Amy Hovey
Chair
Amy Hovey was most recently the Special Projects Coordinator at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation where she worked with the community and economic development grantmaking in Flint. In this role, she also led the real estate development of two schools and a hotel. Before her time at Mott, she was the District Chief of Staff for US Representative Dan Kildee in Michigan’s Fifth Congressional District where she administered the operations of both the Washington, D.C. and district offices. She also directly managed the programs of the district office.
Preceding her work with the Congressman, Ms. Hovey was the Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, and Senior Vice President -Capacity Building for Community Progress. Community Progress is a nonprofit organization created to assist communities in dealing with vacant, abandoned, and blighted properties. Prior to her helping launch that organization, she founded the consulting firm, Protogenia Group LLC in 2002; after having worked six (6) years with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). At the firm, Ms. Hovey provided technical assistance in several areas including organizational development, leadership development, board governance, administrative management, and program and real estate development. She also assisted Genesee County in the creation of the Genesee County Land Bank Authority.
Ms. Hovey has extensive training and meeting facilitation experience including an annual 15-day training program on comprehensive real estate development. She holds a bachelor’s of arts degree from Alma College and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Michigan-Flint.
Sheilah P. Clay, Purposeful Consulting, LLC
Secretary
Sheilah P. Clay is currently the Principal of Purposeful Consulting, LLC. Most recently she served as the Director of Training Quality and Retention for the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. In 2018, following a 22-year career, she retired as the President and CEO of Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) following 22 years of service. In recognition of her service, she was honored with the title President Emerita.
During her tenure at this $31 million dollar Detroit-based human service organization, Sheilah was the visionary leader responsible for the restoration of the NSO Bell Building ($52 million), a 155-unit permanent supportive housing development for formerly homeless adults. Another new NSO real estate development is being named after her. Once completed, the Clay Apartments and Center will consist of 42-units of permanent supportive housing and an adjacent shelter providing holistic care services for the homeless population.
Along with service to OppFund as a trustee, Mrs. Clay has shared her expertise through board leadership with: The Michigan League for Public Policy, The Empowerment Plan, The McGregor Fund, Leadership Women, Urban Research Council, and the Judith Dianne Jackson Scholarship Fund.
She is a former member of the Farmington Board of Education and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago-Detroit Branch Board of Directors. Sheilah is the recipient of numerous awards. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and the Renaissance (MI) Chapter of the Link’s, Inc.
A native Detroiter, Sheilah received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College, a Master of Arts degree from Wayne State University, and holds an Honorary Doctorate – Arts/Humanities from Oakland University. She is a McGregor Fund Eugene Miller Fellow and a graduate of Leadership Detroit Class of XXIV. She is married and the mother of four.
Robert K. Hunt, Detroit Housing Commission
Immediate Past Chair
Robert Hunt retired from the Detroit Housing Commission July 2016, where he held the position of Director of Commercial & Redevelopment Activities. Mr. Hunt’s career experiences cover more that forty years in the metropolitan Detroit region and includes, regional planning, local community & economic development program development and administration. Expansive urban planning engagements he led.
Mr. Hunt held high level positions in government involving numerous successful housing development and inter-governmental cooperation endeavors that enabled new and redeveloped affordable housing and local retail development to occur in Wayne and Oakland county communities. Federal, state and local funding were integral in his implementation and validate Mr. Hunt’s experience of performance and compliance.
Since retirement, he has re-entered the residential real estate field as a Realtor and member of the Greater Metropolitan Area Realtors (GMAR) and intends to continue his support of numerous efforts that further the needs of people seeking housing, social and economic parity. Mr. Hunt continues to support and volunteer as he does for Opportunity Resource Fund, to his church as well as other community and national cultural organizations.
Marc Craig, Community Housing Network
Treasurer
A passionate advocate for providing homes for sustainable, inclusive communities, Marc Craig has been involved in the affordable housing sector for more than 25 years. In 1991, he founded Springhill Housing Corporation, a certified CHDO receiving HOME funds and a sponsor of HUD 811 grants, Federal Home Loan Bank programs, and others. He went on to become the founding President and CEO of Community Housing Network where he continues to lead. He has been proud to direct the rapid growth of the organization, from three staff members in 2001 to more than 70 today, a testament to the tremendous need for affordable housing in the region. Mr. Craig leads a team that throughout the years has leveraged more than $25 million in resources to create and maintain the stock of affordable housing in southeast Michigan.
Mr. Craig is active in numerous affordable housing, homelessness and disability service and advocacy organizations. He represents the Oakland County Taskforce on Homelessness and Affordable Housing on the Oakland County Human Services Community Collaborative Council, is a member of the Oakland County Community and Home Improvement Division Advisory Council, and serves as vice chair of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Affordable Housing Advisory Council. He also serves as a board member, currently in the role of president, for the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM).
