Email: Melissa Kaplan

Email: Ami Ewald

Email: David Siwik

Website: Google News

Website: News Literacy Project

Email: Melissa Kaplan

Email: Ami Ewald

Email: Michael Kohon

Website: Google News

Website: Pink Slime Journalism

Website: News Literacy Project

Email: Melissa Kaplan

Email: Ami Ewald

Michael Kohon

Website: Google News

Website: Pink Slime Journalism

Website: News Literacy Project

Email: Melissa Kaplan

Email: Ami Ewald

Email: Bernie Porn

Website: EPIC-MRA

Email: Charles Moore

Website: Charles Moore

Website: Apropos of Running

Email: Steven L. Bridges

Website: The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

Website: Resistance Training exhibit and brochure

Barb Whitney: Email

Website: Barb Whitney Art

Website: Michigan Arts Education and Instruction Assessment Project (MAEIA)

Chad Swan-Badgero: Email

Website: Michigan Arts and Culture Council

Email: Lauren Mudry

Website: Lauren Mudry

Email: Clara Martinez

LinkedIn: Clara Martinez

Website: Michigan Arts and Culture Council Rising Leaders

Email: Dr. Toni Glasscoe

Website: LCC Community Engagement

Website: LCC External Affairs

Email: Mikeyy Austin

Webiste: Our Space (517)

Website: Mikeyy Austin Music

Facebook: Mikeyy Austin Music

Rudy Valdez is a Michigan-raised, New York City-based filmmaker committed to creating social, cultural, and political stories through a cinematic and meaningful lens. An alum of LCC's Theatre Studio Program, Rudy got his start in film as a camera operator on the Peabody Award-winning Sundance series Brick City. He then shot and directed a true passion project, The Sentence (HBO), winning a Primetime Emmy and a Sundance Film Festival Audience Award among others. Recent projects include Breakaway (ESPN) and We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix), as well as currently directing the definitive feature documentary of Carlos Santana. http://www.rudyvaldez.com/

Andy Callis is a Theatre director and professor at LCC since 1999 where he’s taught hundreds of students, and directed dozens of plays, in the community and professionally. He holds a M.F.A. in Directing from Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he was founding Artistic Director of ShawChicago, earning Chicago Reader Critics Choice awards. A multi-instrumentalist, Andy leads the band Atomic B00gal00, and performs with various area bands on keyboards and accordion.

Website: Rudy Valdez

Website: The Rudy Valdez Scholarship at LCC

Twitter: The Reel Rudy V.

Email: Andy Callis

Website: LCC Theatre and Dance

Facebook: LCC Performing Arts

Charla Yingling, LCSW, received her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Michigan State University. While there, she completed the Clinical Social Work with Families Certification Program. Charla also holds a Master’s in Telecommunications and Urban Studies. At PAR Rehab, Charla provides psychotherapy services to an ethnically diverse client population of varying ages. She works with individuals, couples, families, and children. Her clinical interests include working with people who struggle with anxiety, depression, identity issues, stress management, and couple/family relational concerns. She is member of the National Association of Social Workers.

Louise Rabidoux, MA, LPC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor with LCC’s Counseling Services where she facilitates personal and educational development through counseling and advocacy. She assists students in identifying concerns, developing strengths and coping skills, and achieving academic and personal success. Special counseling interests include grief and loss, sexual assault, relationship violence, depression and anxiety, coping with change, developmental challenges, and post-traumatic stress. Louise holds a Master’s in Counseling from Michigan State University, a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Michigan University, and she is an LGBTQ+ ally.

Contacts

Email: Louise Rabidoux

Website: LCC Counseling

Email: Charla Yingling

Website: PAR Rehab

Resources

Website: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Website: Speaking of Suicide

Website: The Trevor Project

Website: Please Stay Video Program

For those with insurance, contact your insurance company for a list of in-network mental health providers. Some employers provide Employee Assistance Programs, too; inquire with your HR department.

