three. She also serves as one of the firm's go-to resources for education policy, nonprofit management, and issues related to poverty, equity, and access to services.
Before joining PSC, Julie served as the director of resource development at the Habitat for Humanity Capital Region, as the director of research and data initiatives at the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, and as a research associate at the University of Wisconsin's Center on Education and Work.
Julie's love for well-conceived public policy starts with her love of nature. Whether it's swimming, hiking, biking, or boating, the backdrop of her life is the environment she works every day to manage and protect. With more than 30 years of experience in environmental and energy policy as well as a shrewd sense of what is possible and practical, Julie is a state and national expert in the business community and a fierce champion for PSC in the public policy space.
As chief executive officer at PSC, Julie leads more than 60 talented staff members and affiliated consultants. She also spearheads the development and implementation of the firm's short- and long-term organizational plans as well as its sales and marketing strategies to realize PSC's mission of improving the quality of life for Michigan residents and beyond.
Julie is a master of strategic counsel, facilitation, research, and analysis on issues like energy, water quality, land use, community development, outdoor recreation, and natural resources management. She also plies her talents with Michigan Saves and the Great Lakes Fishery Trust-multimillion-dollar nonprofits founded with the support of her leadership. Before taking the helm as CEO, Julie served as senior vice president and led the firm's environment and energy practice.
Beyond her work at PSC, Julie also lends her inventive outlook and policy expertise to the Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, and the Hamburg Township Environmental Review Board. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in advocacy and research for the National Wildlife Federation and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations for Michigan Saves - Michigan
- Director of Operations, Michigan Saves
Kait loves diving headfirst into data and unruly situations, and PSC affords her an almost unlimited supply of both. Need to make sense of a lot of information? Establish order where things are unkempt? Kait's your girl. She has a knack for preparation and detail that arguably borders on obsessive, but it serves the firm's clients well. Whether it is by exercising resourcefulness or distilling complicated information, Kait is more than happy to assist.
Kait serves as the director of operations for Michigan Saves-Michigan's only and the nation's first nonprofit green bank-which provides favorable, low-interest financing solutions for residential and commercial energy-efficiency and renewable energy improvements. In this role, she oversees the multimillion-dollar organization's day-to-day operations while managing and fostering new relationships with private lending partners to ensure competitive loan offerings for Michigan's energy consumers.
In line with the principles of energy efficiency, Kait continuously seeks improvements to ensure optimal operational performance and support exceptional financing products and services, data, and processes. She even develops winning technological solutions-like the National Green Energy Network-a nationally shared digital platform that manages Michigan Saves' lending programs.
Kait leverages her infectious energy for Michigan Saves' mission and her formidable organizational and analytical skills to work closely with her team members and spur the organization's growth. The result is more than $200 million in energy improvements for Michigan families and organizations, leading to energy and money savings and-in the end-happy people.
Growing up, Kathryn Frens spent summers on Lake Macatawa, where she noticed blooms of purple loosestrife spreading along the shoreline. By the time she graduated high school, the purple stands were contracting, and she heard about ecologists' release of loosestrife beetles to control the invasive plant. This experience introduced her to the idea of science as a method for fixing real-world problems-and as a problem solver and nature lover, she was hooked.
It was this sense of practicality, as well as her passion for solving problems in the public interest, that drew Kathryn to PSC, where she works as a consultant on the energy and environment team. She conducts research and produces reports for clients, supports meeting facilitation and planning, and assists in proposal development. She also serves as a grant manager for the Great Lakes Fishery Trust in the Access, Research, and Habitat programs.
Kathryn comes to PSC most recently from the National Marine Fisheries Service, where she led implementation of her office's bycatch reduction activities, coordinated the national Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program, and conducted research into issues around ecosystem-based fishery management.
Job Titles:
- Customer Service Representative, Michigan Saves
From an early age, Katie has always been a planner. She would beg her mom to take her to the local AAA office so she could raid their rack of free brochures and guidebooks. She would use these resources to meticulously plan family vacations-plotting the route, picking the restaurants, selecting the hotels where they would stay, and determining which attractions they would visit. Her family usually didn't take these trips, but Katie loved every minute of the planning process: organizing, making lists, and plotting every tiny detail.
At PSC, Katie uses her love of planning and organization to keep the Michigan Saves Outreach Team running smoothly. Michigan Saves is a nonprofit organization managed by PSC that offers financing solutions for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements in homes, businesses, and public institutions statewide. As a customer service representative, when people reach out to Michigan Saves she is usually the first person they encounter. Being organized and prepared helps her anticipate customers' needs and problem solve with contractors. She combines her attention to detail with an affinity for teamwork to provide high-level administrative support to the Outreach Team.
Prior to joining PSC, Katie was a program coordinator for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. At the Orion/Oxford Club, she developed and implemented after-school and summer programs and activities for youth from six to 18 years old. She also served as a substitute elementary building secretary for Oxford Community Schools.
Job Titles:
- Director, Health and Human Services
Persistent inquisitiveness guides Katie to consume as much knowledge as possible at home and at work. This curiosity, paired with a refusal to live in ignorance, means that every project she touches is relentlessly researched. Asking questions and conducting thorough examination ensures that clients can make the best decisions possible based on complete, accurate, and up-to-date information.
As a director on the health and human services team, Katie uses her natural curiosity to conduct key informant interviews, where she can engage in structured and in-depth conversations with people in their areas of expertise. Katie conducts research and analysis on a variety of health and human services topics, including public and population health, behavioral health, health and dental insurance coverage, cancer survivorship, healthy aging, and child and adult vaccinations. She manages projects, designs and conducts program evaluations, writes research and evaluation reports, creates geographic data visualizations and analysis, facilitates strategic planning sessions and focus groups, conducts surveys and key informant interviews, and monitors state health policy.
