Board Members

Don Cooper, Chairman, East Lansing
Don Cooper is the Director of Civic Initiatives at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. In that capacity he leads the Foundation’s civic and educational programs for students. With more than 20 years’ experience in educational leadership and policy, his work has primarily focused on system-level change that empowers parents with more and better choices. His professional experience ranges from serving as an education policy advisor in the Michigan House of Representatives to senior-level public and government affairs positions for leading charter school organizations.

Don received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hillsdale College, a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and has completed executive training at Harvard University. He is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at Wayne State University. Don lives in East Lansing, Michigan. 

Sean Mann, Vice Chair, Detroit
Sean Mann was one of the co-founders of Detroit City FC and serves as CEO. Prior to joining the club full-time, Mann spent over a decade in various political roles in Lansing. A proud Detroit resident, Mann graduated from Kalamazoo College with degrees in History and Physics. While completing his postgraduate degree at the University of Bristol, he served as a researcher in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons for the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Sean is also an active resident of southwest Detroit, and board member of several non-profits.

Dennis Pace, Treasurer, Dimondale
Dennis is a product of the Detroit Public Schools and a graduate of Michigan State University, with degrees in American Studies and writing. He taught composition and filmmaking at MSU before he set out on a series of jobs that included high school curriculum development and a stint in community health education before founding a marketing firm that he led for 30 years.

With a passion for Michigan history, Dennis has published articles and presented at conferences across the state. He also curated a special exhibit at the Michigan History Museum entitled Inventing the Outdoors, which explored the life and times of Webster Marble – the Upper Peninsula’s greatest inventor and entrepreneur. That exhibit is now on permanent display in Escanaba.

If you want to find Dennis these days, look outdoors. He is an avid cyclist, hiker, kayaker, angler and hunter in every corner of Pure Michigan.

Katie Jesaitis, Secretary, Lansing
Katie Jesaitis a public affairs manager at Bellwether Public Relations where she brings more than twelve years of experience in strategic communications, public policy, political advocacy and messaging, and coalition building to her clients.  Katie joins the Michigan History Foundation board based on a passion for helping others and creating spaces for our past to inform our future decision making.

Driven to impact communities through her work in the education, healthcare, and technology and mobility spaces, Katie works every day to encourage community growth and development here in Michigan. Prior to joining Bellwether, Katie spent six years in the office of United States Representative Debbie Dingell, where she worked on the issues that mattered most to Washtenaw and Wayne County residents.

In addition to her service as a Director on the Michigan History Foundation Board, Katie serves as President of the Friends of the Turner Dodge board and volunteers for Children Trust Michigan. In her free time, you can find Katie exploring Michigan, reading a great book or planning her next adventure.

John R. Axe, Grosse Pointe Farms

Hon. Steve Bieda, Warren
Judge Bieda serves on the bench of Michigan’s 37th District Court. A lifelong Warren resident and Cousino Sr. High graduate, Bieda received his Bachelor’s in Public Affairs with minor in Psychology and Masters in Public Administration from Wayne State University, Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and Masters of Tax Law from Wayne State Law School. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Bieda serves as Chairperson and administrative law judge with the Michigan Tax Tribunal, serving from 2019 to 2023. Judge Bieda had previously served as Director of Labor Relations for the City of Warren and as Senior Policy Analyst for the Michigan House of Representatives. 

Timothy J. Chester, Grand Rapids
Tim is an independent consultant who assists humanities-based institutions, museums, and historical societies achieve excellence through operations, innovative program development and growth through resource assessment, strategic thinking, and good planning. His background as director of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, chief curator, and museum trustee, provide him with the tools and insight to guide museums through the quandaries of planning, challenges of governance, and the aspirations of facility expansion and innovative audience-centric program growth.

He is a federal and state grant reviewer and conducts site inspections for the national accreditation program of the American Alliance of Museums. Chester is a graduate of the University of Michigan with an M.A. degree in American Culture and Museum Studies.

John Cooper, Rochester Hills
John has an extensive career in technical sales, service and management and currently works with Siemens Digital Industries Software. He is co-founder and president of Rendev-vous Detroit an educational and cultural organization celebrating French heritage in Detroit and Windsor, ON. John is a member of the French Heritage Society and was awarded the Ordre National du Merite from French President Emmanuel Macron for his decades of effort in promoting the historical and cultural ties between Michigan, France and Canada.

In addition to serving on the Michigan History Foundation, John serves on the board of La Residence Richelieu de Windsor and is a former board member for Alliance Francaise de Detroit (2013-2022).

Christopher Harkins, Lansing
Chris Harkins serves as Executive Director for Strategic Projects and Initiatives in Michigan State University Finance. Prior to his work at MSU, Chris Harkins served as Budget Director for the State of Michigan. During that time, Harkins served as a member of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Cabinet and was responsible for coordinating all aspects of the state’s $82 billion budget.

Prior to his appointment as State Budget Director, Harkins served as Director of the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency where he was responsible for managing the Fiscal Agency. Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University and a Masters in Community and Economic Development from the Pennsylvania State University and resides in Lansing with his wife and son.

Matthew Lewis, Detroit
Matthew Lewis is the Chief Operating Officer at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, where he has worked since 2016. Before that he was an independent writer and editor covering community and economic development in southeast Michigan, most notably for the online publication Model D. He lives in Detroit.

Daniel L. Papineau, East Lansing
Dan Papineau has been on the board since 2015 and strongly believes that without a thorough understanding of our past, we cannot make the best decisions for our future.  Dan is a government affairs professional who currently works for TruGreen Limited Partnership overseeing government affairs activities across their North American footprint.  Dan resides in East Lansing with his wife, Meagan and daughter, Grace. 

Kristen Pearless, Au Gres

Hon. Joe Schwarz, M.D., Battle Creek
Dr. Joe Schwarz was a combat surgeon for a Marine battalion in the Vietnam War. Joe previously served as a Battle Creek City Commissioner, as mayor of Battle Creek, and as a member of the Michigan Senate, where he was president pro tempore. From 2005-2007, he served in the U.S. Congress as Representative from Michigan’s 7th District. Joe was appointed by the Secretary of Defense to the independent panel investigating conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC. Joe serves on the Board of Trustees of the Altarum Institute, a nonprofit health policy research institute based in Ann Arbor and teaches at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He has been a Foundation Board Member since 2004.

Edward R. Surovell, Ann Arbor

Raleigh Woods, Ann Arbor