Debra Muller
Chair
Debra Muller is a full-blood Native American; citizen of the Nottawaseppi Huron Potawatomi with lineage from the Grand River Bands and the Little River Band of Ottawa. She currently is the Norton Mounds Project Manager in the Curatorial Division of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. Debra volunteers throughout the community and serves on many boards and new initiatives. In particular, Debra focuses her work on the Native American community and is currently the chairperson of the Coalition of Indian Programs and Services of Grand Rapids and Kent County. She has instructed Native American students in dance, theater and the traditional and cultural ways of the indigenous people. Debra's passion is for all community members to learn about and respect the indigenous people to effect social change for the benefit of our future generations. Debra has received many awards and commendations for her work and was recently selected as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan by the Grand Rapids Business Journal, Gemini Publications.
Ellen James
Vice Chair
Ellen M. James was elected to the Board of Trustees of Grand Rapids Community College in February 1991, reelected in June 1997 and again in June 2003. Ms. James previously served as Chairperson of the Board from July 2001 through June 2003. Ellen earned her Bachelors degree in business management and human resources from Spring Arbor University. She is retired from the City of Grand Rapids where she served in the Equal Opportunity Department. Ellen presently serves on the Metropolitan Board of the YMCA, the NAACP Executive Board, Porter Hills Foundation, President of the Coalition for Representative Government, Mount Mercy Housing Corporation Board of Directors, Grand Rapids Police Chief Advisory Committee and Legal Assistance Center Board of Directors. Ellen received the YWCA Tribute to Women Award for Advocacy, was selected by Grand Rapids Magazine as one of the Top 10 Leaders With A Mission, received the Giants W.W. Plummer Humanitarian Award and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Ms. James is a member of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church.
Rae Bower
Treasurer
Rae Bower was raised in New Zealand, and began her career as a law clerk and part-time piano teacher. She had an interest in photography, and later began a photography business at just 22 yrs of age—before leaving NZ on her ‘overseas experience’ a year later, eventually marrying an American (Doug Bower) and moving to the US in 1981. To establish credentials here, she earned her Business Administration degree with a Specialty in Marketing and began a successful career of 17 years of experience in high-tech. For most of this time, she was based in Seattle, but had 4 years in Amsterdam and London from 1989-1993 managing European sales for a Seattle employer. In 1997, Rae was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which forced her into a wheelchair 3 yrs later, so she now works from home on a part-time marketing business. She has always had time for community volunteer work, which has included a broad range—such as being a Business Mentor to new businesses and a Funding Manager for a local youth center. She has also volunteered for leadership positions with several MS Society branches, and recently joined the Board of Disability Advocates of Kent Co. after her husband’s career brought her to Grand Rapids in 2004. Rae and Doug have been married for 27 years now, and have a 25 year old daughter (Amy) at Law School in New York. Rae doesn’t have time for traditional hobbies, but looks forward to making a contribution to the CRC’s goals and doing what she can to help our area’s disabled.
Christina Arnold
Commissioner
As Director of the Grand Rapids Community College Diversity Learning Center, Christina Arnold embraces diverse ideas, cultures and people daily. Chris' position is a culmination of over 27 years with GRCC. Chris attended Ottawa Hills High School, Grand Rapids Community College and Central Michigan University. Chris currently serves on the Chamber of Commerce Diversity Advisory Council, Cesar Chavez Committee, GIANTS Committee, Girl Scouts Nomination Committee, Latino Youth Conference Steering Committee, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Planning Committee, Mary Free Bed Guild, Executive Board for the Michigan ACE Network for Women Leaders in Higher Education, Multiracial Association of Professionals (MAP) Board, and the West Michigan Women's Studies Council. Chris and her husband Bob reside in Wyoming with their daughter Allison. She enjoys traveling, reading, shopping and spending time with her family and friends.
Connie Bellows
Commissioner
Connie Bellows is director of The Delta Strategy, an initiative of the Grand Rapids community to build the capacity of the community to solve tough problems. Connie spent 15 years at Calvin College as their director of human resources, a department she developed and grew from the ground up. She has a long history of passionate commitment toward improving the lives of people in the Greater Grand Rapids Area. A graduate of East Grand Rapids, Connie earned her BA at Alma College and her Masters of Management at Aquinas. In addition to her professional role and current role on Healthy Kent 2010, Connie has served for many local non-profit groups as a board and/or committee member including the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, West Michigan Women’s Studies Council, Inner City Christian Federation, Safe Haven Ministries, Women’s Resource Center, Hope Network, and Project Rehab.
Kemal Hamulic
Commissioner
Jinane Itani
Commissioner
Jinane Itani is a Lebanese-American, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Her field of study was in Business Management. She was a teacher’s assistant while studying in Lebanon and eventually married and moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She resided there for about eleven years and then started a family. Because she and her husband loved to travel, each of her children were born in a different country. Her first child was born in Saudi Arabia, her second child (stillborn) in Turkey, her third child was born in Germany, and her fourth child was born in Lebanon. On April 10, 1990 she moved to the United States and started to work with her husband in the import and export industry. At the time she only spoke Arabic and French so she began to take ESL classes to learn English and from there she began her new life in Michigan. Jinane started her own Adult Foster Care business in 1997 and still continues to enjoy helping out others. In her spare time, she is an interpreter for Voices of Health and is also working with Bethany Christian Services, helping families. She enjoys being a member of the Community Relations Commission, because she gets to experience and learn about diversity.
Remi Kuklewski
Commissioner
Remi Kuklewski is pleased to serve on the City’s Community Relations Commission where she is a strong advocate on issues regarding equal opportunity, civil rights and non-discrimination. She formerly served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Asian and Pacific American Affairs (ACAPAA) from 2005 – 2008. Remi is a community leader who has provided a great deal of community service throughout the state of Michigan. She has held the following positions in the West Michigan Filipino-American Association (WMFAA): president, newsletter editor and website developer. Remi remains an active member of Filipino-American and other Asian groups in West Michigan and within the Detroit area. She is originally from the northern part of the Philippines (Cagayan Valley) but spent most of her life in Manila. Remi has a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She was employed by Butterworth Hospital General Surgery Residency Education Program and Finance Department for 15 years before entering semi-retirement. Remi is currently managing a homebased web design/development business.
David Medema
Commissioner
David Medema is Organizational Consultant with Pondera Advisors, a leadership development consulting and training firm. Formerly President of Medema Consulting Associates LLC which he founded in 1999, he is a seasoned consultant and facilitator with expertise in a wide range of organizational development areas, including executive coaching, strategic planning, evaluation, diversity, performance improvement, governance, and leadership development. Dave works with school districts, nonprofits, local units of government, and businesses. He has previously worked in the Michigan Senate, founded and led two political action committees and served as executive director of a non profit anti-poverty program in Ottawa County. Dave is a resident of Grand Rapids. He has obtained a Masters Degree in Social Work from Arizona State University and a Bachelors Degree from Calvin College.
Charias Moss
Student Commissioner
Charias Moss is a junior at Creston High School-GRAPCEP (Grand Rapids Area Pre College and Engineering Program). She enjoys playing sports such as soccer, basketball and golf for the Creston girl’s varsity team. Charias really enjoys working with people. In the fall of 2010, Charias will be attending college and majoring in political science or pre-law. Her goal is to become a lawyer and eventually serve in the U.S senate.
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