Fourteen People Want to Serve on EL’s Council. What Do Their Applications Show?

East Lansing’s City Council will decide at its meeting tonight (Jan. 10) how to manage the vetting of the 14 eligible applicants for appointment to the vacant seat on Council. 

East Lansing Info (ELi) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain the applications of the candidates so members of the public can see them in advance of Council’s vetting and decision.

Using the FOIA results, today we bring you a snapshot of the applicants plus links that take you to the applications themselves. Note that the City Clerk has redacted home addresses, phone numbers and emails of the applicants for privacy reasons, and ELi has not independently verified the information provided on the applications.

ELi put the applicants’ names in a hat to choose the following order of presentation. All of these 14 applicants have been verified by the Clerk as being residents of the City of East Lansing who are registered to vote here. Two other applicants were deemed ineligible because they live outside the city’s borders. 

Eugenia Zacks-Carney states her profession as a licensed Realtor and property manager for ExP Realty LLC/Statewide. She indicates she holds a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law and has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency. She lists volunteer work in legal clinics, campaigns and as a poll watcher.

Here is Zacks-Carney’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council:

Kalette Willis states she is currently a junior at Michigan State University studying political science. She is a returning student, having served in the U.S. Army. In terms of prior relevant experience, she indicates she is serving as treasurer of “Student Parents on a Mission.” In 2021, she ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Dearborn, Michigan.

Here is Willis’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Noel Garcia Jr. states he is a Law Enforcement Instructor at the Wilson Talent Center in Mason. His background is in criminal justice and education and he retired from the Lansing Police Department as a lieutenant after 25 years of service. In 2018, he ran for East Lansing School Board and lost by a slim margin. He is currently an appointee to East Lansing’s Independent Police Oversight Commission and indicates he also volunteers in the public schools.

Here is Garcia’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council:

Nichole Biber states she is a library paraprofessional at Robert L. Green Elementary School. She has a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University and indicates she has volunteered with numerous groups focused on parks, conservation, environmental concerns and Native American life. She frequently speaks at City Council during the public comment period and recently led the movement to rename Abbot Park to Azaadiwag Park.

Here is Biber’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Rebecca Kasen states she has been the Executive Director of the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing since October 2022. Her background is in politics, sociology and social work. Asked to state her prior relevant experience, she did not name specifics, but wrote, “I’ve spent all of my career working in non-profits that receive government grants. I am very involved in the disability advocacy community as well as intersectional groups.”

Here is Kasen’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Laith Mihyar states he is a law student at MSU who has interned at Michigan’s Department of Technology, Management and Budget, with efforts focused on the 2020 census count. His list of relevant experience includes volunteer work with political campaigns and the Halimah Project of East Lansing’s Islamic Center, helping refugee and immigrant families. He also notes his work with the MSU Model United Nations organization.

Here is Mihyar’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Tina Farhat states she is a financial planner at Northwestern Mutual-Milwaukee and holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Business Management from Schiller International University. In terms of prior relevant volunteer and government experience, she lists volunteer service with the National Arab Orchestra and the Arab American Women’s Business Council, along with mentorship of women.

Here is Farhat’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Island Ewert states she is a financial aid adviser at Lansing Community College with a bachelor’s degree from MSU in Psychology and Economics. She lists as relevant experience her participation in the East Lansing Emerging Leaders Program, work as a crisis counselor – including for sexual assault victims – and volunteerism for Planned Parenthood.

Here is Ewert’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Abigail Tykcocki states she is a Production Manager for MSU’s Department of Theater and a Communications Specialist for MSU’s College of Arts & Letters. Her background is in theater management. She has been the president of the Pinecrest Neighborhood Association since 2019 and lists additional local volunteer work including on the recent public library millage campaign, the East Lansing Arts Commission and the Robert L. Green Elementary Community Council. She is a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program.

Here is Tykcocki’s statement from her application about why she is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Mikey Manuel states he is the General  Manager at Blondies Barn in Haslett, with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Central Michigan University. He ran for the two-year seat on the East Lansing City Council in 2021, losing to Ron Bacon, 83% to 17%. He graduated from the Emerging Leaders Program and has volunteered on the East Lansing Parks & Rec Advisory Committee and the Environmental Stewardship Program. He also lists himself as a “card carrying member” of the public library and Hannah Community Center.

Here is Manuel’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Chris Wardell states he is a legislative director for Rep. Veronica Paiz in the Michigan House of Representatives, previously serving in that role for another representative since October 2021. He indicates he is pursuing a degree in journalism and political science at MSU. His list of relevant experience includes work with the Bailey Community Association, City of Lansing Equal Opportunity Commission, the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition and the East Lansing Arts Commission. (Disclosure: Wardell states in his attached resume that he is a reporter with East Lansing Info, but he has not reported with us since November 2021.)

Here is Wardell’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Daniel Bollman states he is a principal with East Arbor Architecture. His background is in architecture and urban planning, having served for several years as the chair of the East Lansing Planning Commission. He has also served on the Michigan State Historic Preservation Review Board and the East Lansing Historic District Commission, among other roles. He ran for a four-year Council seat in 2021 but lost to Dana Watson and George Brookover. His volunteer service also includes work for East Lansing Public Schools, including related to the bond for rebuilding of the elementary schools.

Here is Bollman’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Barbara Hiranpradist states she is retired from having been a music professor at Lansing Community College and that she holds a Ph.D. in music education, history and music therapy from MSU. She lists as her relevant prior experience being an ESL teacher and working with refugee services and St. Vincent DePaul, as well as volunteering at Marble Elementary School.

Here is Hiranpradist’s statement from her application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

Eston Livingston states he is a software developer for the state of Michigan with a background in computer science and information systems. In terms of relevant prior experience, he states he has volunteered for several churches in the past and served on the Rochester College student government.

Here is Livingston’s statement from his application about why he is applying to serve on East Lansing’s City Council: 

The person appointed to Council will fill the seat vacated by Lisa Babcock, who resigned to become an elected judge at 54B District Court. 

The appointee’s term will end after the council election set to occur in November of this year. In that election, three four-year East Lansing City Council seats will be up for grabs, including the appointee’s and the seats currently held by Mayor Ron Bacon and Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg. (The council elects the mayor and mayor pro tem from among the five of sitting members after each election.)