Gov. Whitmer appoints leader, diverse workgroups for commission on COVID-19 vaccine education

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by MLive.

By Hannah Brock | hbrock@mlive.com

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced new appointees to a bipartisan commission created to educate Michigan residents on the COVID-19 vaccine.

New members are tasked with identifying groups hesitant about the vaccine and to overcome any other vaccine barriers through outreach. Sixteen workgroups focusing on specific demographics will advise the commission.

Appointees’ expertise span from health to race, ethnicity, age, religion and gender.

The Project Michigan Commission, created last month, is part of the state’s health and human services and will focus on vaccine awareness, education on COVID-19 and the overall health and safety of Michigan.

The state’s goal is to have 50,000 shots in arms per day. The commission will help to ensure Michigan residents have a plan to get vaccinated when available, Whitmer said.

Whitmer appointed Kerry Ebersole Singh, to lead the commission.

“This is a critical time for Michigan, and as we ramp up vaccination efforts across the state I am confident that we can leverage the expertise of the commissioners to ensure everyone who wants a vaccinate can get one,” Singh, who is currently with the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in a statement.

Members to co-chair the commission include Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Chief Medical Executive Joneigh Khaldun, Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons and former Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.

Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies, a commission appointee, said he was excited to take on the largest vaccine program in Michigan’s history.

“The most important thing we can do to protect the public health and reinvigorate local economies in cities like Jackson is to ensure that every Michigander has a plan to get vaccinated,” Dobies said in his statement.

Four members of the Michigan legislature will also serve on the commission, including Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, Sen. Curt VanderWall, R-Ludington, Rep. Felicia Brabec, D-Pittsfield Township, and Rep. John Roth, R-Traverse City.

“The best thing we can do right now is to work together to see all of our communities through to the other side of this pandemic,” Whitmer said.

New Project Michigan Commission members include:

• Aamina Ahmed, Rising Voices of Asian American Families and New American Leaders

• Dr. Colleen Allen, Ph.D., Autism Alliance of Michigan

• Suzanne Miller Allen, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

• Sandy Baruah, Detroit Regional Chamber

• Najah Bazzy, Michigan Muslim Community Council

• Mark Behnke, City of Battle Creek

• Amber Bellazaire, Michigan League for Public Policy

• Evan Bonsall, City of Marquette

• Dr. Nirali Bora, M.D., Kent County Health Department

• April Bowen, Planned Parenthood of Michigan

• Hodari Brown, National Business League Detroit Chapter

• Laurel Burchfield, Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness

• Robyn Burlingham, Tribal Council for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi

• Anna Byberg, National Association of Social Workers

• Kyle Caldwell, Council of Michigan Foundations

• Chong-Anna Canfora, Michigan Community Action Association

• Jim Carruthers, City of Traverse City

• Carlo L. Castiglione, Plumbers Union Local 98

• Guillermo Cisneros, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• Steve Currie, Michigan Association of Counties

• Derek J. Dobies, Michigan AFL-CIO and City of Jackson

• Jeff Donofrio, Business Leaders for Michigan

• John E. Duckworth, Baptist Council of Michigan

• Dr. Brenda Surae Eaton, M.D., AARP

• Karla Fales, CareWell Services Southwest, the Region 3B Area Agency on Aging in Barry and Calhoun Counties

• Jennifer Fiedler, Michigan Townships Association

• Diane N. Fleser, Disability Network of Michigan

• Steve Grigorian, Detroit Economic Club

• Kate Guzman, Oakland County

• Ken L. Haney, Jr., SEIU Healthcare Michigan

• Dan Hurley, Michigan Association of State Universities

• Farah Jalloul, Michigan Pharmacists Association

• Dr. Tina Kerr, Ph.D., Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators

• Erin Knott, Equality Michigan

• Kelley J. Kuhn, Michigan Nonprofit Association

• John P. LaMacchia, Michigan Municipal League

• Mike Larson, Michigan Association of United Ways

• Laura LeBlanc, Volunteers of America Michigan

• Robert LeFevre, Michigan Independent Colleges & Universities

• Chuck Lippstreu, Michigan Agri-Business Association

• Dr. Matt M. Longjohn, M.D., Western Michigan University Stryker School of Medicine

• Dr. Felipe Lopez Sustaita, Ed.D., Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan

• Jimena Loveluck, Washtenaw County

• Mark Miller, Jewish Federation of Michigan

• Joseph P. Murray, City of Dearborn

• Bill Nowling, Wayne County

• Dr. Zafer I. Obeid, M.D., Arab American & Chaldean Council

• Jacqueline Ouvry, State of Michigan State Appellate Defender Office

• Dominick J. Pallone, Michigan Association of Health Plans

• Soumit Pendharkar, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

• Dr. Delicia J. Pruitt, M.D., Saginaw County Health Department

• Rico Razo, City of Detroit

• Dr. Lawrence A. Reynolds, M.D., City of Flint

• Melissa K. Samuel, Health Care Association of Michigan

• Erin Schor, Michigan Community College Association

• Mike Shoudy, Michigan Education Association

• Dr. Constance B. Simon, Ed.D., NAACP

• Dorian Slaybod, Farmworker Legal Services

• Cindy Spurlock, AFSCME

• Richard K. Studley, Michigan Chamber of Commerce

• Ruthanne K. Sudderth, Michigan Health & Hospital Association

• Madiha Tariq, ACCESS

• Jeremy Tripp, Michigan Public Employees SEIU Local 517M

• Linda Vail, Ingham County Health Department

• Sadie Valliere, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian

• John J. Walsh, Michigan Manufacturers Association

• Dr. Sook Wilkinson, Ph.D., Council of Asian Pacific Americans of Michigan

• Vicki Wolber, Macomb County

• Rev. Dr. Jimmy Womack, M.D., Plymouth United Church of Christ

The following appointees will chair 16 workgroups focused on diverse backgrounds to advise the commission on its vaccine outreach:

• Business Leaders workgroup: Dolf Van Amersfoort, Stellantis

• Seniors workgroup: Dr. Brenda Surae Eaton, M.D., AARP

• Youth (16-30) workgroup: Dondre Young, Community Foundation of Greater Flint

• Rural workgroup: Chuck Lippstreu, Michigan Agri-Business Association

• Latinx workgroup: Eva A. Garza Dewaelsche, SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs for Progress, Inc.

• Asian Pacific American workgroup: Dr. S. Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., Michigan State Medical Society and American Medical Association Council on Science and Public Health

• African American workgroup: Rev. Charles E. Williams, II, Historic King Solomon Baptist Church

• Middle Eastern workgroup: Dr. Zafer I. Obeid, M.D., Arab American & Chaldean Council

• Local Government workgroup: Dr. Deirdre Waterman, M.D., City of Pontiac

• Disability workgroup: Tim Hileman, Special Olympics Michigan

• Faith workgroup: Lea A. Luger, Yad Ezra

• Labor and Workforce workgroup: Mike Shoudy, Michigan Education Association

• Health Leaders workgroup: Melissa A. Holmquist, Upper Peninsula Health Plan

• Education workgroup: Kristen McDonald Rivet, Michigan Future, Inc. and city of Bay City

• Tribal workgroup: Sadie Valliere, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indian

• Women and Children workgroup: Denise L. Smith, Hope Starts Here Detroit