Mr. Craig is licensed as a Michigan Real Estate Broker and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State University as well as a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. He has completed additional management courses, including the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at the Harvard Business School. Mr. Craig enjoys spending time with his family, and serves as Scoutmaster for his son’s Boy Scout Troop.
Tarik Bazzy, DT Midstream
Tarik Bazzy is a Compensation & Benefits Manager at DT Midstream. Prior to his current role, he spent seven (7) years in the very progressive HR department at Ally Bank. There he gained experience and expertise in compensation, diversity & inclusion, people analytics, employee relations, talent acquisition, and talent management. Mr. Bazzy has served as both a community volunteer and activist with Zaman International. He enjoys spending time with his family and looks forward to coaching his three daughters in youth sports.
Tarik attended the Eli Broad School of Management at Michigan State University where he earned his Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management. He also holds a Bachelors in Business Administration/Finance from the University of Michigan – Dearborn.
Raymond Henney, Honigman LLP
Raymond W. Henney has been a partner of the Detroit-based law firm of Honigman LLP since 1990. He currently is Co-Leader of the firm’s Securities and Corporate Governance Litigation Practice Group. Raymond has represented individuals and corporations in various high-profile federal and state court cases, and industry arbitrations. Additionally, he has represented clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission, with respect to investigations and enforcement actions; including cases concerning complicated financial issues and products.
Mr. Henney advises clients on compliance with the federal securities laws and government regulations in the financial industry. He also consults boards on their fiduciary duties and corporate governance best practices. Raymond is a graduate of Michigan State University (honors) and Wayne State University Law School (magna cum laude). He has been recognized as one of the best lawyers in his area of practice by independent rating agencies, as well as “Lawyer of the Year” in Securities Litigation, SEC Representation, and Merger and Acquisition litigation.
Thomas Johnson, Landmark Group
Tom Johnson is the Principal of the Boyne City-based company, Landmark Group, LLC. In this role, he oversees all operations while leading a team of diverse development professionals for projects across Michigan. Mr. Johnson provides project planning, financial, and project management services to developers and community-based organizations. His focus is on projects that have a high level of community impact including re-development of historic buildings and brownfield properties, and downtown revitalization projects.
Prior to Landmark, Mr. Johnson served as CEO for Neuro Health Management where he provided business management services for clinical operations, and he recruited expert medical professionals, scientists, and business specialists to develop a neurodiagnostic and neurostimulation device. He was integral in obtaining patents and handled early-stage investor financing.
Mr. Johnson also served for over 14 years as Executive Director of the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA). He led this multi-county community and economic development organization in the creation of several new business ventures and community projects. While there, he led the redevelopment of multiple historic and brownfield properties, created a formal partnership with Michigan State University, and helped multiple communities with downtown revitalization projects.
Mr. Johnson co-founded Northern Homes Community Development Corporation in 1997 and continues to be active on their board of directors today. Northern Homes is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit that develops single and multifamily affordable housing and provides homebuyer counseling.
Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University. He also holds certifications as a Housing Development Finance Professional and Economic Development Finance Professional from the National Development Council.
Thomas H. Seabron, Jr. Morgan Stanley
Vice Chair
Thomas Seabron graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in liberal arts, and went on to play professional football with the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was still involved in professional football when he became a registered investment advisor with E.F. Hutton. After he retired from professional football, he joined E.F. Hutton as a full-time account executive. He is currently with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and a recipient of the Citigroup Quarter Century Club for completion of 25 years of service with the organization.
Mr. Seabron is associated with the following organizations: National Association of Security Dealers, Registered Representative; National Association of Security Professional, Member; The Reggie McKenzie Foundation, Vice President; Detroit Music Hall, Board of Directors; The N.A.A.C.P., Life Member and Kappa Alpha Psi, Life Member.
Curtis Smith, Hope Network
Detroit resident, Curtis D. Smith, is an urban planner focusing mainly on economic development, affordable housing development, social justice and, entrepreneurship. He is a Real Estate Development Manager with Hope Network. In that capacity, Mr. Smith develops affordable housing targeting people experiencing housing insecurities in rural communities in Michigan.
Mr. Smith is the former Director for Strategic Initiatives for the Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS). In that capacity, Mr. Smith developed affordable and supportive housing in Detroit, Michigan for homeless families with children and evaluated social enterprise projects for COTS.
Additionally, he has been the Acting Director for the Department of Community and Economic Development for the City of Highland Park, Michigan, and a community planner with the Boston, Massachusetts-based, urban planning consulting firm, Capital Needs Unlimited. Curtis has also worked as a consultant with; the Saginaw (Michigan) Housing Commission, City of Pittsburgh Housing Authority, Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority, and the Jackson (Tennessee) Housing Authority.
Mr. Smith also has a background in film, having worked as Associate Producer on the internationally acclaimed and award-winning documentary, The Water Front, and co-producer of Steve Horn’s, Behind The Shallow Mind. Mr. Smith graduated from Notre Dame International High School in Rome, Italy. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (Economic Development) from The University of Michigan. He is married with two children.
