Phil Power
Center for Michigan Founder and Chairman Phil Power was the owner of HomeTown Communications Network, Inc., a group of 64 community newspapers in Michigan and the Upper Midwest that together won more state and national awards for excellence than any other group in the country. He sold his newspapers in 2005 and founded The Center in 2006. Power graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan in 1960, where he was editorial director of the student newspaper, the Michigan Daily. He was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University in 1962-64. The former U-M Regent helped found the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and served as Vice Chairman of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
John Bebow
John Bebow is president and CEO of the Center for Michigan. Prior to joining the Center in 2006, he worked for 16 years as a professional journalist, mainly as an investigative reporter for The Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Ann Arbor News, and Traverse City Record-Eagle. He covered the 2003 invasion of Iraq for the Detroit News and Gannett newspapers. He also served as editor-in-chief of MLive.com, Michigan’s largest online news and information service. He lives in Milan with his wife, Monica, and their daughter, Delaney. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in English from Western Michigan University and a MBA with distinction from the University of MichiganRoss School of Business.
Derek Melot
Senior Editor Derek Melot joined Bridge Magazine in 2011 after serving as an assistant editorial page editor, columnist and reporter at the Lansing State Journal, where he covered state and local issues extensively, earning awards from the Associated Press and Michigan Press Association. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma and Phi Beta Kappa, Melot moved to Michigan in 1999 and remains in awe of Michigan’s natural splendor and vibrant culture. He and his partner Jesse live in Lansing.
Courtney Thompson
Courtney Thompson serves as the Center’s Outreach Director. Prior to joining the Center’s team, Courtney was a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley in Washington, D.C. and his deputy campaign manager from 2007-2008. Courtney worked briefly as a Capital City Fellow for the District of Columbia Government and spent three years after college traveling the country working to elect candidates in places like Iowa, New Hampshire, Louisiana, and Alaska. Courtney received her B.A. degree from Syracuse University and her Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from The George Washington University.
Ron French
Senior Writer Ron French joined Bridge in 2011 after having won more than 40 national and state journalism awards since he joined the Detroit News in 1995. French has a long track record of uncovering emerging issues and changing the public policy debate through his work. In 2006, he foretold the coming crisis in the auto industry in a special report detailing how worker health-care costs threatened to bankrupt General Motors. In 2007, French uncovered Michigan’s educator pension and health-care costs that are now at the center of policy debate in Lansing. He is also the author of “Driven Abroad,” a book chronicling the movement of Michigan jobs overseas.
Amber Toth
Amber Toth serves as an outreach coordinator for the Center. Previously, Amber worked as a grant programs consultant for the Michigan Nonprofit Association, and completed two years of national service as an AmeriCorps*VISTA and VISTA Leader for Michigan Campus Compact. She received a B.A. in psychology from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Grand Valley State University. She lives in Okemos, MI.
Tanya Upthegrove
Tanya Upthegrove serves as an Outreach Coordinator for The Center. She previously served as the Vice President for Program Quality & Innovation for The Corps Network in Washington DC. Her passion for strengthening communities led her to work within local, statewide, national and international nonprofits located in Lansing, Detroit, Chicago, Washington DC, and Vientiane, Laos. As an independent consultant, Tanya also provided expertise to both for-profit and non-profit organizations through projects focused on resource development, strategic planning, volunteer engagement, program management, and performance measurement. Tanya has great pride for her hometown Inkster and she is excited to be back in Michigan after 8 years.
A.J. Jones
A.J. Jones serves as operations director for the Center. Prior to joining the Center in 2006, he worked as communications director for the Ypsilanti Convention Bureau and as development director for Ozone House Youth & Family Services. He manages the day-to-day at CFM, the websites and serves as lead designer on Center publications. He holds a degree with honors in English from Emerson College in Boston, and lives in Manchester with his wife and two children.
