About Us

Board of Directors

 

Board Officers    |   Board    |   Advisory Board

Board Officers

Nicole Perry Banks

Nicole Perry Banks

President

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Nicole Perry Banks joined the Board of Directors in 2021. She currently works in Student Life at the University of Michigan and has a wealth of experience in higher education administration, enrollment services, and student support. Nicole graduated from Pioneer High School, earned her bachelor’s degree from Central State University, and masters degree from Wright State University. She has a deep desire to contribute to meaningful service and community outreach, which she attributes to values instilled when she was a youth participant in Peace Neighborhood Center programs from the late-1970s through the late-1980s. Nicole knows first-hand that the positive impact that Peace continues to make on the lives of local children and adults has led to the long-standing commitment and support of the community. Nicole is an active member of the Ann Arbor Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the Central State University Alumni Association, along with her other service-oriented affiliations.

Alan Mlynek

Alan Mlynek

Vice President

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Alan Mlynek is a senior vice president at Noodle, an education company that partners with colleges and universities to build online degree programs. He previously led the technology teams for a network of K-12 schools in New York City and, before pivoting to education, worked in Washington, DC for members of the Michigan congressional delegation. He shares a passion for education with his wife, Emily Wark, who serves as the Building Literacy Expert at Abbot Elementary School. Emily introduced Alan to Peace Neighborhood Center through her work with Peace families on supporting early readers. Alan has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from Georgetown University. Alan and Emily have three children and live in Ann Arbor.

Steve Schlecht

Steve Schlecht

Treasurer

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Bio coming soon.

Kurt Schmerberg

Kurt Schmerberg

Secretary

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Kurt Schmerberg is a partner in Affinity Valuation Group where he serves as Vice President and CFO. A lifelong resident of the Ann Arbor area, Kurt became involved in Peace Neighborhood Center through his church, Bethlehem United Church of Christ. He brings an abundance of corporate experience to the Board and executive committee having served as an officer and director of the local and state Realtor associations; Foundation for Saline Area schools; Kiwanis, and Bethlehem Church.  His wife, Dr. Jane Nicholson is an OB/GYN at Michigan Medicine. They have three grown children, all products of the Ann Arbor public school system. Kurt was awarded a BA from the University of Michigan in Speech Communications, holds a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license and lectures locally and regionally on real estate appraisal topics.

 Board

Bryan Johnson

Bryan Johnson

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Bryan Johnson is a native of Ann Arbor Michigan and spent his early years in the Pinelake Village Housing Cooperative and has been involved in Peace Neighborhood Center programs throughout different times in his life. He received his undergraduate Business Degree from Hampton University and his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Bryan currently serves as a Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consultant at Root, Inc (a subsidiary of Accenture) where he helps companies educate their leadership about DEI and create more inclusive environments to drive business/organizational results. He also spent over seven years working in admissions and Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Bryan is also passionate about volunteering and political activism. He’s a former President and Trustee of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education. He also volunteers with the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation’s Community Investment Committee, Washtenaw My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, and the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti-Inkster Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. . On a personal note, Bryan has been married to his wife, Janelle for twenty years and they have two daughters who attended the Peace Neighborhood Center Summer Day Camp as young children.

Karen Sloan

Karen Sloan

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Karen Sloan is a Michigan native who currently resides in Ann Arbor.  She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and sociology from Eastern Michigan University and her Master’s in Labor and Human Resources and a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Karen currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer at SET SEG where she uses her expertise in training, employee relations, compensation and benefits analysis, resource and succession planning, and talent acquisition to grow the organization. As a member of the executive leadership team, she heads the strategic direction of HR in support of the company’s values, mission and business objectives. With more than 25 years of experience in human resources, she formerly served as the Director of HR for the IT division at the University of Michigan for 12 years.

On a personal note, Karen has been married to her husband, Jeff for over twenty-five years and they have two daughters.

Kate Markey

Kate Markey

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Kate Markey is an Ann Arbor native and a product of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. She received her undergraduate degree in Classics from Kenyon College and her law degree from the University of Michigan. She currently serves as a law clerk to Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement on the Michigan Supreme Court and will be returning to University of Michigan to pursue a PhD in History beginning Fall 2023. She is primarily interested in both child welfare and criminal justice issues and is committed to serving as an advocate for Washtenaw County residents. She lives just a short walk away from Peace Neighborhood Center with her husband Henry.

Talasha Moore

Talasha Moore

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Professional Qualifications

Bachelor of Science Rehabilitation Counseling-Fall 2010 Graduate from Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Master of Arts Rehabilitation Counseling- Spring 2015 Graduate from Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan

Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Michigan

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor in the state of Michigan

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor- Veterans Benefits Administration

Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, Rho Delta Zeta Chapter (Washtenaw Zetas)

Member of the Order of the Eastern Star Naomi Chapter #12

How I got involved with Peace/Personal

I came to Peace Neighborhood over 20 years ago. I started at Rose Martin’s home with my mother and sister. We were attending NA/AA meetings and hanging with the other kids who came. My sister and I loved Rose’s house so much, it was so comfortable and welcoming. Also it was the first time I saw the movie “What’s Love” The Tina Turner movie. We also met her brother Poppy and fell in love. When the meeting was over we didn’t want to leave, so we didn’t. From her house to the red building, to the big building I have been along for the ride. What a beautiful ride it has been. Although I didn’t know it at the time, Peace helped mold me into the person I am today. From data entry to marketing I learned the skills necessary to succeed in life and break boundaries, stereotypes, and generational curses. I am honored to be a part of a legacy that is so much bigger than myself. Peace is a huge contributor to my success and I would be remiss if I did not pay homage and give back to the place that gave so much to me. My son is now a Peace Kid and my hope is that his children will be too. Peace helped me cultivate my purpose here on earth, that purpose is service. I love what life has afforded me and I am blessed to be able to reflect on it and continue the flow of progress.

Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy

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Bio coming soon.

 Advisory Board

Dan Brady
William Brinkerhoff
Tim Damschroder
Matt Derrenberger
Steve Dobson
Chuck Hatt
Kevin Hudson

Seth Kopald
Dave Lutton
Michele Madden
Lamont Manley
Nancy Margolis
Mike McManus
Stan Mendenhall

Elmo Morales
Roy Muir
Allan Newman
Sarah W. Newman
Amy Pachera
Christy Perros
Amy Peters

Kathy Sample
Cliff Sheldon
Delphia Simpson
Ani Turner
Don Vereen
Sheila Waterhouse
Wendy Wellman
Richard Westbury