Trustees
| Tom McGannon, ROCF Chair- is the vice president-community engagement at Beaumont Health Foundation He has experience as a senior marketing, communication, and fundraising executive and advanced skills and connections in the corporate sponsorship solicitation and strategic communication programs. His board experience includes being a member of the former Acorn organization and the chairperson of the former ROOTS board. | |
| Amanda Sears, ROCF Vice-Chair- is Director of Planning and Projects with The Senior Alliance. She has over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership with a focus on improving aging and caregiver systems through the lens of social justice. She has expertise in program planning and development, coalition building, community outreach, nonprofit management, and grant management from both the requestor and funder perspective. Her personal and professional passion is enacting change to build communities in which all individuals thrive. Amanda lives in Royal Oak with her husband and two young sons, the oldest attends Royal Oak Schools. They are often found outdoors hiking, bicycling, and enjoying nature. | |
| Sharlan Douglas, ROCF Secretary- is one of Royal Oak’s current city commissioners. She is the former president/CEO of the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce and was a vice president at the Metropolitan Center for High Technology, Michigan’ first business incubator. She spent five years in account management with one of Detroit’s top public relations counseling firms. Sharlan has worked on several civic boards and committees. She has participated on many boards including Stagecrafters, Royal Oak Youth Assistance, and the former ROOTS organization. | |
| Peter Provenzano, Jr., ROCF Treasurer- is the ninth chancellor of Oakland Community College. His previous work includes interim chancellor at Oakland Community College, vice chancellor of administrative services at Oakland Community College, and finance director and CFO at Macomb County. He has also participated on many boards including Automation Alley, the Detroit Economic Club, Medical Main Street, Macomb Township Fire Retirement System, and the Chippewa Valley Schools Educational Foundation. | |
| Alexander Fike, Trustee- is the director of board & leadership programs at United Way Worldwide and a former ROOTS board member. He has experience as a business manager to the CEO for one of the largest United Ways, legislative director in the state legislature, a case worker, and a policy architect. His own board service includes multiple sectors including nonprofit, governmental, and political organizations. | |
| Darian Neubecker, Trustee- is the senior vice president of Robertson Homes Company and has years of accounting and project management experience. He has expertise in financial and executive level leadership as well as significant drive and determination to succeed. He manages many employees and is well versed in the engagement and growth of others towards a common goal of success. As a Royal Oak resident and father of three children who will grow up in the city, he wants to provide assistance and expertise to ensure this Royal Oak remains a great place to live. | |
Howard H. Collens, Trustee- is a founding member of Galloway and Collens, PLLC. He focuses his law practice on estate planning, estate administration and elder law. Mr. Collens is a board member for the Area Agency on Aging 1B and the former vice president of the Senior and Caregiver Resource Network. Howard served as a council member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Elder Law and Disability Rights Section. He also served as the 2nd vice president of Congregation Shir Tikvah and as president of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Howard is married with three children and lives in Huntington Woods. | |
| Christopher Bower, Trustee- is the founding Member of Detroit Internet marketing, a Certified Google Partner’s agency located in Royal Oak. His skills include SEO and voice search optimization, digital marketing integration, PPC management, and project management. Chris is recognized as an experienced marketing director as well as a strong team builder, sales builder, and company branding strategist. His education includes marketing and advertising as well as counseling psychology for which he earned a Bachelor of Science at Rochester College. Chris also is active with the Detroit Rescue Mission and Act Now Ministries in Catania, Sicily. |