MEET OUR DEDICATED TEAM

Who We Are

At DBG, we don’t believe young people need to be empowered—they already have the power. Our role is to nurture it, protect it, and clear the path where we can.

We’re educators, mentors, creatives, and community leaders who came to this work to make a difference and stayed because we’ve seen what’s possible when youth are given real opportunity.

We don’t just run programs. We model mindsets. Every member of our team is committed to doing the inner work: examining our beliefs, shifting how we lead, and holding ourselves to the same growth we expect from our students.

We’re building more than a program. We’re building a community where young people are seen, supported, and trusted to lead. That work starts with us.

What We Believe

Since 2007, we’ve taken a long-view approach to youth development—one rooted in trust, real-time responsiveness, and the belief that success is measured over years, not moments. Every member of our team plays a role in that process: helping students dream big, stay the course, and build lives they’re proud of.

Our Shared Power Framework guides everything we do:

We lead with, not for, our students. Youth voice isn’t a box we check—it’s a compass.

We center families and long-term connection. Our relationships don’t end at graduation.

We evolve alongside our community. Programs are shaped by listening, and adapted through feedback.

We hold both care and rigor. We celebrate our students’ full humanity while pushing them toward their highest potential.

Youth leadership academy

D'aire Snell

Elementary

Michael Mccants

Elementary

Kourtney Prater

Elementary

Niyoki Lewis

Middle School

Kayla Davis

Middle School

Uriel Bath-Yaweh

High School

Tyrone Mitchell

High School

the DBG team

Board of Directors

Officers

Jeri_Fishman

Jeri Fishman

Board Chair

Jeri brings a wealth of experience in casework, community leadership, and education advocacy to DBG. A former Michigan Department of Corrections Caseworker and Court Assigned Probation Officer, she has since dedicated herself to volunteer work, serving on multiple school boards and as president of two. Passionate about community service, Jeri is a board member at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Jewish Family Services, and more. A Savannah State University graduate, she values DBG’s urgent mission to uplift Detroit youth. Born and raised in the city, she is deeply committed to bridging educational gaps and uplifting students and families.

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Gary Wilson

Vice chair

Gary Wilson is a Vice President at First Merchants Bank, where he serves as a local ambassador, building relationships across the business and nonprofit sectors to promote civic engagement. With over 20 years in the banking and finance sector, he is actively involved in community leadership, including serving on an advisory panel for the Mayor’s Office in the City of Detroit. Gary holds degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy and a master’s from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan, with his son Logan.

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Joe Schmidt

Treasurer

Joe Schmidt is a Deals Director at PwC. With a background in both transaction services and external audit, Joe has provided a variety of services for both public and private companies. As a member of the Deals team, he has worked on a variety of projects across industry sectors, company size and geographies. Joe is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Michigan and received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Management with an emphasis in accounting from Albion College. As an individual with a passion for athletics and continued learning, Joe strongly believes in the mission and community built at DBG. Joe has been actively involved with the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program since 2017

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deidra wilson

Secretary

Deidra Wilson is a passionate and accomplished legislative counsel with a deep commitment to healthcare advocacy. As the Corporate Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy at McLaren Health Care Corporation, Deidra oversees advocacy efforts across multiple states, securing significant state and federal appropriations for healthcare initiatives. A recognized leader, she has earned accolades such as Crain’s Detroit 40 under 40 and Diversity Magazine’s Top 100 under 50. Deidra's dedication to shaping healthcare policy and her ability to bridge political divides make her a vital force in advancing public health.

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Board Members

Jeff Addison

Jeff Addison is an investor and provides financial advisory services to companies. Previously, he served as a managing director with Conway MacKenzie where he provided turnaround and crisis management services for corporate and government clients. Jeff has been actively involved with the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program since 2014 and is a member of the Detroit Athletic Club.
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Clifford Brown

Clifford Brown is a managing partner of Woodborn Partners and analyst with Ford Motor Company. He graduated with an undergraduate degree and an MBA in finance from The Ohio State University. He serves on the trustee board of Metropolitan Church of God and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
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Julie Lodge-Jarrett

