Meet ELi’s Board of Directors

Cody Harrell, President of the Board

Cody Harrell is an East Lansing High School Journalism and English Teacher. He earned his undergraduate degree in English and Journalism in secondary education from Michigan State University in 2016. He has experience as a media consultant and has been the director of ELi’s Summer Youth program for five years. He has earned accolades from the Journalism Education Association, the Society for News Design, and the School of Journalism at MSU.

Karessa Weir, Secretary of the Board of Directors

Karessa Weir holds a Masters of Environmental Journalism from Michigan State University in addition to bachelor’s degrees from MSU in Anthropology and Journalism. She brings to ELi’s board over 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Now a communications manager and adjunct faculty in journalism at MSU, Karessa was one of the first regular reporters for ELi, covering our East Lansing Public Schools beat. She’s also been a donor from the start. “I am an active and engaged resident of East Lansing who depends on the reporting of ELi on a daily basis,” she says. “I strongly feel ELi serves an invaluable function in our town.” Karessa moved to East Lansing with her husband Brian in 2013 and their  three children have attended ELPS. She has volunteered on the East Lansing Historic District Commission and on the board of several parent organizations. She joined the board in February 2023.

Vic Rauch, Member of the Board

Vic Rauch was born in Flint, Michigan, the son of a Buick auto worker and an elementary school teacher. He served with the U.S. Army Reserve, completing six months of active duty right out of high school. Vic completed a degree in journalism at Michigan State University in 1963 and worked for The Milwaukee Journal for three years. He moved closer to home, finishing out his career at The Kalamazoo Gazette, where he worked for 26 years. In retirement, he has taught copyediting classes at MSU’s School of Journalism. Vic has lived in East Lansing for 25 years. He and his wife, Ellen, spend time traveling the world and visiting their combined seven children, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. “We need to know what’s happening in our own hometown,” Vic said about his support for ELi. “Too many communities don’t have access to local journalism. We’re lucky in East Lansing.” Vic is a lifelong fan of both the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs.

Marie McKenna-Wicks, Member of the Board

Marie McKenna-Wicks has spent 25 years in the public/nonprofit sectors starting as an information and legislative coordinator for the Michigan Municipal League followed by a 14-year tenure with the City of East Lansing, first as assistant city manager and then in 2011 as the appointed city clerk. Marie also worked for the Michigan Bureau of Elections as an Elections Specialist, traveling the state training county and local clerks. Retiring “the first time” in 2019, Marie served as a precinct chair for the City of East Lansing for seven elections and staffed the satellite voting location for East Lansing from 2020-2022. Marie “came out of retirement” to serve as East Lansing City Clerk for 2023-2024, overseeing groundbreaking work with the City Clerk team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public law & government and a master’s degree in public administration, both from Eastern Michigan University.

Kit Carlson, Member of the Board

The Rev. Dr. Kit Carlson served as rector of All Saints Episcopal Church from 2007 until her retirement in 2024. A graduate of the East Lansing Emerging Leaders program, she centered her ministry at All Saints on service to the local community. In 2016, All Saints received a City of East Lansing Crystal Award for its Teen After School Center, operated in partnership with the East Lansing Public Library. Kit studied journalism at Michigan State University, working for The State News and Red Cedar Log, and earned a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida, where she worked for The Independent Florida Alligator. Her reporting career includes work for Florida Today, the Orlando Sentinel, the Columbus (OH) Dispatch, and the now-defunct Sarasota Journal. Before attending Virginia Theological Seminary, where she earned both M.Div. and D.Min. degrees, she spent 25 years in corporate communications, magazine editing, and freelance writing. She continues to write creative nonfiction and has work published widely.

Amanda Flores, Member of the Board

Amanda Flores is a first generation college student and daughter of migrant farmworkers from deep south Texas. Before attending Michigan State University, Amanda worked for over 10 years in student affairs and higher education, supporting students in their leadership development and spearheading diversity initiatives. Amanda received her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in English and her master’s in higher education and student affairs from the University of Vermont. She received her doctorate in higher, adult and lifelong education at MSU. She grew up working in the fields alongside her family, which instilled in her a strong work ethic, a sense of humility, and ganas, all of which she applies to her work in higher education.