Executive Director
Joan Baert comes to Lakes Area Community Coalition with more than two decades of experience as a leader in schools and in the community. A resident of Wixom since 1997, Joan holds education degrees from Western Michigan University and University of Michigan and worked as a teacher in Huron Valley Schools for 21 years before first joining the coalition in 2018 as project coordinator. Joan and her husband Brian are the proud parents of two teenagers in Walled Lake Schools and 2018 and 2020 graduates of Walled Lake Western High School. In addition to teaching and raising kids, Joan is a professional musician and is active in the community as a pianist and singer. She brings a passion for helping kids make positive choices as well as empowering parents to help their kids succeed. Joan is passionate about leading the Lakes Area Community Coalition and using her skills to create a healthy, vibrant, drug-free community!
Project Coordinator
McKaya Groenwald brings energy ,enthusiasm, and drive to the work of the coalition. As a Grand Valley State University graduate with a degree in Sport Management she drives to connect with the youth in our Walled Lake Consolidated School District to educate students on the importance of choosing to be drug-free. Mckaya has recently moved to the White Lake area from Northern Michigan and is thrilled to assist LACC in creating a healthy, vibrant, drug free community!
President and Founder
Kristen Quinn is the President of the Lakes Area Community Coalition and a person living in long term recovery. She founded the Lakes Area Community Coalition in April of 2016 in an effort to create a healthy, vibrant, drug-free community in the Lakes Area. She is committed to preventing substance use in our youth and advocates for prevention programs throughout the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. She is a Sobriety Court graduate and now serves as the Vice President of the Sobriety Court Promotions Program at the 52-1 District Court. She has served the Alcoholics Anonymous fellowship in a variety of capacities including Treatment Committee chair, Group Service Representative, and District Committee Member. Kristen is often invited to share her story with others in recovery and continues to sponsor newcomers to the AA fellowship. In June of 2018 Kristen became a Hope Not Handcuffs angel serving the Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, South Lyon, and Wixom police departments to assistant individuals with substance use disorders seeking treatment. She is a graduate of Walled Lake Central High School and proud to call the Lakes Area home for most of her life.
Vice President
Originally from France, Marjorie moved to the USA many years ago. She speaks fluent French, English, Creole, and a little Spanish. After obtaining a Master of Business Administration at Wayne State University she moved into the lakes area. Prior to her career in the banking industry, she worked as a nanny for many years. Marjorie is currently involved in her church as a greeter. Before that, she volunteered in the child ministry for many years. Now that she lives and works in the community, she wants to donate her time and knowledge to the Lakes Area Community Coalition. She believes that children are the future and we ought to guide them in the right direction for a better tomorrow. She also believes that the Lakes Area Community Coalition has the necessary, positive influence to guide, direct and educate our future generation. That is why when the opportunity to join the board presented itself, she did not hesitate to join. Marjorie is the branch manager of the new Commerce branch of the Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union. In addition to serving as LACC board secretary, Marjorie sits on the finance and governance subcommittees.
Secretary
We are currently looing for someone to join our board as the Secretary. Please send an email to kristen@lakesareacc.org if interested.
Treasurer
Grant McNutt, a life-long Wolverine Lake resident, brings a fresh perspective to our coalition as he represents the young adult age bracket. Currently in his third year of college, Grant works two jobs in order to fund his education at The University of Detroit Mercy. Caring for the future of young minds, Grant provides a perspective of the pressures our young people face. He strives to model the benefits of living cleanly by living a healthy, active, and productive lifestyle. Do your best, be your best (repeat tomorrow) being Grant’s personal motto, he understands each day is an opportunity to contribute. Grant serves on the development subcommittee of the LACC board.
Board Member
Ashley has served on the board since 2018 as an advocate for youth and families. She brings diversity and a passion for serving the community in all that she does. Ashley leads the coalition’s dynamic summer program called Camp CREATE for students who are becoming the leaders of tomorrow. Ashley is an LMSW working in both the schools and in private practice and she serves on the governance subcommittee of the board.
