About
HFLI

Deborah drives HFLI’s efforts to redesign how people learn. An educator with 23 years of experience in dynamic learning environments, Deborah’s expertise includes developing and sustaining small urban schools and authentic learning programs that engage a wide range of community partners to prepare learners to succeed in college, pursue a career of their choice and address challenges with innovative thinking. She led HFLI’s work with the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University (“the d.school”) to refine the Design Thinking process to explicitly develop young innovators and resourceful lifelong learners.

A champion of Design Thinking’s role in changing how we think and learn, Deborah is a frequent presenter who provides actionable information with real life applications as she shares HFLI’s evolving model of success with schools, communities and businesses around the world. Prior to joining HFLI in 2005, Deborah designed and directed extensive teacher leadership development programs for multiple school systems and earned the distinction of Master Teacher from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She served as one of the founding teachers of Henry Ford Academy in Dearborn, Michigan, helping shape its vision and write curriculum for many of its core components, including the Senior Mastery Process. Deborah earned an M.A Educational Studies, an M.A. in Chinese Languages and Literature and a B.A. in Chinese and Russian Studies, all from the University of Michigan.

Nan is responsible for the continued development of a K-12 educational program that prepares Henry Ford Academy students to succeed in college, pursue a career of choice, and address challenges with innovative thinking. She also supports the growth of our development programs. Nan has been a leader in public education for more than 25 years. Her experience includes developing and leading public schools and school districts; facilitating organizational development and strategic planning processes for corporate, educational and non-profit organizations; and, coaching corporate and educational leaders. Previously, Nan served as a member of the University Preparatory Academy Board for 5 years, and later served in a variety of operational roles in the UPA system, most recently Superintendent of the school district.  She was also a founder of The Coaching Collaborative, and worked for Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Waters Foundation. Nan earned a B.A. in English Education from University of Illinois – Chicago, an M.A. in Communicative Disorders from Northwestern University and has completed graduate coursework in educational administration from University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.

Larry focuses on strengthening internal organizational functions, ensuring the effective implementation of signature HFLI educational elements, and developing and sustaining new learning programs. He was the original Dean of Students at Henry Ford Academy in Dearborn, Michigan, and remains a champion of many signature elements developed at the Academy, their ongoing implementation, and refinement for today’s learners. Between his roles as Dean of Students and Senior Director, Programs of Impact, Larry was Vice President of Learning Designs (LDI), and led Sigma Learning, LLC, which provided integrated training services for Delphi Corporation. During his more than 13 years at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, he held several positions, including Manager of Training Resources, Manager of UAW-GM Tuition Assistance Plan, and Manager of Skills Assessment and Training. Larry worked for a number of colleges and with a wide range of educational programs, including Teacher Corps Youth Advocacy Project and University Without Walls. He also coordinated the Statewide Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) Youth Programs for Colorado State Department of Education. Larry earned a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of Oregon. He has lived and worked in locations across the United States, and also played professional basketball for the ABA’s Miami Floridians and in Scandinavia.

Julius manages HFLI’s finance and administrative systems. He is also involved in strategic planning, evaluation, school oversight, and operational initiatives. Julius brings to HFLI more than 20 years of experience as a CFO, financial analyst and accountant for health care, manufacturing, technology, logistics, communications, retail and public accounting firms. He came to HFLI from Pro Care Health Plan in Detroit, where he was CFO. He has a wealth of experience in evaluating and improving organizational financial management, increasing revenue, and implementing efficient and effective operational processes across multiple sites. Previously he worked for Warrior Sports, TDS Logistics, Compuware Corporation, Ameritech Corporation, Kmart Corporation, and KPMG Peat Marwick. Julius earned an M.B.A. from University of Detroit-Mercy and a B.S. in Accounting from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi.

Lisa creates opportunities for others to learn from HFLI through stories, experiences, and partnerships. She is responsible for all facets of our strategic communications and is the contact for media inquiries. Lisa started working with HFLI in 2006, and has been an integral part of our growth, including the continued development of HFLI’s work with Design Thinking programs and the planning, launch and ongoing activities of all of HFLI’s Henry Ford Academies. Lisa has more than 23 years of broad marketing and communications experience in both business and education. Prior to her work at HFLI, she was a senior account executive with The Devon Group; during her nearly seven years at the PR firm she managed client, press and analyst relationships, garnering positive national coverage that catalyzed business results for clients. Lisa graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Miami University and earned an M.S.A. with a concentration in health services from Central Michigan University. She was a 2013 AFP – Detroit Chapter Fisher Fellow and was awarded a 2014 NSPRA Don Bagin Memorial Scholarship.