Julie Lodge-Jarrett is Senior Vice President and Chief People Person at DICK’S Sporting Goods. She previously served as Chief Talent Officer (CTO) at Ford Motor Company. Julie, her husband, and their two children lived in Shanghai, China, for nearly 5 years and are avid travelers and adventurists. Julie is a strong champion of Better World initiatives, and has invested countless hours volunteering around the world, helping to make lives better in the communities in which she’s lived, worked and traveled. She was hooked – figuratively and literally – from the first day she walked into DBG, and has previously served as our board chair, helping DBG grow and become the organization we are today.
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David Moss

David Moss is the senior partner of Moss & Colella, P.C. He has successfully litigated thousands of cases in Michigan state and federal courts on behalf of clients for more than 30 years. He is highly respected by both plaintiff and defense litigators and regarded as a skilled and tenacious advocate. David is also recognized as a Michigan "Super Lawyer" and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate organization. Mr. Moss is a loving father and family man. He is also committed to helping others and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities.
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Shawn Riley

Shawn has 20 years of experience in wealth management. As an investment advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, he works with high-net-worth individuals and families to help manage and grow their wealth. Through utilizing resources in the firm’s trust and tax departments, Shawn provides comprehensive strategies to manage a family’s full balance sheet. Many of his clients have significant charitable goals where Shawn assists with structuring gifts in a tax-efficient manner.

Shawn was introduced to the Detroit Boxing Gym (DBG) through a stand-up paddleboard race on Belle Isle where he taught some students how to paddleboard. He immediately recognized the impact DBG had on students’ lives and has supported the program since 2017.

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Matt Rossetti

Matt Rossetti refers to himself as a "Chief Architect of Serious Fun." He is a third-generation architect and president of ROSSETTI, a globally-recognized architecture and design firm headquartered in Detroit. Matt holds bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Michigan and a sculpture degree from the University of Florence, Italy. He worked at firms in New York and Los Angeles before returning to Detroit to join his father's firm in 1989.

ROSSETTI's architectural portfolio of award-winning projects consists of a broad range of unique and inspiring spaces including sports and entertainment venues, training and recreation facilities as well as hospitality, residential, workplace and retail. Notable projects include: reimagining One Campus Martius and Ford Field, the Henry Ford Health System Detroit Pistons Performance Center, The Corner Apartments, Michigan State University Munn Ice Arena, and many more.

But most notable to us at DBG, ROSSETTI donated full design services to create our current 27,500 square foot facility on Detroit's east side. The team repurposed a former bookbinding factory into the safe, functional and inspiring space where our students learn, grow, and thrive every day.

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Todd Sachse

Todd Sachse is CEO and founder of Sachse Construction, and vice president of Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services, Inc. Over the past 22 years, he has developed a loyal clientele of high-end customers who require detailed expertise in design and construction. Todd earned his bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan in 1985. He is a licensed builder in dozens of states, certified LEED Accredited Professional and a Senior Level Certified Development, Design and Construction Professional (SCDP)
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Brian Vieaux

Brian is the President of FinLocker, a consumer-enabled financial data platform. He formerly led the Third Party Originations channels for Flagstar Bank, a role he held since May 2012. Prior to joining Flagstar Bank, he held senior officer roles with market leading financial institutions. Brian began his mortgage banking career with Source One Mortgage Services Corporation and was part of the integration team assembled after CitiMortgage’s acquisition of Source One in 1999. Brian’s experience includes strategy, business development, sales and marketing, compliance, quality control and risk management. He is experienced in building business channels in both large and medium-sized companies and has significant experience in all phases of management, including sales production management, human resources, administration, operations, and risk management, as well as training and development. In 2005 Brian attained the Mortgage Bankers Association industry designation of Certified Mortgage Bankers (CMB). Brian is an alumnus of Michigan State University. Brian is a former RESBOG member and sits on the Flagstar Bank CRA and PAC committees. Brian and his wife of 27 years, Amy, have three children, Cameron 24, Ethan 22 and Devon 20.
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Robert Young

A dedicated advocate for social change, Robert Young brings a profound commitment to philanthropy as a DBG Board Member. With a dynamic background in entrepreneurship, He contributes invaluable insights and countless hours ensuring our students receive the correct support. Robert previously owned Young & Sons Drying and Restoration, but currently leads sales for a global commercial roofing and restoration corporation. He is committed to seeing our students grow in confidence and develop themselves into who they want to be, continues to inspire Robert daily. Robert also competes as an endurance athlete which allows him to share the important mental fortitude required to pursue your goals and overcome adversity.

