PEOPLE

RICHARD ALTHERR

Board of Directors

Director of Biomimicry

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Rich joins MM-O-DD as an expert in Biomimicry. His company Nature Comes Standard LLC provides on-going contributions to the MM-O-DD Biomimicry Programming. His insight and resources continue to play a role  in edutaining the public to look at nature for sustainable and regenerative Design solutions.

CARMEN BENAVIDES

Strategic Committee

Carmen an engineer profession has been engaged with the automotive industry, has a passion for design and has been involved from the beginning of
MM-O-DD.

MORGAN BREON

Board of Directors

Morgan Breon (Actor/Playwrite) ceo of heal.be.live LLC a company that creates Docuplays with current social justice topics. In 2018 she received a Kresge award for her “Waking Up Alive’ work.

BRITTNAY CHANEL

Strategic Council

Overseeing and assisting with organization of exhibitions is one of the many talents that Ms. Brittnay Chanel provides to MM-O-DD. She is also has experience in performing arts.

RAMON CORPUZ

Design Council

Ramon is an Architect with a Detroit based firm.

KELSEY EBY

Strategic Committee
Edutainment

Kelsey is one of the founding members and has engaged programming with her “Can do’ and “figure it out" insight.

GABE GONZOLAS

Strategic Council
Director of Security

Mr. Gonzolas has extensive experience with security on a national level.

LYNETTE HALALAY

Designers Council

Lynette CEO of Knit so Fabulous is a talent with extraordinary teaching skills to all ages. Her professional in textile design and construction of woven knits. The collections produced are one-of-a-kind and limited edition.

LYNLEY HONKANEN

Strategic Council
Director of Youth Edutainment

Lynley is a Biology teacher, experienced home-school parent and strong member of our team who specializes in youth edutainment. She has  impressive knowledge of all the inner-workings of community engagement and outreach for  MM-O-DD.

MONICA HUDSON

Strategic Committee

Moved back from New York where Monica established a stakeholder marketing platform for many creative businesses. With the return back to Michigan her connections and talents well-crafted. The sector is the work she does in healing individuals who are part of the Twin community.

MELISSA JOHNSON

Strategic Council (Administrative)

Melissa joined MM-O-DD in 2012 and has overseen the many of the administrative needs.

LIZ LARIN

Design Council
Director of Sound Design

Composer, Producer & Sound Designer

Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer and performer, Liz Larin has always taken the task of producing music seriously. As a sound designer, she works in film, TV and sound art to produce emotional responses within a given creative environment. With multiple releases, the music ranges from electronic to pop-rock, to experimental modern and is always fresh and innovative.

CHRISTIANNE SIMS MALONE

Executive Board Secretary

Christianne, an active Detroiter:  is a founding member and is one of the first few people to develop MM-O-DD into a community based edutainment platform.

STEVEN MCBRIDE

Board of Directors

Mr. McBride is the Executive Director of Pewabic Pottery.

KALOM MCCLORE

Design Council

Kalom is CEO of Kam Dynasty a jewelry company located in Detroit. The esthetic is inspired by cultural concepts, symbolism and nature.

MARSHA BATTLE-PHILPOT
(MARSHA MUSIC)

Advisory Board

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Marsha Battle-Philpot (Marsha Music)
is a Detroitist, and provides insight and direct connections for MM-O-DD. She is an essential advisor, watch-person to our  cultural etiquette and supports research within the history of Detroit especially within Design: which embraces Music.

DWIGHT PHILLIPS

Executive Board of Directors

Mr. Phillips is retired from a 30 year professional career as an attorney in Detroit where his focus was Workers rights. He continues to volunteer with MM-O-DD leadership.

LESLIE ANN PILLING

Founder/President

Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit

Ms. Pilling is the visionary and principle curator. Her background in Design spans multiple decades. Her inclusive mind-set and devotion to highlight the people who are the Designers or our future Designers is why she has developed the museum.

THOMAS PYRZEWSKI

Strategic Council
Director of Wayne State University Gallery's

Mr. Pyrzewski was born in Detroit and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College for Creative Studies (CCS), Detroit; ...

AARON L. ROSENHAUS

Board of Directors
Owner/COO Uniland Corporation

Mr. Rosenhaus community engagement focused on the Build/Construction Design related industry. He was the 2017 award recipient of the HOA Young Builder of the Year and in 2018 as Detroit's Urban Builder.

MANDISA SMITH

Designers Council
Co-owner of Detroit Fiberworks

Mandisa’s gallery invites local-to-global fiber and textiles experts to  showing their works, as well as providing extraordinary hand-on public educational programming. Her own works span Fashion, Interior and Product Design.

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KAY STEFANSKI

MM-O-DD Strategic Council
CEO Detroit Sign Factory

Ms. Stefanski proudly established her business in Detroit and is an active contributor with MM-O-DD as a sponsor, advocate of Design and a periodic content editor. She has been fondly called the ‘Grammar Police’ which we are sincerely grateful for her insight.

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RON STEFANSKI

Board of Directors

Bio
Penn Foster Education
Managing Director

NURTEN URAL

Board of Directors

Ms. Ural is the Honorary Consulate General of The Republic of Turkey

MICHAEL WILLOUGHBY

Executive Board of Directors

Mr. Willoughby is CEO of of the renown Architectural  firm, MWA & Associates.

RICH WRIGHT

President of Wrighteous Designs LLC

Rich’s extensive Design career has been deep-rooted in visual branding with an expertise in Graphic Design. He continues his fashion and Jewelry line to a global clientele.

MARIERY YOUNG

International Council

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CEO of M Studio
Panama City, Panama
Surface Designer

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DESIGN MIND-SHIFT CAN SUPPORT THE EFFORTS TO HAVE A HEALTHIER  PLANET.

LEADERSHIP

DESIGN PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY STRATEGISTS
THIS DIVERSE GROUP OF
LOCAL-TO-GLOBAL
INDIVIDUALS 
COLLABORATE TO PROVIDE  
MULTI-GENERATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPACT, EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT AND AN AH-HA SPARK. THIS IGNITED AWARENESS ENGAGES THE AUDIENCE ABOUT HISTORICAL REFERENCES, CURRENT INNOVATION AND FUTURE INSIGHT INTO THE DESIGN INDUSTRY.

VOLUNTEERS
INTERNS | EXCHANGE

LOCAL - TO - GLOBAL INSPIRED PEOPLE HAVE SELECTED TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF DESIGN.
SOME VOLUNTEER AS A GROUP SOME AS INDIVIDUALS.
OUR PARTNER GLOBAL TIES> DETROIT BRINGS  INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND DIPLOMACY BY INVITING AN INCLUDING MANY FROM VARIES COUNTRIES AS PART OF THE HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE DURING THE FASHION DESIGN DARE CHALLENGE.

DESIGNERS

TOGETHER WE MUST HONOR THE HISTORICAL PROCESS WHICH A PLETHORA OF PEOPLE GAVE A LIFE-TIME OF DEDICATION TO THE INDUSTRY. WE MUST LOOK AT CURRENT DESIGN  INDIVIDUAL AND COMPANIES WHO ARE AWARE OF THE CHANGE IN DESIGN THINKING CAN BE A PARADIGME - SHIFT WHICH IMPACTS THE PLANET.