The Skillman Foundation

At The Skillman Foundation, we run on inspiration, and we find it in abundance from the people who surround us—Detroit students, youth advocates, our partners, and our team. As we head into the new year, the Foundation has warmly welcomed two new trustees, a new staff member, and celebrated a staff promotion.

Two new members have been appointed to our Board of Trustees: Michael Bickers and T’Emi Oshin

Michael Bickers is executive vice president and regional president of PNC Bank, Detroit and Southeast Michigan.

He previously served as Midwest territory manager for PNC’s Retail Bank, responsible for leading the branch network and partner teams throughout the region. With more than 30 years of financial industry experience, Michael has held several leadership positions since joining PNC in 1990, including key roles in commercial and retail banking and serving as retail market manager for Detroit from 2006 to 2018.

Michael is an active board member of Business Leaders of Michigan, Detroit Economic Club, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Downtown Detroit Partnership, and the Marygrove Conservancy. He also has served on the Business School Advisory Council of Oakland University’s Business School in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition, he has served on PNC’s Corporate Talent and Diversity Council.

Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and holds an MBA in Business Administration.

T’Emi Oshin is a sophomore at Wayne State University, where she is pursuing a double major in neuroscience and public health through the MedDirect BS/MD program. She aspires to become a physician and is committed to advancing healthcare access for underserved and vulnerable populations.

A U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist and National Merit Scholar, T’Emi graduated from H.H. Dow High School in Midland, Michigan. As a junior, she founded the school’s first Black Student Alliance and launched Black Youth of Midland, a community organization dedicated to empowering Black students and fostering belonging. Her leadership in racial equity earned her the 2024 Princeton Prize in Race Relations.

T’Emi is also a passionate youth advocate and philanthropist. She serves on the Michigan Community Foundation’s Youth Project, through which she engages youth from 86 community foundations statewide to cultivate leadership and philanthropic impact. At Wayne State, she continues her advocacy as a founding board member and chair of community engagement for the University’s chapter of the National Society of Black Women in Medicine, as well as vice president of SciPol Detroit, a group that advocates for science-backed public policy at the local, state, and national level. She has also partnered with the Wayne State School of Medicine and Innovate Health Detroit on Health Together, an initiative focused on improving healthcare accessibility and reducing language barriers in Detroit.

Michael and T’Emi join fellow Foundation board members: Ron Hall, Jr., Board Chair, President & CEO of Bridgewater Interiors, LLC; Linh Song, Vice Chair, Co-Founder of The Song Foundation; Bill Emerson; Nando Felton, Co-Founder & COO of Building Successful Bridges; Joi Harris, President & COO of DTE Energy; Elizabeth Morales, Attorney at Foley & Larder LLP; Angelique Power, President & CEO of The Skillman Foundation; Derrick Roman, CPA; and Suzanne Shank, CEO & Co-Founder of Siebert Williams Shank & Co.

Graduating from the Foundation’s Board of Trustees: Gary Torgow and Mohammad Muntakim

Gary Torgow served as an active and insightful member on our Board of Trustees from 2021 to 2025. A determined advocate for educational and economic opportunity for all, Gary helped forge important connections for the Foundation with cross-sector leaders in Detroit and Michigan.

Mohammad Muntakim served as a strong advocate for Detroit youth on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2024 and 2025. A strong advocate for public education and child well-being, Mohammad’s insights and counsel were a tremendous asset to the Foundation.

We’re grateful for their tremendous contributions and know they will continue to be fierce advocates for students in Detroit and beyond.

The Skillman Foundation is thrilled to welcome a new team member:

Walter Cook joined the Foundation as the Learning & Impact manager in December 2025. He brings over 15 years of experience in Michigan educational policy, including over a decade focused specifically on the city of Detroit.

Before joining the Foundation, Walt served as senior director of research and data science for the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). There, he built and led a team responsible for providing Superintendent Vitti with actionable insights on key strategic initiatives.

Previously, Walt spent four years at Wayne State University’s Detroit PEER research center where he co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on topics such as chronic absenteeism, school choice, and student mobility. His deep commitment to Detroit families is rooted in his nonprofit work at Excellent Schools Detroit, where he helped design and manage a citywide school dashboard and supported the local advocacy for the creation of DPSCD and return of a locally elected school board. He also worked for New Detroit where he provided data support to the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren.

Exciting staff update:

Alexa Borromeo has been promoted from social change storyteller to senior social change storyteller.