Our Board
Call Numbers
ARE YOU A YOUTH (18-24) IN CRISIS?
Detroit Area
9:00 am – 5:00 p.m. weekdays call Coordinated Access Model (CAM) (313) 305-0311
After hours and weekends, contact us directly at
Grand Rapids Area
Contact the shelter directly at
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kellie
Ray
Kellie Ray
Chairperson of the Board
CPA, Partner
Plante Moran
Kellie holds a bachelor of business administration degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business. She is committed to the success of Plante Moran’s diverse staff members, serving as a member and partner liaison to Plante Moran’s Affinity Network Staff Resource Group for LGBTQ staff and allies. Kellie serves as a board member for Covenant House Michigan and recently participated in New Detroit’s 50th Anniversary Racial Healing Project.
Chris
Crook
Chris Crook
Secretary of the Board
MBA, CHCIO, CDH-E
Senior Vice President. Digital Services – Corewell Health
Chief Information Officer – Priority Health
Chris Crook is senior vice president of digital services for Corewell Health and chief information officer for Priority Health. He leads all teams within digital services for Priority Health, including application development, software quality assurance, data architecture and management, client technology and domain architecture, along with other teams that work on optimizing Priority Health’s technology assets.
Crook has over 30 years of experience in the health care industry developing and leading information technology teams. Chris’ experience includes the application of technology in consumer engagement programs, analytics, reward and incentive models, as well as developing technical and operational marketing of complex product lines relating to wellness programs, digital business and innovation. Chris also led the team that developed Corewell Health’s data and analytics strategy.
Prior to joining Corewell Health and Priority Health, he served in many leadership roles in information technology at Humana. Most recently he was IT director of Humana’s wellness applications and group commercial divisions. He is a seasoned operational leader with expertise in program implementation, product management, integration, data and analytics and system growth development.
Chris holds a bachelor of science degree in computer science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a master’s degree of business administration in entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville. He has earned the title of certified healthcare chief information officer and certified digital health executive. Chris is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and is the executive sponsor for the DEI people pillar at Corewell Health. Along with being a member of the board of Covenant House Michigan, he is also a member of CHIME (The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives), a professional organization for chief information officers and senior healthcare IT leaders.
Tiffany
Ellis
Tiffany Ellis
Valued Board Member
Attorney, Pieffer Wolf
Tiffany has been a vital part of an opioid litigation team that represents more than 62 Michigan cities and counties as well as others around the country. She regularly represents survivors of sexual abuse and human trafficking including those who were abused by Larry Nassar. She is active in class action and antitrust work. She has also developed an expertise in all stages of large scale discovery projects including crafting requests and negotiation, ESI protocols and searches, and document review management.
Tiffany attended undergrad at the University of Missouri and earned her law degree Washington University School of Law in St. Louis in 2011. After earning her LLM, also from Washington University, in 2012 and starting her law career in the former office of a now federal judge, Tiffany moved home to Michigan. She specifically moved to Detroit so she could begin to make an impact in the community and region she always referred to and thought of as home.
As soon as she moved home, Tiffany became involved in the Detroit Bar Association. As member, leader, and later President of the of the Detroit Bar Association Barristers Board (young lawyers), and in cooperation with Former Chief Judge Robert Columbo and the Third District Court, Tiffany helped re-establish the DBA’s annual law day program. For the last six years the DBA and the Third District Court have annually hosted hundreds of Detroit High School students at the CAYMC to hear from prominent members of our legal community, participate in mock arguments in real courtrooms with real judges, and develop positive experiences with the law and our court system. Tiffany now serves as a Detroit Bar Association Director and is active in the organization’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts.
Since 2016 Tiffany served on the CHM Associate Board where she helped raise money and awareness of youth homelessness. In 2021, Tiffany joined the CHM general Board of Directors.
Tiffany is also a bridge between the local and national legal communities Tiffany is a member of the Michigan Association for Justice Executive Board and is on the National Board of Governors and Public Affairs Committee of the American Association for Justice – our country’s premier trial lawyer organization. In addition, she holds memberships in Public Justice, the American Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild.
Dan
Garrison
Dan Garrison
Valued Board Member
Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Slalom
Sheila
Goines
Sheila Goines
Valued Board Member
Technical Product Manager
General Motors
Sheila’s career spans over 22 years in Information Technology, holding multiple roles such as Software Developer, System Analyst, Technical Lead, Development Manager and has a current role as Technical Product Manager for General Motors in the Connected Mobility area where she manages and prioritizes feature work for 8 scrum teams. She holds a BA, Management Information Systems from Wayne State University and is in pursuit of a Dual STEM MBA at Walsh College.
