Michigan State University's Michigan Political Leadership Program announced the 24 emerging leaders who will become the program's class of 2012.
"We are delighted to announce the class of 2012," said Douglas Roberts, 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.
MPLP Fellows are competitively selected from candidates from all professions and all corners of Michigan. Fellows are named each winter from among candidates who express an interest in the program at any time during the year.
Nearly half of MPLP's graduates are serving or have serviced in elected or appointed positions. In November 2010, 14 MPLP alumni were elected or re-elected to state House seats.
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 28th 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.
Full biographies of the MPLP class of 2012 may be found here.
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