Summer Summit 2023 Presenters and Moderators

Shari Chamberlain: Shari Chamberlain has been serving as the Admissions Transfer Coordinator and Counselor at Ferris State University for over 20 years. In this position, Shari assists college transfer students with all steps involved in the enrollment process. As a first-generation student that began her post-secondary education at Alpena Community College and later transferred to Ferris State University, Shari enjoys assisting college students with their transfer processes. Shari earned her B.S. degree from Ferris State University. Over the years, Shari has attended many MACRAO events and has chaired and served on the MACRAO College Day/Night committee.

Emily Clement: Emily Clement has been at Delta since 2006 and is currently the Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and the Downtown Bay City Center. In this role she works with postsecondary institutions to establish transfer agreements and manages the staff and operations at Delta’s Bay City Center/Planetarium. She has served on numerous committees, including two years as Chair for the Executive Committee for the Administrative or Professional Staff (ECAPS). She was honored to serve three years as Delta’s Grade Ombudsman, as a Senator and as a member of the Student/Senate Liaison committee.

Emily is Delta’s Transfer Liaison for MiTransfer Pathways, MiWorkforce Pathways, Industry Credentials and other initiatives focused on increasing associate and bachelor’s degree completion among transfer students in the state of Michigan. She also served as campus lead for the Degrees When Due (DWD) adult reengagement project and the Right Math Right Time (RMRT) initiative.

Emily has been involved in MACRAO for 16 years and is currently a member of the College Articulation Committee. She previously served as this committee’s Chair, Co-chair and Secretary. Her involvement with MACRAO includes numerous conference presentations and participation with the Nominations Committee, the Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee, Conference Planning Committee and the Legislative Committee.

Kelley Holcomb: Kelley Holcomb has been the Transfer and Articulation Coordinator at Washtenaw Community College since December 2019. Prior to working at WCC, Kelley worked in admissions at Eastern Michigan University and Adrian College. Kelley earned her BBA and MA from Eastern Michigan University.

Sarah Hubbell: Sarah Hubbell is the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sarah has been working in higher education for over 15 years and earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University.

Darby Johnsen: Since 1996, Darby has worked in a variety of community colleges—rural, urban, and multi-campus—in diverse roles—as faculty, coordinator, director, and dean. A committed bibliophile, her degrees in English language and literature have served her well throughout her career. Currently Darby serves as the Dean of Arts and Sciences at West Shore Community College, where the college’s mission to make the community a better place in which to learn, live, work, and prosper aligns with Darby’s core values of collaboration, creativity, and integrity. Outside of work and reading, Darby enjoys exploring new cuisines and landscapes in Michigan and beyond.

Michelle McGill: Michelle McGill is the Director for Transfer Services & University Relations at Macomb Community College. She has been working at Macomb in various roles for over fourteen years. Michelle earned her Master of Management from Walsh College and her B.S. from Rochester University.

Carly Miller: Carly Miller joined Oakland University in 2022 and serves as Assistant Registrar for Transfer Articulation. In this role she works to develop and maintain Articulation Agreements as well as oversee the team that coordinates and maintains OU's transfer guides. Prior to Oakland University, Carly worked in Admissions at Lawrence Technological University for 9 years. Carly earned her B.A.A. from Central Michigan University and her M.A. from Eastern Michigan University.

Mia Murphy: Mia Murphy serves as the Chief Policy Officer of the Michigan Association of State Universities, having joined the Association in July 2015. In the CPO role, she manages a broad portfolio of initiatives; researches and promotes effective policy for the state’s public universities; advises the CEO; and is the convener of or liaison to 16 of the 19 MASU committees. She partners with the member universities, state officials, lawmakers, and other organizations on higher education public policy, especially data, finance, and legal issues. Mia was previously with the State Budget Office of Michigan from 2008 – 2015, serving most of that time as the senior analyst for postsecondary education.

Mia has earned a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Michigan State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education program at Michigan State University.

Erica Orians: Erica Orians is the Executive Director of the Michigan Center for Student Success at the Michigan Community College Association where she leads efforts to improve equitable student outcomes emphasizing linkages between policy, practice, and research. 

Zach Reichard: Zach Reichard has been the Assistant Registrar at Michigan State University since 2022, and has worked in higher education since 2016. Zach earned his M.Ed. from Ohio University and his BA from Western Michigan University.

Hannah Schoenfeld: Hannah Schoenfeld is the Associate Registrar of Auditing and Curriculum at Grand Valley State University where she works closely with advisors and the auditing staff to ensure that program requirements are up-to-date. She also works closely with the Commencement planning team. Hannah has been in this role for almost a year, but has been in the Registrar’s Office at GVSU for a total of 6 years. Hannah earned her M.Ed. from GVSU and her BA from Hope College.

Kristin Simon: Kristin Simon is the Registrar at Mid Michigan College and started in that role in June 2022. She has worked in Registrar’s Offices at various institutions for the last 10 years. She joined the MACRAO Registrar’s Practices Committee in January 2023.

DeeDee Stakley: Dr. DeeDee Stakley currently serves as Ferris State University’s Office of Transfer and Secondary School Partnerships Director. In her current role, Dr. Stakley oversees college credit opportunities for high school students, academic transfer processes and transfer guides, assessment of prior learning, credit for industry credentials and course equivalency coordination.

Deedee currently serves as the MACRAO Annual Conference Committee chair and the Transfer Liaison for Statewide Initiatives. Prior to working at Ferris, she had 17 years of community college experience working with adults and high school students to help them develop a seamless transition to college. She also provides educational consulting services related to partnerships between secondary and postsecondary partners.

Stakley holds a Doctorate in Community College Leadership from Ferris State University, a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Organizational Development from Spring Arbor University and an Associates in General Studies from Lake Michigan College.

Jill Sweet: Jill Sweet has worked at West Shore Community College for over 20 years, working as Registrar for the past 12 years. She has participated in many MACRAO events during that time, and has been a member of the Registrar's Practices committee since 2020-2021.

Amber Thomas (Pronouns: she/her):  Amber is currently the Director of Transfer and Academic Partnerships at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) where she works to visualize and forge transfer pathways through policy and partnership development along curriculum assessment and design. Amber has been working at CCS for fifteen years.

A first gen student who began her undergraduate journey at Oakland Community College, transferring to Wayne State, and completing her BFA at the College for Creative Studies- Amber has a vested interest in transfer equity and is passionate about helping future students navigate this journey successfully.

Katie Witkowski: Katie Witkowski joined the Michigan Community College Association in November 2022 as the Director of Government and External Affairs. In her role, Katie supports the President in designing and executing the MCCA’s advocacy and communication strategies in partnership with member colleges. Katie previously worked in the Michigan Legislature for 10 years, most recently serving as Chief of Staff to the chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Universities and Community Colleges.

Katie earned a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in political science from Grand Valley State University.