The Skillman Foundation

Exciting changes are underway at The Skillman Foundation as we activate our People Powered Education strategy and collaborate with partners to transform our education system.

The Skillman Foundation has welcomed four new team members to our Program and Communications departments.

David Wilson is partnership manager of Ground Building. In his role, David supports grant partners who are mobilizing Detroit students, parents, educators, and community members around the education changes they want to see.   

David brings a strong background in youth development and community engagement, having worked with organizations such as Advocates for Children and Youth, City Year Detroit, the Detroit Tigers Foundation, and the Detroit Pistons Community and Social Responsibility Department. He also led The Fly Initiative with the YMCA of Metro Detroit and served as a program supervisor in the Office of Equity, Family, and Community Engagement with the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Kyra Hudson is partnership manager for Policy & Systems. In her role, she builds trust-based relationships with grant partners and helps connect state and community advocacy organizations and coalitions.  

A Michigan native, Kyra earned her bachelor’s degree in public policy and a master’s degree in management from the University of Michigan. Before joining The Skillman Foundation, Kyra worked as an associate consultant at Education First Consulting and served as a public policy fellow at the Council of Michigan Foundations.

Mikala Cox is program manager for Strategic Initiatives. In her role, Mikala leads the Skillman Youth Council and supports strategic initiatives across the Foundation.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mikala served as the youth programming specialist at Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), where she amplified youth voice and power and co-designed various youth-led initiatives. At the Center for Arab American Philanthropy, Mikala led the Teen Grantmaking Initiative, managed scholarship programs, and organized the MOVE Conference. Her early career included roles as an instructor with the MSU Adolescent Project and STRIVE Program, supporting youth in the juvenile justice system. Mikala holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in psychology & sociology from Michigan State University.

Tina Bennett is a communications fellow for The Skillman Foundation and Council of Michigan Foundations. In her role, Tina provides her visual storytelling and copywriting skills to amplify the missions of both organizations.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Tina worked as a graphic designer and creative client lead for a Detroit-based agency while simultaneously providing freelance creative services to organizations based in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and education sectors. Working with these types of clients over the years, combined with spending seven straight summers as a camp counselor, fueled her passion for helping create real change for youth.

The Skillman Foundation announced a new Grantmaking Operations team.

Ashlee Schmidt, transitioned from director of Program & Operations Integration to serve as director of Grantmaking Operations.

Tara Cooper has been promoted from grants management assistant to grants administrator.

Together, Ashlee and Tara make up the Grantmaking Operations team which is dedicated to ensuring the Foundation’s grantmaking is executed efficiently and effectively. They support organizations through the grant application process and throughout the grant lifecycle.

Board of Trustees update

Ron Hall, Jr. has been appointed as board chair. He replaces Suzanne Shank who served a 2-year term as chair from 2023-2025 and continues to serve on the board. 

The Skillman Foundation appointed its third youth Trustee in the Foundation’s History

Nando Felten has been appointed to The Skillman Foundation Board of Trustees, serving two years as a youth trustee. Nando is the co-founder and COO of Building Successful Bridges, a nonprofit focused on empowering students with career and professional development resources. He played a key role in developing the LEAPS program at the University of Michigan’s Marsal School of Education. Currently, Nando serves as community manager for Google’s Code Next Detroit, where he builds partnerships to break down barriers in STEAM education. He is also a board member of The Umoja Debate League and an alumnus of the Obama Change Collective and New Leaders Council Detroit Fellowship. Nando holds a bachelor’s in education policy and a master’s in educational design and technology from the University of Michigan.