Kimberly is responsible for the strategies and implementation of fundraising efforts, reach, and effectiveness to support operational capacity and program implementation for HFLI and its network schools. She joined us in 2015 with more than 25 years experience in sales and relationship building. After beginning her career with Marriott Hotels, Kimberly transitioned to the nonprofit world and has contributed to the fundraising and alumni relations programs at some of the region’s most respected educational and cultural institutions, including the Detroit Zoological Society, Cranbrook Educational Community, the College for Creative Studies, Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland Institute of Art. Kimberly earned a B.A. in Business Management from Central College in Pella, Iowa. She also completed some graduate level studies toward an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. Away from the office, she is an entrepreneur and maker, creating furniture and home goods for Owen & Abbey using wood salvaged from abandoned homes in Detroit.

Sonya supports the continued development of a strong team and solid foundation at HFLI through her leadership of financial reporting, budgeting, internal control policies and procedures, and human resources. She brings more 18 years of experience in accounting and finance to HFLI. Most recently, Sonya was the accounting manager for Ilitch Charities and Little Caesars Amateur Sports in Detroit, responsible for the accounting, budgeting and financial reporting for the non-profit entities; in 2015, her peers and the executive management team recognized her with the Fiscally Responsible core value award. Previously, Sonya was the accounting associate for the Clairmount Group PLC in Detroit where she provided financial services to non-profits, religious organizations and charter schools. She was also the assistant controller for Family Home Health Services, conducting all month-end closing and financial reporting, and she began career as the accounting manager at John Adams Mortgage. Dedicated to others, Sonya currently serves on the Board of Directors for Black Family Development Incorporated in Detroit. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.

Christopher supports HFLI’s growing K-12 design thinking initiative, including the continued development of creative problem solving resources and experiences that lead to transformational outcomes for educators and students. Prior to joining us, Christopher was a part-time faculty member at Parsons the New School for Design in New York, where he supported student adoption of human-centered design methodologies. At the same time, he worked as a consultant for the design research lab, Thriving, to develop a growth-mindset curriculum for various schools in the city and was selected by Pearson, PLC to author a K-12 design thinking curriculum, which is now being piloted at schools in Brazil and India. As a graduate student at Parsons, Christopher’s work revolved around the theme of design for understanding; in 2013, he was awarded the William Randolph Hearst Scholarship, which gave him the opportunity to pilot his workshop with different entities around New York to help them understand complex law. Christopher earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and an M.F.A. in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons.

Ossama contributes to the strength of our schools and organization by overseeing the strategic planning and implementation of administrative, infrastructural, operational and instructional technologies of HFLI and HFLI’s network of Henry Ford Academies. As a part of that work, he also supervises and provides mentoring and training to school-based technology coordinators. Ossama is an experienced IT leader, project manager and solution architect, with a track record of 13 years of experience in defining and building IT infrastructure and operations. He came to HFLI from Pratt Institute, where he contributed to the institution’s academic IT services for nearly 11 years; in his most recent role, he directed the operations of Pratt’s academic computing facilities which include the computer labs, the digital output centers, the institute’s laptop program and the technology enhanced classrooms and lead a team of 11 technology professionals. Prior to his work at Pratt, Ossama was an educator for nearly 10 years, most recently at the Crescent School in New York, where he taught computer classes to students in grades 9 – 12, maintained the school’s servers, network and workstations, managed a new computer lab setup project, and researched and proposed new technology initiatives. Ossama earned his M.S. in Information Systems at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, CUNY and his Bachelor’s degree in English Education at Mansoura University in Egypt.

Razi is responsible for leading the strategic growth and implementation of HFLI’s STEAM/STEM innovation programs, delivered during and outside of regular school hours. He brings more than 10 years of experience to the position through his work in the automotive and medical devices industries, mobile app design and development, social entrepreneurship, and education. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Manufacturing Engineering, he worked as an engineer for a number of years, and then decided to pursue his passion for human-centered design. In 2016, he completed a professional fellowship in human-centered design at Civilla in Detroit, where he designed and presented a new mobile app in partnership with the Google and the Detroit Fire Department to help the DFD identify the locations of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) across the city. Razi most recently worked as a STEAM teacher at Detroit Community School in Detroit where he used project and design-based methodologies to teach 9th-12th graders; at the same time, he was a designer and product manager for CrowdFeed, where he conducted customer discovery and research insight activities and helped to develop a design strategy with a user-centered focus.

