Membership in an MPELRA Committee is fun and interesting. It provides an opportunity for closer interaction with other members, provides a path to leadership in the organization and doesn’t require much work. All you have to do to join is contact the Committee Chair and indicate your interest. You can use the email address listed here or login and look up the phone number in the membership directory.
Annual Conference Committee
This committee plans the annual training conference which is currently held at Shanty Creek in Bellaire, Michigan. Members are involved in identifying topics, scheduling speakers, planning social activities, and site coordination. The committee is chaired by MPELRA’s 1st Vice President.
Chairperson: Jana Baylis baylis@ceicmh.org
Committee Members:
- Catherine Brechtelsbauer
- Russ Claggett
- Desiree Foster
- Pam Gordon
- Mari Beth Jelks
- Shelli Neumann
- Tony Skowronski
- Natalie Trent
- Jessica Unangst
- Sue Vander Pol
- Barbara Wise-Johnson
- Christine Catalanotte (Sponsorship)
- Kim Archambault (Golf Outing)
Bylaws Committee
Potential changes to the bylaws of the MPELRA Board of Directors are researched by this committee, suggests the necessary language revisions and ensures the board-approved is presented to the membership in a timely manner.
Chairperson: Tony Skowronski ttskowro@stcs.org
Committee Members:
- Russ Claggett
- Steve Stratton
Finance Committee
The Board created this committee to review financial policies and procedures and to work with the Treasurer to ensure succession planning.
Chairperson: Joe Valentine jvalentine@ci.birmingham.mi.us
Committee Members:
- Dave Benda
- Jane Parpart
- Tony Skowronski
- Barbara Wise-Johnson
Programs Committee
Chaired by the newest MPELRA Board Officer, the 2nd Vice-President, the committee plans the one-day training sessions in March, June, and December.
Chairperson: James Mitchell mitch94@lcc.edu
Committee Members:
- Tracy Byard
- Valerie Colbert-Osamuede
- Morgan McKittrick
- Stephanie Murray
- Karin Tuthill
- Barbara Wise-Johnson
Membership & Marketing Committee
This is a very active committee that works to improve services and MPELRA visibility to members. It also works with MPELRA sponsors and recommends and implements strategies to encourage new membership.
Chairperson: Amy Holda amyholda@hr.msu.edu
Committee Members:
- Anne Figueroa
- Julie Laxton
- Shelli Neumann
- Travis Parsons
- Precious Walton
- Derrick Washington
Legislative Committee
This committee tracks legislative actions that pertain to labor relations, and advises the Board of Directors, and may provide written or oral testimony to inform legislators about the potential impact of legislation.
Chairperson: Joe Valentine jvalentine@ci.birmingham.mi.us
Committee Members:
Strategic Planning Committee
This committee facilitates the board’s strategic planning process, oversees the development of strategic planning documents, and monitors progress through periodic updates to the board.
Chairperson: Eric Herppich eherppich@oakland.edu
Committee Members:
- Rick Fanning
- Valerie Murphy-Goodrich
- Derrick Washington
- Barbara Wise-Johnson
Website Committee
This committee is responsible for maintaining and improving mpelra.org, making recommendations for improvement and increasing the practical applications of the website.
Chairperson: Lisa Suida lsuida@shelbytwp.org
Committee Members:
- Dave Benda
- Steve Stratton
- Blaine Wing
Manual Update Committee
This committee is in charge of coordinating the periodic updates of the MPELRA Manual. It also coordinates the sales of the MPELRA manual to labor relations professionals and higher education. Bulk rates are available for purchases of three or more.
Chairperson: Barbara Wise-Johnson barbarawisejohnson@yahoo.com
Committee Members:
- Cathy Brechtelsbauer
- Hannan Goldman
- Steve Schwartz
- John Willems
Venue Committee
The Venue Committee investigates alternative locations for Training Seminars, Board Meetings, and the Annual Conference, and reports findings to the Board of Directors to inform decisions on upcoming meetings.
Chairperson: Eric Herppich eherppich@oakland.edu
Committee Members:
- Desiree Foster
- Travis Parsons
- Barbara Wise-Johnson
Sponsorship Committee
The Sponsorship Committee identifies and retains sponsors to assist in the promotion and presentation of programs and conferences for MPELRA members.
Chairperson: Eric Herppich eherppich@oakland.edu
Committee Members:
- Christine Catalanottee
- Jodie Kramer