Leah Dack is a student as well as an employee in LCC’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program. She is working toward her Airframe and Powerplant license, as well as her General Education associate degree. She is proud to be one of eight women graduating in 2023 from the program. Leah attended ground school through the Wilson Talent Center in 2018-19, but decided maintenance was more interesting. When she isn’t at school or working, she likes to walk her dog and spend time with family. She is looking forward to what the future holds!

Mark Bathurst is Director of LCC’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program, responsible for FAA regulatory requirements compliance, student recruiting, financial oversight, hiring of staff and instructors, and community outreach. During his tenure, enrollment significantly increased to capacity, the facilities are expanding, and Delta Air Lines selected LCC as one of the few partnered aviation maintenance schools in the nation. Mark has extensive commercial and military aviation experience. He served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force as a cargo aircraft instructor and evaluator pilot on both active duty and in the Reserves, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. His commercial career spans 35 years, flying for United Airlines as a captain with over 24,000 flight hours, and serving as an instructor pilot, check airman, and instrumental working with Boeing on the B-777 cockpit design and United’s 777 pilot training course. While at United, he was head of the United pilots’ union and a United Airlines’ Board of Directors member. He serves on the aviation advisory boards of three county career centers, has lectured at UM’s Ross School of Business and the Harvard Business School, and taught a course at University of Denver.

Nicole Noll-Williams is President and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority, operating the Capital Region International Airport and Mason Jewett Field. Her more than 25 years of aviation experience began with United Airlines/United Express as a Station Manager and Regional Sales Manager, and includes past Director of Marketing and Passenger Development for the Airport Authority where her efforts were key in developing direct service from Lansing to Washington D.C. and international markets. Previously, she was U.S. Sen. Gary C. Peter’s Mid-Michigan Regional Director, and was Director of Sales for Spartan Travel. Nicole is a board member of LEAP, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan, MSU Global Business Advisory Council, the Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE) Legislative Committee, is Habitat for Humanity Capital Region Board chair, and is a Certified Member of Airports Council International. She received the distinguished ATHENA Award, given to a woman who has achieved excellence in her profession, served the community and mentored women. She is married to Keith Williams and has two daughters.

Email: Mark Bathurst

Website: LCC Aviation Technology Maintenance Program

Email: Nicole Noll-Williams

Website: Capital Region Airport Authority

Facebook: Fly Lansing

Jess Stevens, LLMSW, works with teens, adults and couples struggling with life transitions, school related issues, trauma, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, stress, family issues and other difficulties, providing LGBTQIA+ and gender non-confirming affirmative care. Jess has experience and training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

Layne Ingram is the Chief of Staff for Special Projects Coordinator in the Office of the President and the head women’s basketball coach at LCC. A former collegiate and pro basketball player, he is a Transgender man and an LGBTQIA+ advocate, an accomplished public speaker and a national presenter with a passion for raising awareness of and supporting the Trans community, specifically youth and teens. Layne is a strong advocate for people being exactly who they are and living their lives as authentically as they can.

Email: Layne Ingram

Website: The Reconstructed Man Podcast

Blog: The Right Layne Blog

Twitter: The Right Layne

Email: Jess Stevens

Website: Rooted Counseling

Other resources:

Website: GLAAD

Website: GLSEN

Website: PFLAG

Website: Salus Center

Website: The Trevor Project

Jayden Hewitt is a Journalism major at LCC in his third year and a reporter with The Lookout. He grew up in Lansing and Holt, MI, attending Holt High School, and hopes to transfer to a four-year university to continue his studies after LCC.

Ami Ewald is the Information Literacy Lead Librarian at Lansing Community College. With a passion for information and teaching, she strives to help the LCC community develop information literacy skills that they can use in their personal and professional life.