Even before PSC, Katie was always focused on improving people's health. She brings years of experience working with the Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Talent and Economic Development
Kelly is a natural-born creator-from music to novels to smart technologies, she's at the cutting edge in all of her many facets. That focus on creation and growth serves her well when she's exploring and experimenting with new relationships between public policy and tech-bridging two seemingly unrelated worlds to generate new opportunities and positive outcomes for her clients.
As vice president of the talent and economic development team, Kelly specializes in community, economic, organizational, and workforce development as well as educational system improvement. She researches and analyzes policy for clients at the local, regional, and state levels, taking on challenges that range from broad policy development to tactical implementation. She's an efficient, hands-on leader, guiding processes and technological support to deliver real solutions.
Prior to PSC, Kelly spent 16 years of her career in the public and nonprofit sectors, including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the American Red Cross, implementing projects, programs, and systems to improve the lives of Michigan businesses and citizens.
Job Titles:
- Executive Coordinator, Michigan Saves
From the time she read her first chapter book, Charlotte's Web, Kelsey has never turned down a good story. Being a passionate and avid reader of all things fantasy has provided her with an open and inclusive mindset. These stories have taught her that differences, no matter how profound, do not have to be barriers to success and that unique perspectives often lead to the best solutions.
At PSC, Kelsey is a collaborative partner who helps the firm bring diverse groups together to solve real world issues. As the executive assistant supporting the energy and environment team, Kelsey also supports the two nonprofits that PSC staffs and manages, the Great Lakes Fishery Trust and Michigan Saves. In this role, she organizes calendars, schedules and arranges meetings, and provides administrative support for board meetings.
Kelsey comes to PSC from Delta Charter Township, where she worked as an administrative assistant and provided administrative support to the building department, which included processing permitting documentation and scheduling inspections.
Job Titles:
- Director, Content Marketing
Aside from her educational accomplishments and marketing and communication experience, Kristin takes great pride in an area of expertise that requires no accolades-internet sleuthing. She wields a simple search as her weapon of choice, expeditiously reviewing vast amount information and processing results into solutions that are unexpected and refined. Whether it's finding a solution to a complex communication challenge or uncovering the whereabouts of your high-school sweetheart, Kristin can find an answer.
As PSC's director of content marketing, Kristin's talent for unearthing interesting tidbits elevates our clients' content. She works with our team of content marketers to develop and execute communications strategies, all while tracking successes and pivoting, when necessary, along the way. She especially excels in projects that require her digital media and marketing prowess, where an unassuming search can be the first step towards her next bold idea.
Kristin spent several years helping nonprofits, economic development organizations, and universities across the state tell their stories in her role as a senior project manager at Kuntzsch Solutions-a consultancy that merged with PSC in 2016.
Job Titles:
- Senior Editor
- Senior Editor at PSC
Laurel has always had an affinity for the written word. Plotting stories, drafting essays on niche research topics, and waxing poetic or prosaic, they've never been shy with the pen (or keyboard). Add to those hobbies a keen eye for detail and a creative spirit, and you've got the outline for an editor that can turn just about any material into an engaging, high-quality report.
As senior editor at PSC, Laurel works with staff to improve and uphold communications standards for all written materials, mentoring staff and maintaining the in-house style guides. They make sure their colleagues feel confident working with varying audiences and that all of PSC's communications reflect the company's commitment to quality.
Before joining the firm, Laurel worked for Central Michigan University's writing center as a consultant and as the Writing Across the Curriculum coordinator, speaking with as many as 1,500 students yearly about personal, academic, and professional writing.
As a child, Lynne was taught to always trust but verify, and she verifies by seeking out the details. This mantra has become invaluable for Lynne, making her an indispensable resource for clients and colleagues who rely on her to meticulously manage details and meet overlapping project deadlines and outcomes with remarkable precision. She uses her wide range of skills to manage data, write technical manuals and reports, and serve clients.
As a director, Lynne works for the Michigan Department of Education's Catamaran system, a PSC-coordinated project that tracks special education data compliance with federal special education laws and regulations. Lynne has been a member of the Catamaran project team since 2006 and continues to meet the needs of clients and project partners. She enjoys helping the client envision what they need and seeing that idea through to completion by facilitating productive discussions that enhance the system and process for everyone. Perhaps her greatest strength is taking vast, dizzying lists of things to do and creating repeatable processes that ensure they are checked off in a thorough and timely manner.
Prior to joining PSC, Lynne worked as an office manager and legal assistant for the Bordelon Law Firm, overseeing administrative, human resource, and financial management operations. She also assisted the litigation and probate attorneys with client management and legal transcription.
Finding ways to enhance processes and identify new solutions has always intrigued Scott. Over the course of his career, he has been fortunate to apply that interest within local and state government systems and nonprofit structures. Scott's work is grounded in the belief that everything we do boils down to helping improve conditions and standards so that everyone can lead a productive life. After receiving his MBA, he became particularly focused on taking effective business practices and applying them in governmental settings.
Scott's work with public agencies and nonprofit organizations ultimately led him to the health and human services field. Now, as an affiliate consultant with PSC, he uses his vast experience to identify opportunities for collaborating with other entities to improve health outcomes and advance human potential.
Scott served as vice president on PSC's health team for several years before transitioning to an affiliate position. Before that, he led the Michigan Association of United Ways-a statewide association focused on the human services sector. There, his primary responsibilities included building innovative public/private partnerships and leveraging the resources of various sectors to better people's lives.