Meet Our Board

CHERYL HUTCHINSON Board Chair

Cheryl, Board Chair, is a developer focused on repurposing buildings using "green" practices. After developing LEED Platinum projects in California, she returned to where she grew up and restored the Historic Suttons Bay Stone Schoolhouse. Cheryl spent 20 years in travel technology, and over 10 years in nonprofit fundraising. She recently restored an 1890 lodge near Suttons Bay, to be used as a yoga and executive retreat, named The Lee Point Retreat.

JULIE METTY BENNETT

Julie is CEO of Public Sector Consultants, one of the state’s most respected public policy firms. She has led groundbreaking research on electric reliability and capacity, created and managed multimillion-dollar nonprofits and facilitated the governor’s 21-Century Infrastructure Commission. In addition to her broad corporate leadership duties, Julie manages the firm’s energy and environment practice and PSC’s new lines of business in marketing and communications, program management, and implementation.

Marshall Collins

Marshall Collins

Marshall Collins is the Regional School Health and DEIB Coordinator for Northwest Education Services, which includes oversight of NorthEd's SNAP ED Program, LifeSPAN, and Farm-to-School programs. He also serves as the Rec Director of Traverse Bay Area Youth Soccer. Marshall’s work also supports furthering Social Justice in the Grand Traverse area. Previously, he worked ten years at Northport Public School, where he taught K-12 physical education, health, and social studies, and served as a coach and Athletic Director.

Betsy Corbett

BETSY CORBETT

Betsy is a fifth-generation Traverse City native and is currently an owner / director of the RE/MAX Bayshore real estate brokerage and Brick & Corbett real estate team. She brings 15 years’ experience in growing real estate brands, managing teams, and selling real estate, with an expertise in business development, brand strategy, and marketing. Betsy's passion for connecting people and building relationships in pursuit of stronger communities ties in perfectly with Groundwork.

JOHN "CHIP" HOAGLAND

Chip is dedicated to smart land-use policies and building the local food economy. He is the owner and visionary behind Cherry Capital Foods, a local food distribution business headquartered in northwest Michigan and now serving the entire state. He also owns a number of other food-related companies. Groundwork honored Chip with the Milliken Leadership Award in 2016.

Jean Kerver

JEAN KERVER

Jean Kerver, PhD, MSc, RD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University (MSU). As a nutritional epidemiologist and a registered dietitian, Kerver has spent her career developing effective ways to promote health and well-being for families living in poverty or facing other challenges. Dr. Kerver’s position in Traverse City, Michigan, is part of an innovative new model designed to place faculty in rural communities where MSU educates medical students, with the primary goal of developing a community-driven research agenda.

Martha Lancaster

MARTHA LANCASTER

Martha has been retired for eight years from a career in health and human service administration and development, including a long tenure at Planned Parenthood of Northern Michigan. While making time for a variety of recreation pursuits in and around her Harbor Springs home, Martha volunteers for several human service and environmental organizations. The cause that currently occupies most of her attention is working to bring public transit to Emmet County. She is hopeful that Emmet will soon join all the other northern Michigan counties that have public transit systems.

Michael Lyman

MICHAEL LYMAN Treasurer

Michael Lyman, Board Treasurer, is the North America Strategy and Consulting Leader for Accenture, a Fortune 500 company that specializes in Strategy and Technology Consulting. In this role at Accenture, Michael works with C-Suite executives to innovate and develop digital strategies that transform their organizations. He leads Accenture’s Open Innovation and Sustainability Practices, with material contributions to World Economic Foundation research. Michael is passionate about innovation and education. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Illinois, including two terms as chairman.

Marcie Meditch

MARCIE MEDITCH

Marcie Meditch, AIA, has nearly 40 years of architectural design experience. She founded Meditch Murphey Architects along with co-founder John Dennis Murphey in 2000. The firm has melded influences of vernacular architecture from around the world with a passion for environmentally sustainable design—a green approach they see as inseparable from good design. Meditch Murphey Architects has won many local and national awards.

Bill Milligan

BILL MILLIKEN

Bill Milliken was elected as a trustee and serves as vice-chair of the board of Washtenaw Community College. He was 2013 president of Michigan Realtors, currently has a seat on their board—and is broker/owner of Milliken Realty Co., the Ann Arbor commercial real estate brokerage firm he founded in 1996. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Bill to a 6-year term on the Mackinac Bridge Authority, where he serves as vice-chair. He served as president of the Commercial Board of REALTORS@; a director of Republic Bancorp, board chair of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce and of Michigan Planned Parenthood.

ROGER NEWTON

Roger has worked in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries during his 40-year career as a research scientist. He has been a longtime member and board member, and is a former chairman of Groundwork. He and his wife, Coco, have been strong supporters of the Farms, Food, and Health Program. He is passionate about Groundwork partnering with local farmers and their organizations to bring clean, untainted food into the center of personal health and well-being.

Denis Pierce

DENIS PIERCE

Denis is a partner in the law firm of McCalla, Raymer, Leibert, Pierce, a Chicago real-estate law firm, and the founder and president of the Pierce Family Charitable Foundation. His foundation works primarily with helping to solve the problems of homelessness in Chicago. He is also a supporter of a number of environmental and community organizations in the Traverse City area. He summers on Glen Lake.

Stephanie Rustem

STEPHANIE RUSTEM

Stephanie is the Program and Fundraising Coordinator for Discovery Center in Traverse City, which works to connect all people to the
Great Lakes. She is passionate about making nature accessible for all and believes environmental justice is central to the future of a sustainable planet.

Maureen Smyth

MAUREEN SMYTH

Maureen is a longtime Groundwork supporter, retired from the CS Mott Foundation, where she worked in the communications department before becoming a grant maker, developing the Great Lakes Land and Water Resources funding program, and then serving as senior vice president. A former board chair, Maureen skillfully guided the Board of Directors to support Groundwork's mission and has recently resumed her role as board member at large.

Lauren Teichner

LAUREN TEICHNER

Lauren is the principal public interest environmental attorney at Teichner Law in Traverse City. She concentrates on local and statewide environmental law, land use and zoning law, and municipal law. She engages in strategic advocacy and community lawyering on behalf of individuals, citizens groups, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders who are both actively defending fragile environmental resources and enhancing sustainability practices. Lauren is dedicated to safeguarding the health, accessibility, and preservation of natural resources during this pivotal moment for our planet.

Joe Van Alstine, Little Traverse Bay Bands

JOE VAN ALSTINE

Joe Van Alstine serves as the Program Director of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Food Distribution Program. During his spare time he serves as the Midwest Region President with a seat as Vice President of the National Association of Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations (NAFDPIR), representing 276 Indian Tribal Organizations
throughout Indian Country.

Mary Van Valin

MARY VAN VALIN

Mary is a respected activist in the community. She is a former teacher, and recently helped advance a public park on Old Mission Peninsula. Mary is involved in many community initiatives, including leading the effort to install solar panels on a local school and coordinating an initiative to help students become advocates for climate solutions.

HANS VOSS

Hans, Executive Director, keeps Groundwork effective by collaborating with staff on program strategy, cultivating relationships with key allies, and working with the Board, donors, and foundations to strengthen financial health. Hans’ longtime leadership makes him a credible spokesman and partner for the economic power of sustainable communities.

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