Berl Schwartz, the founder of City Pulse, has been a professional journalist for more than 50 years as a newspaper reporter, editor and publisher as well as host of “City Pulse on the Air” on the Impact radio station at Michigan State University for more than a decade. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Before starting City Pulse in 2001, he worked for newspapers in Philadelphia and York, PA; Louisville, KY; Knoxville, TN; and his hometown of Toledo. He was Washington bureau chief of United Press International and features editor of Scripps-Howard’s Newspapers’ Washington bureau. He moved to Lansing in 1994 to become general manager of The State News at MSU, where he also taught journalism. Among his favorite assignments were being Scripps Howard’s bureau chief at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and interviewing John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Email: Ami Ewald

Website: About library instruction at LCC

Website: “Good process and good culture goes a long way to mitigating personal bias” from the librarians at Los Angeles Valley College. “Bias vs. Agenda” Information Evaluation Los Angeles Valley College Library, 10 October 2022

Website: The Lookout

Email: Berl Schwartz

Website: Lansing City Pulse

Mary Stucko is a professor and the faculty chair of the Insurance and Risk Management program which she was instrumental in developing five years ago in LCC’s School of Business. She hosts the Education Unfiltered podcast for Spotlight Media, has served as a mentor in LEAP’s One and All program, and also teaches part-time at Davenport University. Mary received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Michigan State University, and was president of the Mary Stucko Agency, Farm Bureau Insurance from 2006-2016.

Mike Maurer is a Divisional Director, Business Development at Accident Fund (AF) Insurance Company, based in Lansing, leading marketing and underwriting in four regions and 12 states. He started in the insurance industry in 1988 as an underwriter in training at Citizens Insurance Company in Howell, MI, and joined AF in 2008. In 2014, Mike received the AF Group Leader of the Year award. He is very committed to insurance industry education and played a key role in creating an insurance program for high school students. The Michigan Insurance Hall of Fame inducted him in 2017 due to his significant impact on the industry through strong leadership and service to improve the Michigan insurance industry. He received his B.A. in business administration from Hope College in 1988, and has designations for the CPCU, CIC and CAWC.

Email: Mary Stucko

Website: LCC Insurance Program

Email: Mike Mauer

Website: Accident Fund

Janet Marion is the Program Director of the Human Services program at Lansing Community College. Janet started with the Human Services program in 2001 and during this time has placed practicum students from the program with community agencies for the last 15 years. Development of the program’s curriculum is a shared process with the program’s advisory committee and faculty who follow trends, concerns and needs of the community. Janet holds Master degrees in Guidance and Counseling, and in Social Work, a Bachelor Degree in Gerontological Service Administration, and an Associate Degree in Public Administration.

Sawide Constance Yeah received her General Associate Degree from Lansing Community College then continued on to receive first her Human Services Certificate of Achievement and then the Human Services Associate Degree in Applied Science. Constance plans to transfer to Siena Heights University to pursue a Community and Human Services Bachelor of Art Degree at the University Center here on LCC’s main campus

Joan Nelson is the retiring Executive Director of Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC), a 23-year-old hub for comprehensive and integrative community development located on Lansing’s Eastside. As E.D. for the last 23 years, Joan oversaw programs focused on health, food security/access, youth development, entrepreneurism and job skill training, commercial corridor revitalization, and neighborhood capacity-building, working with a multitude of community organizations. She helped conceive and launch such major projects as Allen Place, the Rathbun Accelerator Kitchen, the Allen Community Health Center opening in September, and a partnership with the Board of Water and Light in the works to create Lansing’s first micro-grid utilizing solar technologies. A 47-year resident of Lansing’s Eastside, Joan holds a BA and MA from Michigan State University.

Denise M. Paquette is the Director of Outreach and Engagement at Allen Neighborhood Center. She is responsible for linking neighbors to health, food, and housing resources, the Senior Discovery Group program, and the MSHDA Neighborhood Enhancement Program which provides funding for home improvement projects to specific neighborhoods. She oversees and trains a “staff” of interns, primarily Social Work, Psychology, and Human Services majors. Denise has worked for non-profits for over 30 years in refugee resettlement, affordable housing and neighborhood development. Denise has a BA, Political Science/Public Administration, from MSU and has lived in Lansing for 31 years.

