ARI BEUTLER
President
Ari attended MYLead as a YL in 2015 and has been volunteering ever since! She has been in many roles, specifically loving her time behind the scenes in Programming. MYLead has been such a staple in Ari’s life: getting to meet so many new and interesting people from across the state and expanding her interpersonal and organizational skills. She is currently a 4th grade teacher in Ypsilanti, and enjoys getting to see all the crossover between her teaching and the MYLead conferences, which has been helpful in her own leadership journey of now holding the role of President! She is from Charlotte, MI, and graduated from Michigan State University in 2021. Ari loves her greyhound Charlie, trying new restaurants with her partner Connor, and is a huge musical theater aficionado.
LIZZY ROBLES
Vice President
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CINDY ESCH
Treasurer
Cindy first became involved as a MYLead volunteer in 2014 as a Group Facilitator and has been active with the organization ever since! She was appointed Treasurer of the Corporate Board in 2021. Cindy graduated from Northwood University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree. She has worked at United Bay Community Credit Union since 2001 and is currently the Accounting Manager. Cindy likes to spend summer days on Higgins Lake and cherishes time with her stupendous children and grandchildren.
DONG FENG
Director of IT and Communications
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DOUG KOWALSKI
Secretary
Doug began his journey with MYLead in 2022 as a GF. His first conference experience left him amazed by what the YLs can achieve through this program in just a few short days. Seeing MYLead’s positive impact on today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders, in turn, made a powerful impact on him. He graduated from Royal Oak High School in 2007 and has since ventured far and wide, living in several different states across the U.S., but always seems to find his way back home to Michigan. Doug works at McNaughton-McKay Electric in Construction Sales, and in addition to MYLead, he volunteers with organizations offering children’s grief support. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his wife, spending lazy days at home with his English Bulldog, and cheering on the Detroit Lions.
JULIE DARTT
GFWC Liaison
The General Federation of Women’s Clubs(GFWC) is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. GFWC members transform lives each day, not simply with monetary donations, but with hands-on tangible projects that provide immediate impact and a grassroots approach that often thinks locally but impacts globally. We see this approach realized through Julie Dartt of GFWC Charlotte’s service as the liaison between our organizations; and the many ways that the GFWC has championed MYLead’s mission over the years.
ALEX BALMACEDA
Community Advisor
Alex first attended MYLead as a high school sophomore in 2015 and instantly fell in love with its uplifting and empowering environment. Since then, she has returned each year in various roles, including Conference Alumni (CA), Group Facilitator (GF), Workshop Facilitator, Programming Director, and Community Board President. MYLead’s lasting impact on Alex’s own leadership journey drives her to continue to give back and help today’s young leaders grow. Alex is passionate about strengthening the MYLead community to create lasting alumni connections. She is a proud University of Michigan alum with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Information Science. Outside of MYLead, Alex supports local arts initiatives, performing in and assisting with production tasks for The Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast performance at the Michigan Theater. In her free time, Alex enjoys baking, creative projects, and playing with her dog, Beans!
GAIGE FREDERICK
Conference Lead
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GENEVIEVE MYERS
Conference Lead
Genevieve participated in MYLead in 2019 and has been involved ever since, both volunteering and planning conferences. MYLead provided a place to meet others across the state and become comfortable with new opportunities, and Genevieve hopes to continue giving that experience to students today. They have helped with conference logistics for the past three years and are excited to help in a larger capacity. Genevieve works in energy storage after getting both a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech. They also spend time biking, traveling, and enjoying video/board games with friends.
