Meet the Board

    Nicole Shannon - President 2024

NICOLE SHANNON, PRESIDENT  

Ms. Shannon is an attorney with the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, where she provides pro bono legal representation for older adults and adults with disabilities. Ms. Shannon has a Bachelor's Degree from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan. Ms. Shannon and her husband are proud graduates of Grand Ledge High School. They have two daughters in the district. Ms. Shannon was elected in November 2020 to a term that expires December 31, 2026.

     Denise DuFort - Vice President 2024    

DENISE DUFORT, VICE PRESIDENT   

Longtime community member and retired educator, Denise and her husband Dean have been residents of Grand Ledge for over 35 years.  Their two children went through Grand Ledge Public Schools.  Denise worked as a teaching assistant and library secretary for many years before returning to school and graduating from Oakland University with a degree in Elementary Education, returning to Grand Ledge Public Schools, this time as a reading and classroom teacher.  During her 12-year teaching career, Mrs. DuFort attained her reading specialist master's degree from MSU.  She retired from teaching in 2015, and began serving on the board in 2017.  Her current term expires December 30, 2028.

     Ashley Kuykendoll - Secretary 2024     

ASHLEY KUYKENDOLL, SECRETARY  

Ms. Kuykendoll currently serves as a Division Director within the State of Michigan with more than 15 years of professional and community experience. She is the daughter of a United States Armed Services Veteran and a former Special Education Teacher. Ms. Kuykendoll holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Family Community Service with a Specialization in Youth & Adolescents from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Davenport University. Ms. Kuykendoll and her husband currently have two Comets, a son and a daughter, enrolled in the district. Ms. Kuykendoll was elected in the November 2022 Election to a term that expires December 31, 2028.

    Jarrod Smith - Trustee 2024    

JARROD SMITH, TRUSTEE

Mr. Smith is a member of the national law firm Dykema Gossett PLLC, focusing on public finance and economic development.  After law school and for 12 years prior to joining Dykema, Jarrod was an Assistant Attorney General in the Michigan Attorney General's office working with the State on numerous public finance transactions including those involving many of the State's school districts.  Mr. Smith coached various youth sports within the district for several years.  He received a J.D., cum laude, and a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Applications, with a specialization in environmental economics, from Michigan State University.  Jarrod has lived in the district for over 15 years and has 3 children - 1 current comet, and 2 former comets both pursuing higher education.  His current term expires December 30, 2024.

   Jon Shiflett - 2023 BoE Trustee    

      

JON SHIFLETT, TRUSTEE 

Mr. Shiflett currently serves as a Policy Advisor to the Michigan Senate and is a licensed attorney. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Michigan State University and received his Juris Doctorate from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2010. He and his wife are both proud graduates of Grand Ledge High School and have one child. Mr. Shiflett was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education in May 2012 and won the November 2012 election to fill the remainder of the vacancy through 2014. In November 2014 Mr. Shiflett won re-election on the Board of Education, and again in 2018. His current term expires December 30, 2024.

        Ben Cwayna - 2023 BoE Trustee

BEN CWAYNA, TRUSTEE   

Mr. Cwayna is currently the managing partner of Hicks, Millbrook and Cwayna, PLLC, a law firm in Grand Ledge focusing on estate planning, commercial litigation, real estate transactions, and general practice.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy from James Madison College at Michigan State University and received his Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law in 2006.  Ben has lived in the Grand Ledge area since 2008.  He has served on the Downtown Development Authority and currently serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Grand Ledge.  Ben has a deep interest in American history focusing on the Civil War, and participates as a living historian with a regional reenactment group which recreates historical battles and camp life for the general public.  Ben is the proud father of his son, Grant, and he looks forward to working for the betterment of the students of Grand Ledge Public Schools.  In January 2018, Ben was appointed to fill the remainder of a vacancy on the board through 2018.  In November 2018 Mr. Cwayna won re-election on the Board of Education.  His current term expires, December 30, 2024.

   Dr. Toni Glasscoe - Trustee 2024

DR. TONI GLASSCOE, TRUSTEE  

Dr. Glasscoe is currently the Associate Vice President of External Affairs, Development and K-12 Operations.  In this role she oversees programming for dual credit programming to include the Career and Technical Education courses offered through the Eaton Regional Education Services Agency (ERESA).  She previously worked for 14 combined years in Human Resource Management for the City of Lansing and State of Michigan.  Additionally, she spent 10 years in the classroom and overseeing K-12 programs and activities.  Toni represents LCC on the College and Career Readiness (C3R) Advisory Board, the Cristo Rey Community Center Board and the Lansing Promise Board.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University, her Master of Arts in Education and doctorate in Educational Leadership from Oral Roberts University.  However, her most important role is that of wife, mother and grandmother.   Dr. Glasscoe was appointed to the Board in January 2022 to fill a one-year vacancy and was elected in November 2022 to a term that expired December 31, 2026. 

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