Links:

Email: Janet Marion

Website: LCC Human Services Program

Email: Joan Nelson

Email: Denise Paquette

Website: Allen Neighborhood Center

More Episodes

Janet Marion is the Program Director of the Human Services program at Lansing Community College. Janet started with the Human Services program in 2001 and during this time has placed practicum students from the program with community agencies for the last 15 years. Development of the program’s curriculum is a shared process with the program’s advisory committee and faculty who follow trends, concerns and needs of the community. Janet holds Master degrees in Guidance and Counseling, and in Social Work, a Bachelor Degree in Gerontological Service Administration, and an Associate Degree in Public Administration.

Sawide Constance Yeah received her General Associate Degree from Lansing Community College then continued on to receive first her Human Services Certificate of Achievement and then the Human Services Associate Degree in Applied Science. Constance plans to transfer to Siena Heights University to pursue a Community and Human Services Bachelor of Art Degree at the University Center here on LCC’s main campus

Joan Nelson is the retiring Executive Director of Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC), a 23-year-old hub for comprehensive and integrative community development located on Lansing’s Eastside. As E.D. for the last 23 years, Joan oversaw programs focused on health, food security/access, youth development, entrepreneurism and job skill training, commercial corridor revitalization, and neighborhood capacity-building, working with a multitude of community organizations. She helped conceive and launch such major projects as Allen Place, the Rathbun Accelerator Kitchen, the Allen Community Health Center opening in September, and a partnership with the Board of Water and Light in the works to create Lansing’s first micro-grid utilizing solar technologies. A 47-year resident of Lansing’s Eastside, Joan holds a BA and MA from Michigan State University.

Denise M. Paquette is the Director of Outreach and Engagement at Allen Neighborhood Center. She is responsible for linking neighbors to health, food, and housing resources, the Senior Discovery Group program, and the MSHDA Neighborhood Enhancement Program which provides funding for home improvement projects to specific neighborhoods. She oversees and trains a “staff” of interns, primarily Social Work, Psychology, and Human Services majors. Denise has worked for non-profits for over 30 years in refugee resettlement, affordable housing and neighborhood development. Denise has a BA, Political Science/Public Administration, from MSU and has lived in Lansing for 31 years.

Links:

Email: Janet Marion

Website: LCC Human Services Program

Email: Joan Nelson

Email: Denise Paquette

Website: Allen Neighborhood Center

Mx. Laura Orta, originally from Metro-Detroit, have lived and worked around the globe and learned the practice of cultural humility and cultural respect. Currently, they are the Director of the Centre for Engaged Inclusion at Lansing Community College, where they are LCC’s JEDI Guide to premier and bespoke training and education in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI). They have led community reads worldwide at various places as a way to connect communities and public service agencies such as the military, higher education, first responders and local governments.

Linda Toomey, Director of Marketing and Business Development for McLaren Greater Lansing, has built her career on a passion for marketing, branding, and her desire to inspire teams and lead organizations. Previously with LCC’s Marketing department, she holds a B.A. in Advertising from MSU and a M.A in Organizational Leadership from Siena Heights University. She has received Addy awards, a Paragon Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Design by the National Council of Marketing & Public Relations honoring excellence at two-year colleges, and was a Wrike Excellence in Management finalist.

Email: Mx. Laura Orta

Website: Beyond the Book

Website: Centre for Engaged Inclusion

Email: Linda Toomey

Website: McLaren Greater Lansing

Kevin O’Callaghan (he/him) is an award-winning professional actor, director, educator, producer, and serves on the LCC Theatre faculty. Founder and director of New York City’s Mad Dog Theatre Company, with film, TV and many NYC acting credits, his work has focused on rediscovering classics and developing new plays, most recently performing in Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu at Theatre Nova, Ann Arbor. Kevin believes artists provide a service to society and dedicates his work to making an impact in his community.

