2025 GUEST SPEAKERS
Mike Duggan is a lifetime Michigan resident who was born in Detroit.
After graduating from Law School at the University of Michigan, he became an attorney for Wayne County and then served for 14 years as Deputy Wayne County Executive. During that time Mike chaired the stadium authority and was responsible for building Comerica Park and Ford Field, the downtown stadiums for the Tigers and Lions. He also oversaw the construction of the McNamara terminal and the modern Metro Airport that serves Southeast Michigan today.
After 3 years as Wayne County Prosecutor, Mike was hired as the CEO of the Detroit Medical Center in 2004 as that hospital system was facing bankruptcy. Mike turned the huge 8 hospital system around by improving care and offering the nationally-celebrated 29 minute ER guarantee. If a patient wasn’t seen by a doctor within 29 minutes of entering the emergency room, they received 2 tickets to a Tiger game. The DMC system grew from 11,000 employees to 14,000 under Mike’s leadership, serving more than 1 million patients a year.
In 2013 as Detroit was heading toward bankruptcy, Mike left DMC to run for Mayor of Detroit. He employed a very unusual campaign strategy – each night he attended meetings in the homes of any Detroit neighborhood that invited him. 250 house parties later, he shocked many political experts on election night by carrying 92% of all Detroit precincts.
Today, Mike Duggan is the second-longest serving Mayor in Detroit’s 200 year elections history. He has the record for the largest back-to-back landslides ever in the city, winning re-election in 2017 with 72% and again in 2021 with 75% of the vote.
National columnist George Will has named Mayor Duggan, “the most accomplishing politician in America.”
Last year the National Management Association inducted Mike into the National Management Hall of Fame in St. Louis.
And Fortune Magazine ranked Mayor Duggan as #20 on their list of “50 greatest world leaders.”
Mayor mike duggan
City of Detroit
Jason Lee is the President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan (JASEM). He is responsible for leading and managing the strategy, fund development and operations for the regional non-profit organization. Jason Lee works feverishly to transform the lives of the most disadvantaged and disconnected members of the region through entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and workforce readiness exposure and training.
JASON LEE
Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan
Camille has 20+ years of experience in construction. Her journey from skilled labor to construction management, and now to Preconstruction Manager at Sachse, exemplifies her remarkable adaptability and deep-rooted expertise in the construction industry. Her hands-on experience as an electrician gives her a unique perspective on project complexities, allowing her to anticipate challenges and contribute meaningful solutions. Beyond her technical skills, Camille is a passionate advocate for community engagement and workforce development, especially within the skilled trades.
camille martin
Sachse Construction
Renard Richmond is a City of Detroit Construction Manager. He works in the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department (CRIO) and Detroit at Work.
Renard is part of the newly envisioned Employer Engagement Team and has the unique opportunity to build and grow an innovative strategy for employer engagement within Detroit’s workforce system. His role creates, coordinates, and engages select employers, training providers, and community partners to maintain the pulse on Detroit’s Work Force Development. He champions the role of compliance to the Mayor’s Executive Orders, Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP) Agreements and Community Benefit Ordinates. He is responsible for creating and implementing the workforce strategy for construction and infrastructure, as well as building pathways to employment for Detroit residents.
Renard is a native Detroiter and Graduate of Detroit Public School’s Murray- Wright High School, Ferris State University, and the University of Phoenix. He is passionate about community and workforce development; always seeking to help others become better. As a licensed builder, he has built a career in the construction industry for over 25 years as a Teacher, Tradesmen and Businessman. His personal motto is the African proverb:
“If you give a man a fish, He will eat for a day. But if you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.”
renard richmond
City of Detroit
Kimberly R. Rogers, EdS is the Principal of Northwestern High School (Detroit Public Schools Community District). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Arts in Counseling, Educational Specialist in Counseling Education and Clinical Supervision and a Certification in Secondary Administration from Wayne State University.
Ms. Rogers is a servant leader. An avid educator for 27 years, she served as Assistant Principal, Academic Engagement Administrator, Summer School and Extended Day Program Director, and Dean of Culture and Climate. A transformational leader, she wrote grants to secure over 9 million dollars in School Improvement (SIG) funds to increase learning opportunities, enhance students’ academic achievement, social -emotional capacities and cultural competencies at King and Northwestern High Schools.
Ms. Rogers’ love for children and learning transcended into her passion for education. Her motto is Elevate Expectations. Elevate Excellence. Imparting a “Can Achieve” mentality in her school community. She fosters a growth mindset to build generational knowledge.
Ms. Rogers is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
kimberly rogers
Northwestern High School
Todd Sachse is the CEO of Sachse Construction. Todd formed Sachse Construction in 1991 on the foundation of a systematic approach to project management, and the principles of doing the right thing and pursuing excellence by constantly raising the bar. Over the past 29 years, he has developed a loyal clientele of high-end customers who require detailed expertise in design and construction. As a result, Todd has driven Sachse Construction to successfully complete millions of square feet of commercial, institutional, multifamily, and industrial projects throughout all 50 States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
TODD SACHSE
Sachse Construction
James Van Dyke joined the Roxbury Group in 2006 and currently serves as its President, overseeing the firm's development and asset management activity. In this capacity, he plays a key role in identifying, analyzing and implementing new projects as well as manages asset strategy for the company's growing portfolio. James is particularly adept at finding creative solutions to financing urban redevelopment projects. In recent years, he has focused on promoting Roxbury's commitment to local workforce development and mixed-income housing solutions. James earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan, is a member of the Leadership Detroit XXIX and DBusiness' 2013 30 in Their 30s.
james van dyke
The Roxbury Group
PAST SPEAKERS