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Advisory Board

Rakesh Aneja

Rakesh has twenty years of experience in diesel powertrain development, including engineering leadership and program leadership responsibilities in the fields of advanced engine, aftertreatment and OBD system development. His core competencies include technology and product development (from technical concept through field sustaining); engineering project and platform management; global organization development and collaboration; people development; and continuous improvement via process and tools optimization. Rakesh received his master of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, Indiana, U.S.A. and his bachelor of technology degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.
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Dennis Blender

Dennis is an organizational psychologist primarily serving family-business and non-profit organizations. His professional practice has been focused on strategic planning, leadership development and building strong organizational cultures. Dennis launched his own firm, Blender Consulting Group, in 2002. Prior to that, he was a partner at Plante & Moran. He has a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in educational psychology. Dennis is married to Anita, and has 2 daughters, 1 son-in-law, and 2 grandchildren. In addition to consulting, Dennis teaches yoga and meditation. He has hiked the world’s famous trails on 6 continents.
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John C. Carter

John C. Carter has worked for 35+ years in commercial banking for JPMorgan Chase and predecessor organizations, serving as a manager or executive in charge of various lending and corporate banking groups which provide operating and capital raising services/products to corporate clients. He serves on various internal bank committees and has involvement in several outside organizations, as either member or director: YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit (Director and Past Chairman of Board), YMCA Foundation (Director), Forgotten Harvest (Board and Executive Committee Member), Judson Center (Past Chairman of the Board and Trustee), Judson Center Foundation (Director), Business Leaders of Michigan (Director), Detroit Chamber of Commerce (Director), Detroit Historical Society (Director), Downtown Detroit Partnership (Director), Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (Director), Detroit Economic Club (Director), and Detroit Workforce Development Board.

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Dr. Farshad FOTOUHI

Dr. Farshad Fotouhi is currently Dean of the College of Engineering at Wayne State University. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from Michigan State University, College of Engineering in 1988 and joined the faculty of computer science at Wayne State University in August 1988. He served as the department chair from January 2004-February 2011. Before joining WSU in 1988, he was a faculty member of the Lyman Briggs School, Michigan State University, while earning his Ph.D.

Dr. Fotouhi’s current research interests include biomedical informatics, semantic web and multimedia systems. He has published over 180 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings. His research has been supported by NSF, NIH, National Institute of Drug Abuse, Michigan Life Sciences Corridor, Ford Motor Company and many other industries.

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Ron Fournier

Jennifer Miller Oertel is a member of the law firm Bodman, PLC, where she co-chairs the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing practice group. Jennifer chairs the Nonprofit Corporations Committee of the State Bar of Michigan (Business Law Section) and is certified in nonprofit governance by Georgetown University. Jennifer utilizes her corporate & securities law and governance skills to serve tax-exempt clients, impact investors and social entrepreneurs in all aspects of their activities. She is the first-ever Impact Investing Expert in Residence for the Council of MI Foundations, working on developing and furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Michigan and beyond.

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Jennifer Hammond

Jennifer Miller Oertel is a member of the law firm Bodman, PLC, where she co-chairs the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing practice group. Jennifer chairs the Nonprofit Corporations Committee of the State Bar of Michigan (Business Law Section) and is certified in nonprofit governance by Georgetown University. Jennifer utilizes her corporate & securities law and governance skills to serve tax-exempt clients, impact investors and social entrepreneurs in all aspects of their activities. She is the first-ever Impact Investing Expert in Residence for the Council of MI Foundations, working on developing and furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Michigan and beyond.

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Jody Kohner

Jennifer Miller Oertel is a member of the law firm Bodman, PLC, where she co-chairs the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing practice group. Jennifer chairs the Nonprofit Corporations Committee of the State Bar of Michigan (Business Law Section) and is certified in nonprofit governance by Georgetown University. Jennifer utilizes her corporate & securities law and governance skills to serve tax-exempt clients, impact investors and social entrepreneurs in all aspects of their activities. She is the first-ever Impact Investing Expert in Residence for the Council of MI Foundations, working on developing and furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Michigan and beyond.

