New Albion-Homer United Way Board Members Ready to Help
Living United is the motto of the four new Albion-Homer United Way board members committed to improving the lives of people in the two communities.
Joining the board are Ryan Hopson, Eddie Williams, Donisha Brewer and Isabell Nazar.
Hopson, a native of Albion, is a community development specialist with the Albion Economic Development Corporation. A graduate of Albion High School and Siena Heights University Hopson was active in basketball and track at the high school and college levels. A staff accountant for the State of Michigan and also with an accounting firm in Florida, Hopson now specializes in housing development, health and wellness initiatives and marketing for both the EDC and the City of Albion. He is an entrepreneur and created his own brand called LiFE.
Hopson has been active with youth through the Play Right Academy which focuses on sports and academics. He is dedicated to giving back and helping those in the town “that raised” him.
Williams came to teach in Albion after being recruited from Grambling University in Louisiana. She worked in the school system for 37 years as an elementary teacher and building principal. Williams holds a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. Following retirement in 2006, she returned to Albion Public Schools as a director of state and federal programs for seven years.
As an active volunteer Williams has always been involved in her church and community. She has been a member of the NAACP, Albion Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Delta Kappa Gamma (for educators) Sisters Influencing Society mentoring program, Albion Area Philanthropic Women, Bethel Baptist Sunday School teacher, Forks Senior Center and has been a community activist.
Mother of two professional women, she is grandmother of six. Williams feels “it is imperative to remain active in community growth and reform.”
Brewer is an active volunteer in Albion. A graduate of Albion High School, she has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Adrian College and is currently working on an M.Ed. in early childhood education through Northcentral University. Employed by the Albion Malleable Brewing Co., Brewer was an Early Head Start director in Scottsville, MI and operations manager for Albion’s Kids ‘N’ Stuff Children’s Museum. She was an early childhood educator at Gretchen’s House in Ann Arbor.
In her volunteer life Brewer is a member of Citizens to Beautify Albion, Mommy & Me Sensory Program Leader, Step Coach in Jackson and has served as chair of other volunteer programs.
Brewer looks forward to using her ability to “develop meaningful relationships through partnerships” to assist the Albion-Homer United Way to reach its goals.
Nazar retired as a Homer Middle School science teacher after 38 years. She is also the Homer Community Schools School Board secretary and a volunteer tutor in the schools. A graduate of Albion High School and Albion College Nazar holds a masters degree from Western Michigan University.
Active in Homer Nazar is vice president of the historical society, library trustee, food pantry volunteer, co-director of the free community-wide Zion Church dinners, recycling center volunteer and Homer School Backpack Buddies co-director. In addition Nazar is a Calhoun County Tourism Ambassador and is active in the MEA Retired organization as a board director and as an MEA student mentor and MESSA Ambassador.
She believes in giving back to her community and will put this to work as a member of the AHUW board.
Albion-Homer United Way is in the midst of its annual fundraising campaign. Donations can be made on-line at www.albionhomeruw.org/ or by picking up forms at the Albion Community Foundation, Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce or the Homer Public Library.
The mission of AHUW is to provide “long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening” to help community members “live more whole lives-a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement and good health.”
The four new board members join Carolyn Amos, Chris Burdette, David Diemert, Art Kale, Patrick McLean, Scott Salow, Pam Schuler, Gary Tomkins, and Shane Williamson. Marcia Starkey is the executive director.