Layne Ingram is the Special Projects Coordinator in the Office of the President and the head women’s basketball coach at LCC. A former collegiate and pro basketball player, he is a Transgender man and an LGBTQIA+ advocate, an accomplished public speaker and a national presenter with a passion for raising awareness of and supporting the Trans community, specifically youth and teens. Layne is a strong advocate for people being exactly who they are and living their lives as authentically as they can.

Email: Kevin O’Callaghan

Facebook: Romeo and Juliet at LCC

Website: The Fantasticks/American Theatre Magazine

Email: Layne Ingram

Website: The Reconstructed Man Podcast

Blog: The Right Layne

Twitter: The Right Layne

Bruce Mackley is the Director of Communications and Marketing at LCC where he’s worked for 25 years, starting as lead graphic designer. He began his career as a newspaper editorial artist and subsequently spent several years as an art director in agency settings before coming to LCC. An accomplished artist, Bruce hosts the LCC Connect podcast “Art Happens Here.” As the winner of a 2019 Lansing art competition, Bruce’s colorful multi-story public art adorns the Grand Avenue parking structure and may be seen at the corner of Grand Ave. and Ottawa St.

Camron Gnass is the founder, principal and creative director of Traction, an agency specializing in creating brand strategy, design and communications for the past 25 years. A co-curator of Ignite Lansing and TEDx Lansing, Camron also developed and has taught a brand positioning course for MSU’s Advertising Dept. He serves on multiple boards including Impression 5 Science Center, Holt Education Foundation, Michigan Celebrates Small Business, and the Capital City Film Festival of which his company is a founding sponsor.

Email: Bruce Mackley

Website: LCC Communications & Marketing

Email: Camron Gnass

Website: Traction

After a career in another field and a decade at home with children, Jodi Wiley returned to school to learn massage. She graduated from the very program in which she is now teaching, giving testament to the wonderful place that it is. Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, Jodi is an Assistant Professor in Massage Therapy and has been teaching at LCC since 2013, now serving as the Lead Faculty for the Massage Therapy Program.

Jenny Sims is an Assistant Professor in Dental Hygiene where she’s taught since 2009, now serving as the 1st year lead faculty. Jenny received an Associate of Applied Science-Dental Hygiene from LCC, then earned a Bachelor of Applied Science-Dental Hygiene with a minor in Healthcare Management from Siena Heights University. She serves as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advocate for the Health and Human Services Division and is a member of LCC’s Dental Advisory Board. She is also a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the American Dental Education Association.

Email: Jodi Wiley

Website: LCC Massage Therapy Program

Facebook: LCC Massage Clinic

Email: Jenny Sims

Website: LCC Dental Hygiene Clinic

Website: LCC Dental Hygiene Program

Brad Hicks is a professor of humanities and religion at LCC who also co-leads the Interdisciplinary Humanities Program. He is a founding member of the Take A Stand! Sit In! initiative.

Dominic Cochran, an alum of LCC’s film program, is co-founder/co-director of the Capital City Film Festival, director of the Lansing Public Media Center, and founding partner at Ahptic Film & Digital.

Brad Hicks Email

Take A Stand! Sit In! Website

Dominic Cochran Email

Capital City Film Festival Website

Cathy Wilhm, Dean of the Technical Careers Division, has worked with Lansing Community College for over 20 years. She began her LCC career with Capital Area Michigan Works! where she developed a comprehensive model for educational options leading to high-demand jobs with good wages. In 2010, she became Director for the new Center for Workforce Transition (CWT) program at the Michigan Works! Agency, and served there through 2014 as well as directing the Welfare-to-Work program (JET/PATH), Community Education programs, Continuing Education programs, and LCC’s East Campus. In 2015, she moved to the Technical Careers Division first as Director of Part-time Faculty, then Associate Dean before becoming dean in 2020. Cathy holds bachelor of science degrees in Biology/Zoology and Organizational Administration (Oklahoma State University), has completed coursework towards a M.S. in Public Service Administration (Central Michigan University), with certifications as a Business Solutions Professional (MSU) and a Career Development Facilitator (WMU).

