The Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint has added surgical oncologist Scott Kizy to its cancer care team. Kizy completed his fellowship training in complex general surgical oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa. His residency was completed at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, where he also served as the administrative chief resident for general surgery. He earned his doctorate of medicine and bachelor of science in molecular cellular and developmental biology at the University of Michigan.
Jasmine McKenney, program director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance PTAC, was recently elected president of the PTACs of Michigan Board of Directors. She previously served as vice president from 2021-22 and had a three-year-run as the board’s secretary. The non-for-profit organization serves as a single point of contact for the state’s resource partners and stakeholders to communicate and collaborate with Michigan’s 10 regional PTACs.
After 12 years of working with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tom Garavaglia has returned to Michigan. In addition to serving as director of NHL Street with RCX Sports, which partners with professional leagues to equip youth sporting organizations with resources and training to thrive, Garavaglia now serves as the new assistant coach for the University of Michigan-Flint Men’s Hockey Club. This is a return to his roots as he founded the club as a student in 2006. For more information on the club’s upcoming schedule, visit events.umflint.edu/clubsports.
The Disability Network (TDN) in Flint recently onboarded a new team member — a golden retriever named Onyx. The facility/therapy dog will assist youth with disabilities by providing them comfort and a feeling of safety and being a nonjudgmental friend. In addition to working in the TDN office, Onyx will also visit several Genesee County High Schools while on duty.
The City of Flint is partnering with Flint Latinx Technology & Community Center to provide Spanish translation services, with the goal of ensuring that city services and communications are accessible for all Flint residents. For the past three years, Public Health & Information Desk Clerk Connie (Aguilar) Steller has provided both phone and onsite translation services for a growing Spanish-speaking population, and she will continue to assist residents in navigating city services. The city’s partnership with Latinx Flint will increase the city’s capacity to provide translation for other city communications event.
On Oct. 10, Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village (SBEV) hosted an inaugural youth soccer game at Dewey Park, located next to SBEV in Flint. The game celebrated the new multi-sports court that was completed over the weekend thanks to a partnership between love.futbol, ESPN, SBEV and the City of Flint. Community volunteers and partners who worked on the combination soccer and basketball court included Flint City Bucks, Habitat for Humanity, Genesee County Parks, LatinX Technology Center and Operating Engineers 324.