Sonali Allen, Mercantile Bank of Michigan
Sonali Allen is Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance/Community Development Officer at Mercantile Bank of Michigan. In her role, she is responsible for the Bank’s compliance with regulatory requirements as well as developing and implementing community economic development programs. Ms. Allen’s career in banking spans nearly 28 years. Her previous professional experience includes branch management, consumer and mortgage lending, business development, sales management, and employee performance development.
Sonali is very active in the community, currently serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors for D.A. Blodgett St. John’s Home in Grand Rapids and Habitat for Humanity of Kent County. In addition, she serves on several other committees and teaches financial empowerment classes for various nonprofit organizations. She has an MBA from Western Michigan University and bachelors’ degrees in both Accounting and Business Management from Calvin College. She is also a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager through the Institute of Certified Bankers.
Anika Goss, Detroit Future City
Anika Goss is the Chief Executive Officer of Detroit Future City (DFC), a think-and-do tank focused on land use and sustainability, community and economic development, and economic equity in Detroit. Anika leads a team of experts to implement the DFC Strategic Framework, a comprehensive 50-year guide to decision-making and investment in Detroit.
Since taking the helm of DFC, Anika has repositioned the organization to be laser-focused on the equitable implementation of its economic development, land use and sustainability, and research. After launching the Center for Equity, Engagement, and Research at DFC, Anika led the development of several significant research studies, including the 2019 release of “Growing Detroit’s African-American Middle Class” and the 2021 release of “The State of Economic Equity in Detroit”; along with a web-based dashboard that tracks overtime six indicators that illustrate the deep disparities that exist in Detroit and the region. She also has helped bolster the future of Detroit’s land use and sustainability by awarding over $330,000 in grants aimed at accelerating vacant land revitalization in Detroit and developing a dynamic community educational network of nearly 50 neighborhood leaders and nonprofits to develop standardized green storm water infrastructure practices.
Anika joined the DFC after nearly 25 years of leadership in national and local roles in community development and non-profit management. Anika worked at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for 16 years, with her most recent post as Vice President of the Midwest Region. In this role, Anika provided leadership, strategic and technical support for seven LISC offices in cities across the Midwest and Pennsylvania that reported directly to her. Before this, Anika served as LISC’s Vice President of Sustainable Communities, where she led the organization’s new strategic efforts to implement comprehensive community development as part of its Building Sustainable Communities program.
Anika’s work with LISC began in Detroit, where she served as the Detroit office executive director. She was noted for several major achievements while in this position, including managing a $40 million community development campaign, and designing and leading the campaign for the city’s first Land Bank Authority. Anika also worked with the City of Detroit as its Director of Philanthropic Affairs and Executive Director of Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, leading an effort to transform six Detroit neighborhoods by improving city services and incorporating redevelopment strategies through public-private partnerships.
Anika’s leadership has been recognized in Detroit and nationally. Crain’s Detroit Business honored Anika as a Notable Women in Non-Profits and a Forty under 40, The Michigan Chronicle recognized Anika as a Woman of Excellence, and she was awarded by Corps! Magazine as a Diversity Champion. Anika also serves on the board of Tech Town, Connect Detroit, and Michigan Future, Inc. She also serves participates in several national and international economic inclusion initiatives including, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, Network for Economic Inclusion, New Growth Innovation Network, and BMW-Herbert Quandt Responsible Leaders Network. Anika has a master’s of social work in community organizing degree from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s of sociology and African-American studies degree from Purdue University.
Carol Tarnowsky, Trinity Health - Retired
Carol Tarnowsky is a corporate attorney who has specialized in health care law since 1990. Her areas of focus include regulatory issues, complex business transactions and contracting, governance, clinically integrated networks and intellectual property. Ms. Tarnowsky worked and was a partner at a large Detroit law firm for 9 years. She then worked at the Detroit Medical Center, serving as Interim General Counsel in 2001-2002. Ms. Tarnowsky worked at Trinity Health from 2004-2020. She served as General Counsel for Trinity’s Western Michigan hospitals and its numerous related entities. Upon consolidation of Trinity’s Michigan Region, she became Deputy General Counsel for the region. She also concurrently served as Managing Counsel for Trinity’s system-wide Intellectual Property, Branding and Innovation areas.
Ms. Tarnowsky is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and the State Bar of Michigan Health Care Law Section and served the full six-year term as a Council Member. In 2018, she was honored to become a Fellow of the Health Care Law Section. Ms. Tarnowsky is a member of the Temple Beth-El Caring Community and Archives Committee. She also enjoyed tutoring pre-k and kindergarten students in the Detroit Public Schools Reading Corps Program.
Ms. Tarnowsky has spoken on a variety of healthcare-related topics. Her speaking engagements include but are not limited to, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, The Michigan Health and Hospital Association, and the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management. Ms. Tarnowsky graduated with honors from Michigan State University, with a B.A. in Political Science. She was earned a J.D. from the University of Detroit School of Law.