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is Michigan’s 8th district congresswoman, and has spent her career in national service. She previously served as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Middle East analyst working alongside the U.S. military during three tours in Iraq as a militia expert. In 2011, Rep. Slotkin took a senior Pentagon position and, until 2017, served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, overseeing policy on Russian, Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the Pentagon. In between her tours in Iraq, Rep. Slotkin held various defense and intelligence positions under President Bush and President Obama, including roles at the White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She presently serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism in the House Committee on Homeland Security, is a member of that committee’s Subcomittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation, and she is Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness in the House Armed Services Committee, as well as serving on several other subcommittees. Rep. Slotkin received her bachelor of arts degree from Cornell University and her master of arts from Columbia University in the City of New York. Find her complete bio at this link.

Email for Dean Cathy Wilhm, LCC Technical Careers

Technical Careers Website

Rep. Elissa Slotkin Official Website and Contact Information

Randy Watkins is an Associate Professor of Social Science. He received a Master’s in Social Science from University of Michigan and a Master’s in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. He is the former Chairperson of the Mayor’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council; was elected First Vice President Lansing Branch NAACP; and was named to the Mayor’s Education Transition Committee. He was also elected treasurer of the Michigan Association of Higher Education at Lansing Community College.

State Rep. Sarah Anthony is serving her second full term representing the 68th House District (the city of Lansing and Lansing Township). In November 2018, she was sworn into a partial term after filling a special election, making history as the first African-American woman to serve as state representative in Lansing. Rep. Anthony is Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, having been appointed to that position in 2018 and elected by her colleagues in 2021. In that capacity, she is member of the House Democratic leadership team in the House of Representatives. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Progressive Women’s Caucus and the First Vice Chair of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus.

Randy Watkins Email

LCC Political Science Degrees & Programs

Sarah Anthony Email

Sarah Anthony at Michigan House Democrats website

Rudy Valdez is a Michigan-raised, New York City-based filmmaker committed to creating social, cultural, and political stories through a cinematic and meaningful lens. An alum of LCC's Theatre Studio Program, Rudy got his start in film as a camera operator on the Peabody Award-winning Sundance series Brick City. He then shot and directed a true passion project, The Sentence (HBO). This feature documentary tells the very personal story of his sister’s plight in the criminal justice system while tackling subjects like mandatory minimums and sentencing reform. The Sentence won the 2019 Primetime Emmy, a 2018 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, and was a 2018 Critics Choice Documentary Best New Director nominee. Rudy has worked as cinematographer with many directors including Whoopi Goldberg and Robert De Niro. Recent projects include Breakaway (ESPN), a feature about WNBA superstar, Maya Moore and her fight for criminal justice reform, We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix), and co-directing the premiere episode of Through Our Eyes (HBO). Current projects include the definitive feature documentary of Carlos Santana, and Disney +’s CHOIR, a docu-series following the Detroit Youth Choir after their star turn on America’s Got Talent. Valdez’s repertoire now extends into the scripted arena as he recently sold a genre TV series he created to Amazon that is loosely based on his family and life experiences.

Email Rudy

Rudy's Website

Rudy on Twitter

The Rudy Valdez Scholarship at LCC

Andy Callis is a Theatre professor and director, and has been on the LCC Theatre faculty since 1999. As Program Faculty Chair for 14 years, he was instrumental in revamping the Theatre Studio Program. He has taught hundreds of students, and directed dozens of plays at LCC, in the community and professionally. He holds a M.F.A. in Directing from Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he was founding Artistic Director of ShawChicago, earning several Critics Choice awards from the Chicago Reader. At LCC, directing credits include A View From the Bridge, Endgame, The Conference of the Birds, Dark of the Moon, The Grapes of Wrath and All’s Well that Ends Well. A multi-instrumentalist, Andy has been music director of community and LCC productions, leads the band Atomic Hullabaloo (three time winner, Best Experimental Band, Lansing City Pulse), and regularly performs with various Lansing bands on keyboards and accordion.