When Sheila isn’t working she spends her time traveling and on the golf course and she is the Managing Director for the Detroit, Queens on the Green golf club which inspires women of color to learn the game. She enjoys volunteering with the Michigan Council of Women in IT to aide youth in STEM related careers. She has a passion for aiding in the development and progression of our youth as they are our future.
Heather
Hendriksen
Heather Hendriksen
Valued Board Member
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Fanchisee
Heather Hendriksen is an accomplished entrepreneur and community leader who also manages a diverse portfolio of residential and commercial properties. As a Franchise Owner of Tropical Smoothie Café, Heather’s role extends beyond operations to nurturing the next generation. Through her ventures, she has cultivated a network that thrives on collaboration and shared vision for community enrichment.
With over a decade in project management and a longstanding commitment to community development, Heather and her team at Tropical Smoothie Cafe have become a cornerstone for fostering growth and opportunities. Honing specialized skills in business planning and event coordination, Heather leverages those skills in marketing, communications, and team building to create impactful programs.
Heather received her Bachelor of Business Adminstration from Ball State University. For the last year, Heather has served on the Grand Rapids Advisory Council where her passion for serving others and supporting and creating opportunity for our youth and young adults is evident in all she gives back to Covenant House Michigan.
Melissa
Jagst
Melissa Jagst
Treasurer of the Board
Audit Partner
Deloitte
Melissa is an audit partner at Deloitte. She has over 27 years of public accounting experience and has provided audit services to privately and publicly held clients primarily in the healthcare and financial services industries. She has planned, implemented, and managed the delivery of accounting and auditing services to large clients. Her consulting experience includes acquisitions, divestitures, and statutory reporting. She has extensive knowledge in the health care industry, Blue Cross plans, not for profits, auditing alternative investments, and Single Audit compliance. Most recently, Melissa has been has been the lead on accounting for the Provider Relief Fund under the CARES Act and its related compliance audits. She facilitates Deloitte national training seminars and presents to various groups such as the MACPA and the AICPA on accounting and auditing topics. Melissa is the Industry Professional Practice Director focusing on healthcare provider industry matters and works directly with industry leaders on technical matters and a variety of educational and training programs. She also previously served as Deloitte’s Central Region Women’s Initiative Leader.
Professional Activities
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants
Board Positions
Accounting Aid Society of Michigan
Hospice of Michigan Foundation
Education
B.S.B.A. from Central Michigan University
CPA –Michigan
Anne
Lehker
Anne Lehker
Valued Board Member
Anne Lehker was educated as an English teacher and social worker with a BA from Kalamazoo College and her secondary teaching certification and Masters of Social Work from The University of Michigan. When Anne and her husband had twin daughters, Anne turned her education and professional skills into a career as a professional volunteer, enabling her to be home with their daughters while being involved in the local and school community.
Anne served on the Huron Valley Educational Foundation Board and on the Curriculum Committee at Huron Valley Schools. In addition, she participated in three different cycles of the Huron Valley Schools Five Year Strategic Plan Committee, which takes a longer term, big picture approach to shaping the direction of the District. Anne was a member of the Carls Family YMCA Board for ten years. She served as Board Chair and was on the Board when the new Y facility was opened in Milford. As part of her Branch Board service, Anne also participated on the Metro Detroit YMCA Board.
In keeping with Anne’s interests, she was a Scholarship Evaluator for thirteen years for the Center for the Education of Women (CEW) at the University of Michigan. CEW awards scholarships to women and nontraditional students who have had an interruption in their education of at least two years.
One of Anne’s most fulfilling positions has been serving as an Area Representative for Youth For Understanding. In that role, Anne works with local host families and high school foreign exchange students, offering guidance and support during the academic exchange year. Working as an Area Representative has enabled Anne to build lasting relationships with students from many countries who relied on her expertise to navigate the excitement and challenges of being an exchange student.
Brian
McMillion
Brian McMillion
Valued Board Member
Medical Economics Manager
Aetna Better Health of Michigan
Brian currently works as a Medical Economics Manager at Aetna Better Health of Michigan, where he is responsible for analyzing data, financial modeling, and designing healthcare programs that improve the quality of patient care. He has nearly 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, where he has applied his technical skills and business acumen to improve patient outcomes while reducing costs. Brian is an effective leader with exceptional organizational and analytical skills, developed across various roles and levels of experience and education. Brian previously held different technical positions at Ford Motor Company.
