Our Board of Directors

Sheila Sky Kasselman - Founder

Sheila Sky Kasselman is the founder of Sky Foundation, Inc. and is an almost four-year survivor of pancreatic cancer. Ms. Kasselman is committed to raising awareness and funding research for the development of a blood test that can provide early detection for this devastating disease.

Ms. Kasselman owned Sky Financial Services, LLC in Bloomfield Hills, MI where she advised individuals, companies, and non-profit agencies on insurance matters, employee benefits, retirement planning, and charitable giving. Prior to owning her own company, Ms. Kasselman was an agent with AXA/Equitable Insurance company. She has a B.S. degree from Penn State University and is a Chartered Life Underwriter.

Ms. Kasselman has been an active community volunteer in Metro Detroit. She chaired countless fundraising events for arts agencies and crisis centers.

Gerry Barrons - Vice-President

Gerry Barrons has four decades of experience that crosses all sectors -- business, education, nonprofit organizations and government. Ms.Barrons' background includes nonprofit management, business ownership and consulting as well as volunteer leadership. Ms. Barrons was the CEO of the Women's Economic Club (now Inforum), co-founder of New Options Personnel (recruitment/consulting for women and minorities) and PR/Recruitment for The Roeper School.

As a community leader, Ms. Barrons helped establish and foster some of Michigan's most influential organizations -- founding president of the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, founding board of the Sojourner Foundation, officer of the National Organization for Women, Past President of the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit Board and currently serves on the University of Michigan-Dearborn Women’s Studies Advisory Board.

In her role as consultant, Ms. Barrons has helped nonprofit organizations to build sustainability through clarifying organizational vision, creating operational and strategic plans, and delineating board and staff responsibilities for organizations.

Lucy R. Benham - Board Member

Lucy R. Benham is an attorney and owns Lucy R. Benham PLLC in Royal Oak, MI. She practices in the areas of business law, corporate law, real estate and construction law, and estate planning. Ms. Benham also is an adjunct assistant professor at Walsh College teaching Legal Issues in Management in the Master's of Business Administration program.

Ms. Benham is a member and a Past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Greater Detroit Chapter. She also served as co-chair of the 2001 National Annual Meeting that was held in Detroit. Ms. Benham is a member of Women Impacting Public Policy, Inc. ("WIPP"), a national bipartisan public policy organization that advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business and the legislative process.

Ms. Benham is a founding member and served as President of the Board of Directors of Forgotten Harvest, Inc., a Michigan nonprofit corporation. Ms. Benham served on the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Metro Detroit and is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XIX.

Dave Cosgrove, Jr. - Board Member

Dave Cosgrove operates a manufacturers rep agency in the Detroit area that focuses on automotive components. Mr. Cosgrove is a founding member of the "Irish Mafia" which raises money for local charities. He has an undergraduate degree from Villanova University and an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Niki Gallaudet- Board Member

Ms. Gallaudet is on the ChildHelp State Advisory Board and was on their Board of Directors for five years. She was Tournament Director of the Virginia Slims of Detroit event in 1981 and was active in the Junior League of Birmingham and served on their Board of Directors.

Carla J. Groh, Ph.D., PMNHP-BC- Recording Secretary

Carla Groh is a professor at the College of Health Professions, Women and Gender Studies at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her primary teaching responsibility is graduate research. In addition to teaching, she conducted a number of research studies focusing almost exclusively on depression in women. Her clinical practice as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner focuses on women who are experiencing a myriad of problems, ranging from housing instability, food insecurity, no income, medical health issues, and co-morbid mental disorders. She practices at Mercy Primary Care Center which is a primary care clinic for the uninsured on the east side of Detroit.

Ms. Groh was a nurse practitioner at McAuley Health Center and a clinical nurse specialist at Holy Cross Hospital. She is a board member for Freedom House, a temporary home for survivors of persecution from around the world seeking legal shelter in the United States and Canada.

Judy McClelland - Board Member

Ms. McClelland is a lifelong resident of Detroit and has been an active volunteer and civic leader for many years. She has also enjoyed a 40-year career in the Residential Real Estate business .

William H. Powers, Jr., ChFC - Treasurer

Mr. Powers is the founder and President of Powers Financial Resources, LLC in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He has been in the financial services business for over 25 years.

Mr. Powers raised funds for several organizations, including the Oakland University Foundation and the Jimmie Heuga Center. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Bloomfield Hills Youth Soccer League and serves as a financial consultant to the Jamison Williams Foundation and The Mental Health Association in Michigan.

Kate Stocker - Board Member

Ms. Stocker earned her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Educational Psychology from University of Michigan. She taught students with emotional impairments at Hawthorn Center and in Livonia Public Schools. She currently teaches at Schoolcraft College and is a Student Teacher Supervisor at Eastern Michigan University.

David J. Weir - Board Member

Mr. Weir is a lifelong Detroit area resident and has worked for General Motors in sales and marketing for more than 25 years. He is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Detroit.

Mr. Weir is a dedicated volunteer and has devoted many years to organizations such as Henry Ford Hospital, the Human Rights Campaign and The Palmer Fund. At The Palmer Fund, Mr. Weir served on the board of directors for 15 years and is the past president. The Palmer Fund was a non-profit, community-based organization that raised funds for many groups in southeast Michigan providing AIDS education, awareness, and support until it merged with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.