Steve brings 29 plus years of experience and advocacy for individuals with disabilities. Steve attended Davenport College for his Bachelor of Business Administration and has an extensive background in Durable Medical Equipment with experience in sales and marketing. He has served on numerous boards; including Commission on Aging Grand Traverse County, Bay Area Senior Advocacy, Mt. Holiday non-profit, and Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association. Steve actively competes in wheelchair tennis, 10k and marathons, hand cycling, mono skiing, water skiing, and wheelchair basketball. While playing for the Grand Rapids Pacers in 1987, he helped his team win the 39th National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament. Steve’s skills include advocacy, communications, administration, management, development, fundraising, nonprofits, and disability related issues.
Cyndi, a northern Michigan resident since 1980, Studied Electronics Technology & FCC Communications, at Northwestern Michigan College. She volunteered on WMNC 90.7 FM as a Disc Jockey & Assistant Engineer, and she was a former director for the Elk Rapids Chamber. She recently retired after a successful 30-year career in sales; radio, print, and Internet, as a Media Consultant. Cyndi now enjoys training at the gym, cooking, music, rock collecting, and traveling with her husband Rick; visiting family members across the country, especially her daughter who resides in Vermont.
Debbie Dacey and her husband moved to Traverse City from Cincinnati in 2012. While the beautiful Northern Michigan is quite an enticement for retirees, the bigger appeal was her daughter’s family and four grandchildren. Debbie is a retired speech-language pathologist with more than thirty-five years of experience working with children and adults with significant disabilities. She has worked in a variety of clinical and educational settings as a therapist, consultant, and supervisor. She specialized in the use of assistive technology in the area of augmentative communication. Debbie has presented at local, state and national conferences. She has served as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Louisville where she taught graduate classes in augmentative communication and computer access. She has a strong commitment to helping improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Serving on the Board of the Disability Network of Northern Michigan is one more step on this lifelong journey.
Paul graduated in 2004 with a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation from Lake Superior State University. He currently lives in Cadillac and is the business owner of Streamer’s Custom Flies where he crafts custom flies for fly fishermen. Paul is passionate about accessible recreation and strives to live life to the fullest. He enjoys skiing, sailing, kayaking, camping, fishing, and all that Northern Michigan has to offer. He is currently a committee member and Assistant Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 125 in Cadillac and is active with Knights of Columbus Council 1224. Paul became a board member in Spring 2014 and is excited to have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of others with disabilities.
Brandon received his undergraduate degree with honors from Michigan State University in History with a concentration in Mandarin Chinese. He then went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2011. He currently practices estate planning in Traverse City. He is passionate about helping individuals, families, and business owners achieve peace of mind by tailoring plans specifically to each of his clients. Part of his practice involves helping disabled individuals with guardianships and conservatorships, Medicaid planning, and special needs trust issues. As an attorney with a disability, Brandon finds a great deal of fulfillment in helping others with disabilities increase their degree of independence, and improve their quality of life. When not practicing law, Brandon enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors around Traverse City, fishing, hunting, hiking, and spending time with his wife, Charlotte, and dog, Bosco.
Jackie Duncan graduated from Northwood University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Jackie is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, and while at NU was the Vice President among other positions within the Zeta Sigma Chapter. Jackie was also a member of the American Advertising Federation, NU Alumni Association and the NU Ambassador Club. Jackie currently works as a Mortgage Originator for a local Traverse City bank. When Jackie is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 10 years and their two young children. Jackie is passionate about health and wellness and believes that a healthy lifestyle can greatly increase the quality of life. Jackie is an avid runner and enjoys running in many local races. She completed the Bayshore Marathon as her first marathon in 2014.
Anthony Hutchcraft is a Cloud/Systems Engineer at Hagerty Insurance, where he builds and maintains the data center infrastructure. Anthony is a dynamic professional with over 20 years of management experience in the technology industry. He has held positions as COO for a local Managed Service company and Systems Engineer for the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
When Anthony is not working, he serves his local community as a volunteer firefighter. For the past 5 years, he’s been an active volunteer firefighter for the Milton Township Fire Department. Anthony is an avid scuba diver and enjoys spending time outside. He also likes to hike, camp and travel as time allows. Anthony currently resides in Kewadin with his daughter and two dogs.
Jasen Hutchens is the Director of Information Technology at Traverse Bay Area Credit Union. He loves to sail, fish, camp, and train his dog, Mosin. He hopes to continue to provide support to Disability Network Northern Michigan by utilizing his skills in technology and love for the outdoors to help improve access and help facilitate opportunities for people with disabilities.
Mike is a trust officer with Huntington Wealth Advisors. He previously was in private legal practice in Traverse City and Boston, MA, where he handled litigation, commercial transactions, and estate planning. Mike also represented individuals with disabilities in discrimination cases and has remained passionate about disability rights and advocacy. He has been an instructor with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Currently, Mike serves as a mentor to small businesses with the Northern Michigan Chapter of SCORE and is part of the SCORE/Chamber of Commerce — Mark of Excellence Certification Committee. He also volunteers at the Third Level Crisis Legal Aid Clinic. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors at the East End House, in Cambridge, MA. Mike lives with his wife Chantal and son Nate in Kewadin, MI.
After graduating high school in 1972 I entered an apprenticeship and received my Journeyman's card as a Reinforcing Ironworker. In 1976 I had experienced a diving accident that left me quadriplegic. No one expects this kind of a sudden life change to happen to them. With the help of family, friends and my faith in the Lord Jesus I have come to live the fullest of lives. Fulfilling God’s calling my life I am a licensed minister serving the community.
Some of my interests are sailing, kayaking, traveling, designing stained glass and kites. I hope to be an asset to everybody the Disability Network supports.
Support Our Work
Disability can occur at any age and at any moment—in fact, 80% of us will have a disability at some point in our lifetime. Your support will help us to continue promoting personal empowerment and positive social change for individuals with disabilities. For every dollar invested in Disability Network, $13 is returned to our region. Our programs boost the economy, create a more inclusive community, and offer tax savings for Michigan residents.
About Us
Most people equate disability with limitations. It’s our job to change the perceptions and realities that prevent people with disabilities from sharing in the community. We provide training, mentoring and referrals to help people with disabilities and their families live productive lives. We also work on a larger scale, helping governments and businesses make changes that benefit everyone in the community.
Disability Network Northern Michigan
415 E. Eighth St.
Traverse City, MI 49686
Phone: (231) 922-0903
Fax: (231) 922-2597