Who’s Who on the YouthQuest Advisory Committee

Have you ever wondered who is on the YouthQuest Advisory Committee or what the committee does?

The YQAC is a group of volunteers that provides their expertise and connections to the YouthQuest program. As the name suggests, the committee serves in an advisory capacity at a strategic level.

“The YQAC is important to the overall program,” said Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President of Education & Training for the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, which oversees YouthQuest. “They serve as a sounding board for employees involved in the daily program execution. Their experiences and connections often aid us in expediting the work we are engaged in.”

The committee includes representatives from the K-12 districts YouthQuest serves, post-secondary institutions and the business community.

Here’s a look at who sits on the committee:

Greg Viener, YouthQuest Advisory Committee Chair and Flint Community President for Huntington Bank. He has served as the YouthQuest Advisory Committee Chair since its inception in 2006. With experience as a school board member for several years, Viener brings his expertise and passion for student success to the committee.

Dr. Robert Barnett, Dean of the School of Education and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Flint. He joined the YQAC in late 2016.

Detra Fields, principal at Dye Elementary in the Carman-Ainsworth School District. She began her educational career as a classroom teacher, but quickly progressed to administrative positions. Fields has served on the committee since 2008.

Jamie Gaskin, President/CEO of the United Way of Genesee County. Before joining the United Way, Gaskin served for more than 10 years as the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint. This experience gives him a keen understanding of youth development, effective programming, and community partnership.

Lisa Hagel, Superintendent of the Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD). Hagel’s career as an educator started when she became a teacher, then spans from the position of principal, curriculum director, local school district superintendent, and now in a county-wide capacity impacting all K-12 and pre-K youth in Genesee County.

Eddie Kindle, Superintendent at Carman-Ainsworth Schools. He has served on the YQAC since 2016. As a lifetime educator and administrator, Kindle provides strong leadership and partners well with the YouthQuest program.

Rhetta Hunyady. She provides direct oversight for all youth programs that are offered by the Chamber. With more than 28 years of experience with youth program development and leadership, Hunyady provides daily management with the program director to the YouthQuest program.

Reginald Kirkland, School Director of International Academy of Flint. He was named the director of IAF in late 2016.

Jennifer Liversedge, Executive Assistant to the President of the C.S. Mott Foundation. In her role at the Foundation, Liversedge is responsible for the grant benefitting the YouthQuest program, as well as other grants made to the Chamber for youth programming.

Elizabeth Murphy, Group Vice President for the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. In her current position, Murphy has a direct connection with oversight of the Chamber’s educational programs, which includes YouthQuest.

Bilal Tawwab, Superintendent of Flint Community Schools. He recently joined the district in the fall of the 2015-16 school year. His career as an educator is rich with experiences working as a teacher, administrator, and now superintendent.

This article was featured in the April 2017 issue of Afterschool Download, a monthly e-newsletter for friends of YouthQuest, TeenQuest and the Summer Youth Initiative. Also in this issue:

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