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Bruce Nyberg

Jennifer Miller Oertel is a member of the law firm Bodman, PLC, where she co-chairs the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing practice group. Jennifer chairs the Nonprofit Corporations Committee of the State Bar of Michigan (Business Law Section) and is certified in nonprofit governance by Georgetown University. Jennifer utilizes her corporate & securities law and governance skills to serve tax-exempt clients, impact investors and social entrepreneurs in all aspects of their activities. She is the first-ever Impact Investing Expert in Residence for the Council of MI Foundations, working on developing and furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Michigan and beyond.

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Jennifer Miller Oertel

Jennifer Miller Oertel is a member of the law firm Bodman, PLC, where she co-chairs the firm’s Tax-exempt Organizations and Impact Investing practice group. Jennifer chairs the Nonprofit Corporations Committee of the State Bar of Michigan (Business Law Section) and is certified in nonprofit governance by Georgetown University. Jennifer utilizes her corporate & securities law and governance skills to serve tax-exempt clients, impact investors and social entrepreneurs in all aspects of their activities. She is the first-ever Impact Investing Expert in Residence for the Council of MI Foundations, working on developing and furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Michigan and beyond.

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John Owens

John Owens held Senior Management positions in Marketing and Communications with major Midwest financial institutions.  He was privileged to complement his career experience with an “encore” stint as a Director of Communications at Forgotten Harvest, a metro Detroit human services organization.

He is involved in his local community as a Precinct Delegate in Bloomfield Township.

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Matthew Roling

Matthew Roling is a professor and chair of Wayne State University’s Accounting Department. Prior to joining Wayne State, Matthew worked in a variety of management consulting and entrepreneurial roles – most recently serving as the CEO of a venture-backed financial technology start-up. A CPA and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Matthew loves to cook, travel and read in his free time.

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Hubert Sawyers, III

Hubert is principal at SORSAW Enterprises, a digital marketing consultancy that specializes in optimizing search and social efforts to enhance business activity. Hubert has supported other local causes, including North Rosedale Park Civic Association and Michigan Humane Society. A Michigan State University graduate, he studied both International Relations and Japanese. Born and raised in Detroit, he now resides in Ferndale, and spends time collecting records, cooking, and staying physically active.
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Tahir Whitehead

Tahir Whitehead was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Temple University. Whitehead, who became one of the team’s most valuable players on special teams through his first two seasons, moved into the starting lineup at middle linebacker for Detroit September 28, 2014. Whitehead finished an impressive season with 86 tackles, 2 interceptions and 5 passes defended. After spending six seasons in Detroit, Whitehead continued his NFL career in Oakland for the Raiders and then Carolina with the Panthers. A native of Newark, New Jersey, Whitehead has found his niche working with youth in the Metro Detroit area, with a primary focus on education. Since September of last year, Whitehead has hosted events with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Public School System’s Proud Strong Learner’s Program and DBG - Detroit.
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leaving a legacy

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Stephen Luigi Piazza

Stephen Luigi Piazza (SLP) was our rock, mentor, cheerleader, outside-the-box thinker, big dreamer and most importantly, our dear friend. He loved our program, our students and the city of Detroit – and we loved him back. He joined the DBG - Detroit Advisory Board in February of 2014 and worked tirelessly to support efforts to grow our program. We were devastated when SLP passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. He remains a benefactor to the Downtown Boxing Gym through his Shamrock 555 Foundation and his legacy lives on at DBG.
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Taiwo Hall Square

TAiwo "TIKE" hall

The impact DBG is making today is the result of sacrifices made many years ago. Khali's older brother, Tike, was Khali's original mentor. Tike passed far too soon. Still, his memory lives on. Tike's impact carries though to each generation of students who learn and grow here. And in turn, our students go on to influence the world.
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Jim Ryan

Jim Ryan founded JPRA Architects, an award winning architectural firm specializing in national and international commercial projects, and directed design and marketing activities until his retirement in 2008. He serves Lawrence Tech University on the Alumni Board, Steering Committee, and Distinguished Architectural Alumni. Jim serves as the architectural advisor to the DBG - Detroit.
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TeAsha Andrews Square

Teasha Andrews

For over seven years, Teasha greeted every student, parent, and visitor with a warmth that could turn any day around. Her journey with DBG began when her oldest daughter joined as a student, quickly leading Teasha from volunteer to an essential part of our team. Teasha’s impact will never fade. It lives on in the lives she touched, the students she lifted up, and the spirit of love and community she instilled in all of us.

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