Kathie Dunbar, Executive Director
When Kathie moved to Lansing in 1996, she discovered that many of her neighbors didn't know each other, even those who had lived in the same area for decades. To build connections within her immediate community, Kathie founded the Sagamore Hill Neighborhood Association (SHNA). Over the next several years, Kathie transformed her neighborhood from a place where people barely knew each other to a community where people shared keys to each others' houses.
In 2002, Kathie received Lansing Neighborhood Council’s Bea Christy Award for dedication to neighborhoods. Later that year, Neighborhood Associations of Michigan presented Kathie with their annual Community Leadership Award. Around that time, the Ingham County Health Department hired Kathie to coordinate the South Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative, addressing community development needs identified by citizens who participated in the South Lansing Summit. This work led her to found the South Lansing Community Development Association.
In addition to her work at South Lansing CDA, Kathie serves on the Lansing City Council. She continues to live in South Lansing with her husband and four children.
Jenelle Jagmin, Health Initiatives Coordinator and Farmers Market Manager
Jenelle came to the SLCDA in 2011 with a background in community development, volunteer
coordination and organic farming. She has a long track record of volunteer service in the Lansing area,
including neighborhood building efforts in Lansing’s Old Town district, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan
and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. As the Health Initiatives Coordinator and Farmers Market Manager,
Jenelle plans to expand the excellent nutritional improvements that have blossomed on Lansing’s south
side. In her free time, Jenelle loves nothing more than spending time with her family. A perfect day
includes a hike with the dogs, a campfire and preparing a delicious, healthy meal.
Neal Valley, AmeriCorps South Lansing Urban Gardens Coordinator
Neal is serving at South Lansing for the 2012 growing season. He is a recent graduate of the Lansing Urban Farm Project's apprenticeship program at Urbandale Farm. He has lived in Lansing for three years after stints in Detroit and Big Rapids. As the garden coordinator, he is excited to see all of the gardens, new and old, spring to life and feed community members. Neal is also involved with coaching Okemos High School's debate team and collaborating on market gardens with other Lansing residents. His interests include food (growing/cooking/preserving), repairing bikes, and tacos. He's strongly considering both buying a tractor and attending MSU's Student Organic Farm in 2013.
Kris Klein, Outreach and Fund Development Coordinator
Kris is a former South Lansing intern that joined the staff to help with communications, research, grant writing, and funding. He recently received a Public Administration degree from Saginaw Valley State University and moved to Lansing in early 2011 to get involved with all of the exciting community efforts throughout the city. Kris enjoys reading, volunteering, and karaoke.
Megan Novak, Special Projects