Gwen manages daily accounting activities for HFLI, coordinates all logistics for staff and hands-on learning programs, and makes sure the HFLI team has all of the tools needed to do their jobs. Before joining HFLI, Gwen was a design coordinator and project manager who coordinated custom pottery projects from design through fabrication for three of the Pewabic Society’s designers. Her ability to develop operational efficiencies grew out of her more than 15 years at Bon Secours Cottage Hospital/Henry Ford Health System, where she earned roles of increasing responsibility, from patient accounting clerk, to supervisor, and ultimately financial services analyst.

Jordan supports the implementation of current Design Thinking programs and contributes to the strategic growth and development of our overall Design Thinking initiative. She brings to the role diverse professional design, program development, and instruction experience. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Architecture in 2013, Jordan worked as a designer at Blu Homes, where she focused on product development as well as collaborating with sales to meet homebuyers’ unique design needs. She then became a campus team leader for a non-profit in Ann Arbor where she wrote educational/experiential content for a summer leadership training program and mentored more than 40 university students. Jordan was most recently a designer and event coordinator at fleurDetroit, helping to conceive of and execute large-budget projects. As a part of her personal drive to enhance her skills and knowledge, Jordan completed the IDEO Human-Centered Design course in Design Thinking in 2016 and volunteers her services in photography and storytelling with various community-based initiatives in Detroit.

Staci works closely with school leadership teams and a range of partners to secure significant community support for Henry Ford Academies in Detroit. Her work builds on her extensive experience with youth in the community and includes recruiting students, building and stewarding partnerships to enrich student learning, and actively engaging parents as committed school partners. Staci came to us from Detroit City Councilman James Tate’s office, where she was the Youth Focus Outreach Coordinator. She successfully reduced violence through her work with teens as a board-certified Conflict Resolution consultant with Detroit Public Schools. She is trusted voice in the Detroit, who communicated vital information through her roles as Public Relations Specialist for the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, an on-air radio personality and producer of informative community programming. Staci earned a B.S. in Communications and Theater Arts, with a focus on Secondary Education at Eastern Michigan University. She is a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected youth in Wayne County.

Tonya maintains student and school records for the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies K-12 district in Detroit and ensures compliance with the reporting requirements of authorizer, school board, state and federal agencies. She brings to the district more than 15 years of compliance experience through HR positions in a number of industries. Tonya earned an M.S.A. in General Administration/Human Resources from Central Michigan University and a B.B.A. in Management from the Detroit College of Business (Davenport University).

Greg ensures that all Henry Ford Academy: Elementary School students and staff have access to and knowledge of innovative, functional and appropriate technology resources and technology-focused professional development. He has worked onsite at our school since it opened in 2012, bringing more than 5 years as an Apple Genius and Apple Computer Technician Certification to the school’s Apple-supported learning environment. Greg has worked in STEM fields for more than 25 years, including positions as a physical design specialist at Intel Corp, a certified pharmacy technician for Walgreens, and a lab technician at Portland Community College; while serving in the U.S. Navy, Greg completed U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Training and received Nuclear Power Certification and Clearance. Greg earned a B.S. in Science from Portland State University and an associate degree in science from Portland Community College, both in Portland, Oregon.

Brenda works closely with HFLI’s Director of Finance and Administration to manage, maintain and support high quality school facilities and business operations. She has nearly 35 years of combined global experience ranging from Borg Warner, Inc. to Magna Systems International, Inc. in the finance and accounting fields. Brenda earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Accounting, both from the University of Phoenix.

Patty is responsible for all aspects of daily CMO and school accounting for the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies K-12 district to ensure that students and teachers have high impact learning environments and sufficient resources. Patty comes to us from a risk management firm in St. Clair Shores, MI where she was controller. She has nearly 35 years of accounting and administrative experience, including a 6-year tenure as a Southfield, MI-based lead accountant for charter schools in Michigan and Texas. Patty earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Accounting, both from the University of Phoenix.

Shanae contributes to the ongoing development of a strong team of educators and staff to serve our students in Detroit as the coordinator of recruitment, hiring, retention, payroll and benefits administration activities. She has more than 15 years of progressive business experience in human resources, benefits administration, and compliance through her work at major employers, including the City of Detroit, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, and Western Michigan University. She earned an M.B.A. in Human Resource Management from the University of Phoenix, an M.S. in Computer Information Systems from the University of Detroit Mercy, and a B.B.A. in Computer Information Systems from Western Michigan University.