Email Andy

LCC Theatre Program

LCC Performing Arts on Facebook

Bill Castanier is a historian devoted to local and literary history. He is president of the Historical Society of Greater Lansing, and he’s lectured extensively on Michigan literary history. Over the last 20 years, he’s interviewed over 1000 authors for his Lansing City Pulse literary column. Bill spent more than 50 years in public relations, advertising, and the newspaper industry, writing thousands of speeches and media releases, produced award winning videos, edited numerous publications and when necessary donned bear and chicken costumes to promote events. He also worked in state government including as the first executive director of I-TE@M, the state’s private sector information technology trade association; as Michigan Business Roundtable Program director, and as deputy director of the State’s Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986 and 1987 which contributed to his great love of history.

Email: David Siwik

Email: Bill Castanier

LCC History Program

Facebook: Historical Society of Greater Lansing

Barb Whitney is a professional artist whose non-objective work is rooted in her interest in emotions, perceptions and the passage of time. She is executive director of the Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center, and she is a champion for access and equity in the arts, engaging stakeholders regarding the arts and arts education locally, statewide, and nationally. She earned a BA in Art and Art History from Kalamazoo College and an MA in Arts Administration from the University of Michigan – Flint, with research and subsequent work on equity in Arts Education. Barb is on the faculty at Michigan State University with the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, and the Arts and Cultural Management Program.

LCC Art & Design

Susan’s Website

Lansing Art Gallery

Barb’s Website

Rob Edwards is on the faculty of LCC’s Digital Media, Audio and Cinema program. He’s been a producer, director and educator for over 30 years, working in nearly every facet of the production industry from local news, to live television broadcasts, to feature films, and his work has won awards on the local, national, and international levels. When he’s not working on the next production he’s bike-riding or wine-tasting with his wife, or busy writing. He’s authored four books, and is the current President of the Rally of Writers, Michigan’s longest running writer’s conference. Rob believes that video production and writing is all about telling a compelling story.

Terry Terry is founder and CEO of Message Makers, a multi-faceted media company located in Old Town Lansing. Through video, live events, corporate training and public relations, Message Makers tells those compelling stories Rob mentioned, for clients local and around the world, and has been since the 1980s. Terry has received multiple awards for the work of his company as well as for his role in the revitalization of Old Town. Terry is co-founder and president of MICA – the Michigan Institute for Contemporary Arts, and founder and producer of Michigan BluesFest and Lansing JazzFest. Terry is an entrepreneur, an instructional designer, an artist – a man of many mediums.

Rob Edwards Email

LCC DMAC Program Website

Terry Terry Email

Message Makers Website

Masaki Takahashi is a published spoken word artist, and the host and founder of The Poetry Room Open Mic based in Lansing Michigan. He’s pivoted since the pandemic started to help his community by partnering The Poetry Room with local non-profits to raise donations for these organizations. His showcases feature local and Michigan voices, and some really well-known national acts. Masaki works in software development by day and holds a bachelor’s in Media Arts and Technology from MSU. He’s most proud of his workshops with students in the Lansing School District and the Refugee Development Center.

Connect with our guests and explore the Lansing-area poetry scene:

1. Barb Clauer: clauerb@star.lcc.edu
2. Masaki Takahashi: takaha18@msu.edu
3. The LCC Community-Generated Poetry Project
4. The Poetry Room Open Mic
5. The Lansing Poetry Club
6. The Poetry Action Network – Lansing Area
7. Lansing Poet Laureate
8. Poetry in the Bar podcast and open mic