1. LaSonia Forté to Participate in Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit Class XLIII

    Mark Rivett posted October 19, 2022

    LaSonia Forté of The University of Michigan, OVP Government Relations has been selected to participate in the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit program, an eight-month transformational leadership program designed to challenge emerging and existing community leaders from Southeast Michigan to bring about positive change.

    LaSonia Forte

    LaSonia Forté, Associate Director of
    State Outreach, University of Michigan, OVP Government Relations.

    As a Detroit native, I am excited about the opportunity to learn from, and embark upon the Leadership Detroit experience with, this esteemed group of individuals who love and care about the people of the City of Detroit as much as me. I look forward to expanding my understanding of key issues facing the region and of ways I can contribute to the mission of making Detroit an even more wonderful place to live, work, and prosper,” said LaSonia Forté, Associate Director of State Outreach, University of Michigan, OVP Government Relations.

    As part of Leadership Detroit’s Class XLIII, Forte will join approximately 70 executives across Southeast Michigan, representing a cross-section of the community, including business, organized labor, government, education, media, civic groups, health services and community organizations.

    Devon O’Reilly, Detroit Regional Chamber Senior Director of Community Engagement and Leadership Development.

    Devon O’Reilly, Detroit Regional Chamber Senior Director of Community Engagement and
    Leadership Development.

    I am tremendously honored and excited to take the helm of Leadership Detroit and guide 43 rd class of outstanding individuals through this year’s program. Leadership Detroit offers a unique experience that takes leaders on a journey out of their comfort zones to challenge long- held assumptions and to embrace multiple and diverse perspectives on quality-of-life issues in the Detroit region,” said Devon O’Reilly, senior director of community engagement and leadership development. “Through carefully curated sessions and experiences throughout the year, this class will have an opportunity to better connect with each other, hear directly from key regional leaders across multiple sectors, and enhance their intangible skills that will help them shape this region’s future in their positions of leadership.

    As it has since 1979, Leadership Detroit will continue its role in addressing, discussing, and leading conversations important to the Detroit region.

    About Leadership Detroit

    Leadership Detroit is a community leadership program for executives in Southeast Michigan led by the Detroit Regional Chamber with more than 2,000 alumni. Launched in 1979, the annual, six-month program aims to create awareness of key issues that affect the Detroit region and to challenge emerging and existing community leaders to bring about positive change in the community through informed leadership.

    About the Detroit Regional Chamber

    Serving the business community for more than 100 years, the Detroit Regional Chamber is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected chambers of commerce in the country. As the voice for business in the 11-county Southeast Michigan region, the Chamber’s mission is carried out by creating a business-friendly climate and providing value for members. The Chamber leads the most comprehensive education and talent strategy in the state. The Chamber also executes the statewide automotive and mobility cluster association, MICHauto, and hosts the nationally recognized Mackinac Policy Conference.


  2. U-M launches SEAS Sustainability Clinic in Detroit to combat the effects of climate change, including residential flooding

    Mark Rivett posted November 10, 2021

    Read Full Story at SEAS

    Read more on The Detroit Free Press

    Building upon its mission to have a real-world impact for people, communities and businesses, the University of Michigan (U-M) School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) today announced the launch of the SEAS Sustainability Clinic. Its goal: improve the ability of the City of Detroit and nonprofits serving the City to address the impacts of climate change on the natural and built environment, human health, and the city’s finances—while working to enhance sustainability policy and action.

    The SEAS Sustainability Clinic is made possible through support from The Kresge Foundation, which has committed $1 million in funding over the next three years.

    Jonathan T. Overpeck, Ph.D.

    Jonathan T. Overpeck, Ph.D.

    “We are thrilled to partner with the Kresge Foundation, which has a real understanding of the need for capacity and for institutions, such as ours, to help serve as problem solvers and bridge builders. As we begin this new chapter of resident engagement, I know that we will benefit from the Kresge legacy of community-driven collaboration,” said Jonathan Overpeck, the Samuel A. Graham Dean and William B. Stapp Collegiate Professor of Environmental Education at SEAS.

    The SEAS Sustainability Clinic is part of an overarching statewide SEAS initiative. Slated to launch in 2022, the statewide Michigan Sustainability Clinic will work across Michigan with the goal to support the vision that the Great Lakes State lead the nation in the implementation of 21st Century resilientinfrastructures that address climate impact, racial inequity, unemployment, and economic fallout from the global pandemic.

    Read Full Story at SEAS

    Read more on The Detroit Free Press


  3. The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) launches BuyDetroit procurement portal

    Mark Rivett posted October 26, 2021

    Read more here

    The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) has launched and is continuing to develop the BuyDetroit online procurement portal. The overall goal of the procurement portal is to bring more Detroit-based, diverse, small businesses into the arena of procurement. In addition to the features on the portal which support procurement processes, the BuyDetroit portal will also contain an educational curriculum to prepare inexperienced suppliers to participate in the procurement process.

    Our team’s work begins with the educational aspect of the BuyDetroit portal. Our team was tasked with designing the experience for the educational modules in the portal while considering the needs of users on both sides of the procurement process.

    Before designing, our team conducted survey and interview research with small suppliers who will be the primary users of the educational modules as well as Buyers Council members who are helping fund the BuyDetroit portal and are invested in seeing suppliers learn and succeed. Next, our team conducted research on the platform on which the portal lives and therefore where the educational modules will live called Connect Space. This part of our research was imperative in understanding the constraints under which the educational module would be designed.

    Read more here