Education is changing faster than ever, and so are we.

Amanda Wagenschutz is vice president of people and culture operations for CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy. Wagenschutz is responsible for operationalizing the company’s talent strategy across the organization, with a focus on cultivating the company’s purpose-driven culture and creating a positive experience for all co-workers.

Passionate for leadership coaching, organizational development, and high-performing teams, Wagenschutz has been a people leader and change-maker for more than 20 years. Since joining the company in 2012, her commitment to a world-class experience for all co-workers has been the core of her Consumers Energy career.

Wagenschutz holds a master’s degree in management with a concentration in human resources from Walsh College. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University, where she focused on human resources development and specialized in training and development.

After graduating from I.U. with a Bachelor of Science in finance in 1978, Mr. Burks joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in Indianapolis, he later transferred to Detroit. He received a CPA certification in 1980. Burks was admitted to the partnership in 1991. For over 30 years, Mr. Burks delivered a full range of audit and related business advisory services to clients in the retail, government, higher education sectors, as well as real estate, manufacturing, and financial services companies. Mr. Burks was the partner in charge of the education and nonprofit practice for the Midwest Region of PWC, he retired in June 2012.

Mr. Burks is recognized as a leader and key decision-maker in the City of Detroit; he was appointed by the Governor of Michigan to the Detroit Financial Advisory Board.

Brian Broderick serves as the executive director of the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools. In that role, he serves as the state representative to the Council of American Private Education. He chairs the Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees and sits on the Boards of Michigan Youth in Government, the Felician Sisters Childcare Centers, and the Education Alliance of Michigan.

Mr. Broderick earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Wayne State University in 1998, a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in 1991, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1988.  He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

Brian and his wife, Donna reside in Plymouth. They have two children in college.

Prentiss Brown is an attorney with Prentiss M. Brown, P.C., St. Ignace, engaged in the representation of Native Americans. He is a former prosecuting attorney for Mackinac County and general law practitioner. Mr. Brown is a member of the First National Bank of St. Ignace’s board of directors. A graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law, he is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and Iowa State Bar Association. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Albion College. Mr. Brown is a senior judge of the Saginaw-Chippewa Tribal Court in Mount Pleasant.

Rossi Ray-Taylor, PhD., is the president and CEO of Ray.Taylor and Associates, L.L.C., a consultancy that specializes in program evaluation, school transformation and turnaround, equity audits, and executive coaching. She is the former superintendent of Ann Arbor Schools, deputy superintendent for instruction for the Lansing Public Schools, and the former executive director of the national nonprofit organization Minority Student Achievement Network.

Dr. Ray-Taylor holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University. Her Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Psychology with a specialty in learning & cognition and measurement & evaluation is also from Michigan State.

A Muskegon native, Bob Filka has served the Home Builders Association of Michigan for 15 years. Filka has 35 years of government and policy experience in both Washington, D.C. and Lansing. Early in his career, he was a legislative aide to the late Grand Rapids-area Congressman Paul Henry. Upon returning to Michigan, he served as a policy advisor to Governor John Engler.  He was appointed by Engler as president of the Michigan Strategic Fund and became part of the original executive leadership group that created the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.  Bob is active in numerous organizations and has served stints as chair of the Habitat for Humanity of Michigan Board of Directors and Michigan Virtual among others.

Daniel F. Kiblawi, retired, is the former president and CEO of Egelhof Controls Corporation, a multi-national automotive supplier specializing in control devices for air conditioning systems. He positioned the company for future success and growth by leading the transition to the electric and hybrid vehicle market for air conditioning and battery cooling control devices. The company’s product line was revamped and the value content per vehicle was increased several-fold. Prior to that, Kiblawi held a variety of executive and leadership positions in the Automotive Tier 1 industry.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and an MBA from Michigan State University.

Wendy Zdeb became the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) in August of 2011. Wendy spent 16 years in public education, six years as a teacher, and 10 years as an administrator. She began her career as a teacher and a coach at Warren Fitzgerald High School. She then went on to become AP and AD at St. Clair High School in St. Clair County. Wendy concluded her career in public education as the principal at Rochester High School. She has an education specialist degree and a master’s in educational leadership, both from Saginaw Valley State University and a bachelor’s degree in English and history from Western Michigan University.

Tiffany C. Taylor boasts 20 years of experience in education, non-profit, and the public sector. Formerly, she led Teach For America–Detroit as an Executive Director and later advanced TFA’s 51 regions as a national vice president. Now, Tiffany is a Partner and Chief People and Impact Officer at Global Silicon Valley Ventures, targeting the expansive global education and workforce sector. Actively engaged in her community, she holds positions with the Joyce Ivy Foundation, Black Family Development Institute Training, Tutored by Teachers, the AI Education Project and more. Recognized by the Walker’s Legacy Foundation and Microsoft for her contributions, Tiffany champions economic development and educational innovation. A Detroit native and Detroit public school graduate, Tiffany holds degrees from the University of Michigan, St. Joseph’s University, the University of Maryland, and has completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School.

Johnson was selected as the President of MCCA in December 2021. Prior to this role, she served in the Governor’s administration, first as Governor Whitmer’s education policy advisor and later as a manager of the Office of Sixty by 30 within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. In 2010, she founded the Michigan College Access Network and served as its Executive Director until 2019. Johnson also was an education policy fellow under Governor Jennifer Granholm. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in public policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Johnson was also appointed by Governor Whitmer to represent Michigan on the Midwest Higher Education Compact and served on Governor Snyder’s 21st Century Education Commission. She lives in East Lansing with her husband, Will Repko, and their two small children. 

Dr. Severson is the Executive Director of MAISA. Previously, he served as Superintendent of Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, Superintendent of Harper Creek Community Schools, Administrator of Community Education for Portage Public Schools, Principal of Harper Creek High School, and has held several positions in alternative educational programs. Dr. Severson holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. Dr. Severson has championed successful projects with the local Chamber, Foundation, United Way, Rotary, multiple health organizations, businesses, private and public community organizations, legislative leaders, higher education institutions, parents, students, staff, and local school districts. He recognizes that we must take a whole-child approach when solving problems. Most importantly, John states, “Amazing outcomes will happen for the children we serve when we work as one.” John has a passion for working with teams to develop systems that ensure every child’s success. He believes the problems we face today can only be solved when we collaborate and build strong relationships to solve problems through the lens of those we serve. As the director, he will focus on those best practices that ensure all students are well, graduate on time, and have great futures.