Brian holds Bachelor and Master of Science in Engineering degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business. In his spare time, Brian enjoys outdoor activities, sports, volunteering, and supporting many other community-based organizations. He has a specific interest in causes that better the lives of youth and young adults and is recognized for his commitment to community service.
Brian currently resides in Metro-Detroit with his wife and three children.
Yvonne
Nausieda
Yvonne Nausieda
Valued Board Member
Co-owner and HR Director
Bravo LT
As co-owner and HR Director of Bravo LT, a custom software development company founded in 2005, Yvonne is dedicted to fostering a positive employee experience and managing company benefits. Her role allows her to support her team while also contributing to the company’s long-term growth and success.
Yvonne earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Davenport University, which has provided a strong foundation for her work in human resources and business operations.
Having lived in the Grand Rapids area for over 30 years, she and her husband, Edward, are proud to have raised their two daughters in the community they love. Edward is the President of Bravo LT and has been instrumental in expanding the company into a global provider of software development services. As Bravo LT has grown, Yvonne has been actively involved in its philanthropic initiatives, particularly those focused on empowering youth in the Grand Rapids area.
Yvonne’s passion for helping children, especially those facing adversity, has led her to support Covenant House Michigan where she strives to make a meaningful impact.
Eric
Pricco
Eric Pricco
Valued Board Member
Corporate Director of Airport Services in DTW
Delta Air Lines
Eric began his airline career with Northwest Airlines in 1999 as an AW Customer Service Agent and then moved to the Below Wing operation in LAN. In 2004 he was promoted to the Station Manager of Customer Service in FWA that also included leadership coverage in DAY, CLE, and IND. He moved to DTW in 2005 to take on a manager position within Fleet Services and continued with leadership positions in International and Ramp Operations. In 2008 Eric was promoted to General Manager of the Below Wing Operation and four years later became the General Manager of the DTW Airport Control Center & Tower Operations. In 2014 Eric was promoted to the Director – Below Wing/Cargo Operations. He currently holds the position of Director-Airport Services, Above Wing and Sky Club Operations and is responsible for all aspects of customer service, including ticket counters, baggage service office, International FIS, Sky Club and gates. Eric greets and meets thousands of customers daily and is a fixture at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Eric holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University and a Master of Science degree from Michigan State University.
Eric is married with three children. When he is not working he spends much of his time coaching youth sports and going to dance recitals with his daughter.
Jessica
Roy
Jessica Roy
Vice Chairperson of the Board
Managing Director
Accenture
Jessica is a Managing Director at Accenture in the Detroit office. She has nearly 15 years of experience working with higher education, public sector, and non-for-profit organizations across the country. Jessica focuses on partnering with institutions on transforming their HR operations to enhance the staff, faculty, and student experience while enabling mission-driven initiatives and operational effectiveness across the business. She brings experience in HR strategy and organization design, shared services, process excellences, and transformation supported by cloud-driven technology.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from Michigan State University and is a lifelong resident of southeastern Michigan. Jessica is known for her commitment to mentorship and service, both at work and within the community. She is a supporter of many organizations and causes throughout the city of Detroit. Prior to her appointment to the Board, she served as the Executive Chair of the Covenant House Michigan Associate Board since 2017. Jessica resides in Royal Oak where she spends her weekends catching up on reading and podcasts while always in search of the best brunch spot in Michigan.
Paul T.
Whalen
Paul T. Whalen
Valued Board Member
Managing Director and Group Sales Manager, Middle Market Detroit and Southeast Michigan
Flagstar
Paul is the Managing Director and Group Sales Manager for Detroit and Southeast Michigan. In this role, he leads a team responsible for developing long-term relationships with middle market companies across the Michigan market, helping them achieve their financial goals with the support of Flagstar Bank’s products and expertise.
Prior to joining Flagstar, Paul worked for Key Bank for 10 years in roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President in the Commercial Lending Group. Before joining Key Bank, Paul had various roles at Independent Bank and Stout Risius Ross (Stout). Paul received his degree in Finance and Economics from Grand Valley state University where he also competed on the Varsity Track and Field Team.
Paul is active in the Association for Corporate Growth, Detroit Economic Club, and the Detroit Regional Chamber. He is also a Graduate of Leadership Detroit.