Community Foundation Board of Directors

​​Dr. Martin Brown is a Founding member of the SHACF, on the Board of Directors since 1990. He serves as the President of the Foundation. He is also a licensed Chiropractic Physician and President of the Macomb County Chiropractic Association. He served as Clinic Director of Macomb Chiropractic Centers, P.C. in Sterling Heights for 33 years, beginning in 1986.

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He earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 1981 and his doctorate from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto in 1985. He is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. He has been licensed to practice in five states and Canada. 

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He is also a long-term active member of the Sterling Heights Rotary Club having served as its President for three terms .He is the Secretary of the Sterling Heights Fraternal Order of Police Associate Lodge 118. He is also a member of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base Community Council. He is devoted to philanthropy and to community service.

Doug Dinning is a retired attorney and longtime member of the Sterling Heights Area Community Foundation's Board of Directors, having previously served as vice president.

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Doug earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from Detroit College of Law, now Michigan State University College of Law. During his legal career, he was a shareholder in the Sterling Heights firm of Dinning & Greve, PLC, and served as general counsel to the Roseville Community School District and Chief Legal counsel to Christian Financial Credit Union. He received Martindale-Hubbell's AV Preeminent peer-review rating, recognizing legal ability and professional ethics.

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His community service also includes serving as chairman of Christian
Financial Credit Union's board. In retirement, Doug continues his
involvement with the Foundation, supporting its mission to improve the
quality of life of area residents through educational, cultural, and
recreational opportunities.

Rich is a veteran of the United States Navy.  Rich studied and graduated from Macomb Community College, Eastern Michigan University, and a graduate program at Wayne State University.  Moreover, Rich had the opportunity to represent the State of Michigan in cultural exchange and he studied in Sakaide, Japan.  Rich has been married for 25 years and is the proud father of two.  He has been active with Sterling Heights Rotary Club and Boy Scouts of America for the past 13 years. 

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Rich is an Associate Broker with Keller Williams Realty and he has been there for over 20 years. Rich has been named one of the Top Realtors in Metro Detroit by Hour Magazine consistently for the past 15 years.  Additionally, Rich has been featured by multiple real estate associations as a leader in social media marketing and as a pioneer in virtual home sales.

Michael Notte has been a member of the SHACF since 2017 and he serves on the Board as the Foundation’s Secretary.    Michael is employed with FCA for the past twenty-two years and he is currently working in supply chain operations with the Mopar division. He has been involved in the Sterling Heights community many years. His father, the late Mayor Richard Notte, served the community as mayor and councilman for over thirty years. Michael is active with The American Polish Century Club and serves on their board as Recording Secretary. He is also a member of the Italian American Chamber of Commerce. A longtime member of UAW local 889, he serves as their Community Action Program (CAP) chair and he has held that position for the past ten years. As the Foundation’s Secretary, Michael serves on the Executive Committee as well as serving on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee.

Karl G. Oskoian became Executive Director of the SHACF in 2015 after serving 23 years as its President since 1993. Oskoian is President Emeritus of the Foundation. He is a founding director of the Foundation established in 1991.​ He retired as head of marketing communications and public affairs for General Dynamics Land Systems in 2013 and now leads a private communications company. Prior to joining General Dynamics Corporation, Oskoian worked at Chrysler Corporation and at General Motors Corporation in planning, manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, and field assignments.

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Oskoian has served on the boards of many non-profit organizations, including the Kettering General Motors Institute Alumni Association (2020 -current), the SHACF (1991-2015), the Macomb Foundation (1997-2000), Warren, Center Line, Sterling Heights Chamber of Commerce (1993-1999), American Heart Association's West Central Macomb Region (1998-1999), the Macomb Symphony Orchestra (1995-1999) and the Warren Family YMCA (1991-1998). ​ He chaired Macomb County, Michigan's, Focus Macomb Business Sector which resulted in a growth plan for the County and the introduction of a County Executive position. ​

Melanie is Community Relations Director for the City of Sterling Heights.​ Previously, Melanie served as President & CEO for the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce, executive director for the Adcraft Club of Detroit, president for Macomb County Chamber and vice president of marketing and communications for the Detroit Regional Chamber. She has spent the last 25+ years in these roles developing a robust track record of increasing revenue growth, acquiring new memberships and executing an integrated approach to serving the needs of the members she served.

