Andrew Bowe
Support Staff
Our team is dedicated to providing resources and assistance whenever it’s needed, ensuring no one is left behind.
Over the years, we have positively impacted the lives of countless young individuals.
Every day, we strive to create opportunities and foster a sense of hope for young people in our community.
For us, helping others right in our own community is important. Completing high school and entering the work force or college is a huge challenge when you are battling poverty and food insecurity. We want these kids to know that someone cares about them and their challenges.
“For me, helping others right in our own community is important. Completing high school and entering the work force or college is a huge challenge when you are battling poverty and food insecurity. I want these kids to know that someone cares about them and the challenges they face.” Cathy O’Connor, President
Cathy has a passion for schools, students and all things related to the education and social development of young people. After graduating from Gaylord St. Mary’s, she received a BA in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan and MA in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. Her career in education encompasses a wide variety of roles, including:
Cathy’s 30+ years of education and experience, combined with her strong desire to support the flourishing of young people, make her an ideal advocate for students who are struggling, often through no fault of their own, on the path to adulthood. She understands how schools work and how to navigate the complex relationships between students, teachers, parents, and the community.
Cathy and her husband, Sean, are the parents of six children and two grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys playing (or watching) tennis, walking her dog, and connecting with family and friends.
Robin is a mom, wife, art director, designer, massage therapist, teen-chauffeur, and self-proclaimed, “jack-of-all-trades and master of none”. Robin’s career in creative advertising and graphic design has spanned over 20 years at ad agencies in the Chicago and Detroit area (along with 15 years of local freelance). She has received national awards in Communication Arts Magazine, Print, and a Chicago Addys winner.
Robin attended the University of Queensland in Australia, and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado (1992), and The Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia (1995). Robin later received her LMT from Solace School of Massage at Boyne Mountain (2011). In 2005, Robin, her husband David and their (then) baby Luke, moved to Traverse City from the Detroit area after falling in love with the outdoor lifestyle and of course, the fantastic people in the area.
Robin has been active in Traverse City community for several years. She has served as Gala Chair for The Children’s House, has been a volunteer with Safe Harbor, volunteers regularly at her children’s schools, and is currently active in local emotional support groups. Robin is an avid mountain/trail/road cyclist, a cross-country and downhill skier, and is a nature, animal, art, and travel enthusiast. Robin believes in finding mental and physical health through nature.
Having served with Step Up since the early days, Robin is incredibly honored to “step up” to the new role. “I am ready to discover what good we can do in the community. The possibilities are exciting.”
Leslie Cooper is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Cooper Strategic, founder of Leslie Cooper Design and author of multiple health and fitness books and cookbooks. She has designed and led seminars for leaders and spouses in several prominent companies and with countless entrepreneurs. Her background includes merchandizing and design at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and health sciences at Colorado University, Boulder. Leslie specializes in drawing together leading edge, proven insights on work-life balance, personal energy, health, wellness, and performance sciences.
She is a widely acclaimed authority on high-energy living for leaders, entrepreneurs, and busy families. Books with her insights and recipes have sold more than three million copies and appeared on major bestseller lists. They include The Health & Fitness Excellence Cookbook, America’s New Low-Fat Cuisine, Low-Fat Living, Low-Fat Living Cookbook, High-Energy Living, Flip the Switch-Lose the Weight and Cuisine7.
She is the founder of Leslie Cooper Design a custom hand-crafted gemstone jewelry business. She and her husband, Robert, live in northern Michigan and have two daughters.
Welcome our new Executive Director Nikki Kettlewell! We are fortunate to have her passion for helping others and a let’s “get-it-done” attitude.
Nikki is a wellness enthusiast with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness and Health Promotion from Oakland University. During her time there, she served as the secretary of the WHP Society.
After graduating, she spent five year at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills as an Employee Wellness Coordinator, overseeing programs like nutrition , weight management, and smoking cessation.
Outside of her corporate role, Nikki has built a business as a trading assistant for her clients, specializing in selling women’s and children’s boutique clothing. She enjoys volunteering at her daughter’s school, traveling with her family, photography, camping, and exploring northern Michigan’s beaches and hiking trails. Nikki’s home is in traverse City, where she resides with her husband, teen daughter, and two dogs.
We serve students and families across the Grand Traverse counties who are experiencing food insecurity daily by stocking school base pantries with healthy food items, personal hygiene, items, and clothing. We help eliminate the transportation barrier that often prevents students from accessing the items they need most .
Our part-time Executive Director, Nikki Kettlewell, and a team of volunteers shop multiple times per week in an effort to stock our school based food pantries with nutritious food and personal hygiene items.
We partner with Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan and the Northwest Food Coalition to distribute rescued food items and locally grown fresh produce and proteins to our various locations.
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