Board Member
Thomas J. Fox has been an active and vital member of the Coalition since he joined as a volunteer in January of 2018. Thomas has been active in the marketing sub-committee since 2018, became the Coalition's Interim Program Director in May of 2018 and was elected Vice President from November 2018 to September 2020. Thomas is now an active board member and still resides on the marketing sub-committee. The Fox Family has been part of the Walled Lake Community since 1973. Thomas grew up and resided in Walled Lake for many years. He went to St. William Catholic School, Walled Lake Middle School (Geisler) and graduated from Walled Lake Western High School. He graduated with a degree in Marketing from Cleary University, he is a licensed Realtor since 2007 and has worked in the Real Estate Industry since 2004. He currently runs his own Private Digital Marketing Firm and works with a slew of Real Estate Companies, Independent Contractors, and private businesses. In his spare time he enjoys reading, biking, activities with his Parish in Downtown Detroit - St. Joseph Shrine, advocating for LGBTQ Christian-Conservatives and spending time out in nature at Kensington & Indian Springs Metro Parks. He is very passionate about Prevention and Recovery, he is a boots on the ground advocate not only in the Lakes Area but in the South Lyon area where he currently resides. His favorite quote is, "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak." Saint Anthony of Padua
Board Member
Dan is a local dad, an outdoor enthusiast, and an IT professional and he brings his skills and commitment to our community to the LACC Board. Dan was tireless volunteer at Pedal for Prevention and continues his service on multiple LACC committees.
Board Member
With varied, cross-functional educational backgrounds in business, law and policy, Glen has provided strong institutional management focused on return driven strategies in a wide range of industries including, but not limited to, environmental, trucking, rail, construction, component manufacturing, healthcare and real estate. As an implementer of processes focused on systems intended to ethically maximize return and identify unmet needs, he has represented and evaluated both large and small business and investors alike.
In 2013, Glen sold his business to The Andersons, a Fortune 500 Company. He then went on to start / co-found one of the leading mental health clinics in metro Detroit as well as participated in numerous other business ventures.
Providing every institution, organization, investor, buyer and seller with unique and diverse perspectives, Schwartz has the tangible and entrepreneur business experience to relate to each person and entity.
Educational background complemented with business experience, motivation and communication skills, affords him the ability to ensure successful and positive outcomes during all of his participations.
In his own words, business success is one part luck, one part timing, one part relationship and a lot of hard work.
Youth Action Board Liaison
Nikki is a Master’s Level Psychologist with over 15 years of clinical experience working with people of all ages. Nikki is passionate about serving the community in which she lives as an outpatient therapist at Viewpoint Psychology & Wellness in Commerce and is excited to connect with Lakes Area youth leaders- supporting them as they cultivate a thriving and healthy drug free community!
Nikki’s professional and educational background has allowed her to pursue her passion of serving children, teens and families in many facets. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Albion College, Nikki went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Clinical and Humanistic Psychology from the Michigan School of Professional Psychology. While pursuing her degrees, Nikki gained extensive clinical experience in both private practice and inpatient psychiatric settings where she helped teens struggling with self-harming behavior, children with autism, athletes, and emotionally impaired children. Nikki’s client appreciate her down to earth, creative and energetic approach to mental health!
Nikki lives in Walled Lake with her two children, Zaine (7), Violet (2), husband, dog and 2 cats. In her spare time she enjoys geocaching, running, calligraphy and crafting!
Other Accomplishments:
Certified Love and Logic Parent Training Instructor
Licensed Personal Fitness Trainer
Certified through the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Speaker/Presenter on Topics of Mental Health, Children and Wellbeing
Contributor to Metro Parenting Magazine
Leader of Henry Ford Health System “Let’s Get Healthy Program”
Behavioral Health Expert for Local News Stations WXYZ-TV, Channel 7, and WDIV Local 4
VOLUNTEERS
Kathy and Ron Eberline
The Eberlines are active volunteers, serving at community events like the Wixom Family Fun Nights and working to grow LACC's connection with our local faith community.
Pam Blair
Pam leads Hope Not Handcuffs and we partner with her organization whenever we can. Pam volunteers with us at our fall and spring DEA Take Back Days and also at the Walled Lake Farmers Market, connecting our message of prevention with hope for recovery.
Cheryl McMahon
Cheryl is a therapist working in the field of mental health and substance abuse. Her programs focusing on drug & alcohol abuse as well as domestic violence, anger management and retail fraud have been implemented in the courts since 1998. She attended FAN meetings hosted by the coalition during 2016 & 2017 and began volunteering directly in 2017. Cheryl conducts the Synar tobacco outlet compliance checks on behalf of the coalition in the lakes area.
Lori Kuriwchak
Lori, a local mom, conducts the Synar tobacco outlet compliance checks on behalf of the coalition in the lakes area.
Nancy Perpich
Nancy is local real estate agent who volunteers during the coalition's medication take back events every April and October.