In the past, she has also served on the board for the American Red Cross (Southeast Michigan Chapter), the Public Relations Society of America (Detroit Chapter), the Anton Art Center and was a member of the board nominating committee for the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Creative Corridor Center’s Advisory Board, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Communications Committee, the Super Bowl Host Committee Communications Action Team and the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau Image TAG (tourism action group). Melanie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations and Master's in public relations and organizational communication from Wayne State University. 

Dr. Joseph Estrada is the Clinic Director at New Leaf Chiropractic in Sterling Heights. He is married to Elaine with a son, J.J. He has practiced in Michigan since 2016. Dr. Estrada earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Wayne State University in 2012 and then earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University in Marietta, Georgia in 2016.

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He completed his Masters of Sports Health Science through Life University in 2017. He is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. He is devoted to family and community and became a Board member of the SHACF n in 2022.

Ronald Himmler earned a Bachelors degree from Wayne State University with majors in Physics and Mathematics. Himmler retired from Energy Conversion Devices as Senior Project Scientist.

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Established a Permanent Endowment Fund with the SHACF for science scholarships. In addition to serving on the Community Foundation Board of Directors, he regularly volunteers for several community service organizations.

Valerie Knol serves as a State and Local Government Relations Director for Stellantis. In this role, Knol is responsible for monitoring legislation and regulatory issues, as well as supporting economic development for the Company’s capital investment projects in the Northeastern United States and Macomb County, Michigan.  

Prior to joining Stellantis, Knol was a senior staff member at the Michigan House of Representatives where she was responsible for developing, analyzing, and managing public policy initiatives. Knol has also held management positions at Johnson Controls. Knol holds a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University.

Angie Lommen retired as a program director at BAE Systems in 2024.  In retirement, she continues as a dedicated volunteer in several community roles, serving on the Board of Directors for the National Defense Industrial Association Michigan Chapter, the Sterling Heights Community Foundation, and the Rochester Community Schools Foundation. She also mentors for the Women in Defense Michigan Chapter, and Menttium.  

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Angie is a certified Project Management Professional and earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota and her MBA at the University of St. Thomas. She and her family, husband Curt and daughter Elise, live in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Wayne serves as the Business Development Manager for the civil engineering firm Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, Inc. headquartered in Shelby Township.

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He is married to Virginia and is a life-long Macomb Twp. Resident. He worked in the newspaper industry for almost 50 years, followed by serving eight years as the President and CEO of the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce prior to joining AEW in his current position. His newspaper career started at the Macomb Daily and after several years there, he served as publisher for the company’s other products, including the Advisor & Source, Richmond Newspaper Group, The Voice, Tri-County News, Suburban Lifestyles and the Royal Oak Tribune.

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In addition to the SHACF, he is also At-large member of the Church Council of St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in Macomb Township.

Mr. Pasik is the Chief Engineer for the US Army Futures Command, Combat Capabilities Development Center, Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC). A retired Director from General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, he is a proven leader with over 35 years of executive management, engineering leadership and program acquisition in Department of Defense related programs.  

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A resident of Sterling Heights for almost 30 years, he has past community involvement as Director on the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and member of the Political Affairs committee of the chamber. In addition to serving on the board of the Sterling Heights Community Foundation, he is a current member of the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee, National Defense Industrial Association, Association of the US Army, and Women in Defense.

Dr. Mary Smolenski was appointed to the Foundation board in 2025. She is a licensed professional counselor for the state of Michigan and has worked in public education since 2003. She also serves on the Utica Community Schools Board of Education and was elected to that board in 2014.

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She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, Masters degree in Counseling, Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, and Doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision. She has two children who enjoy the parks, and all that the city of Sterling Heights has to offer the community.

Christina Taylor joined the Foundation in 2025 as a City of Sterling Heights appointee. She has lived in the city for 18 years alongside her husband Michael and three children, and has been an active part of the community since. She has been heavily involved in volunteering for various Sterling Heights endeavors, as well as promoting different organizations that help serve the community.

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She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Grand Valley State University after graduating in 2006. After graduation she worked as the Director of Public Relations for a local Macomb company before leaving the workforce to be a stay at home mom. She considers herself a committed “professional volunteer,” helping wherever she can between schools, church, and the city.

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Christina is committed to helping the Board to gain awareness in the city and surrounding area, as well as maximizing the Foundation’s contributions to the community.

Stacy Ziarko is President and CEO of Connect Macomb. Prior to joining the Chamber, Ms. Ziarko served the non-profit community in Metro Detroit with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW.) She serves on the Library Board of Directors as well as the Regina High School Board of Directors and the Advancing Macomb Board of Directors. Ms. Ziarko is a proud graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.