As part of its ongoing efforts to expand and improve its educational offerings to Michigan’s 619 county commissioners, the Michigan Association of Counties recently created and filled a staff position dedicated to planning and executing member events.

Tammi Connell, CMP, became MAC’s new director of member events on Jan. 2, 2023, MAC Executive Director Stephan Currie announced.

“As we enter our 125^th anniversary year, I think this investment in member service could not be more appropriate,” Currie said. “Tammi’s extensive experience, with event planning generally and with many of our members specifically, means she will have an immediate impact on the quality of our events in 2023 and beyond.”

MAC hosts two major conferences each year, along with a variety of other events and webinars designed to keep county officials updated and educated on trending issues affecting county government.

Connell, CMP, joined MAC in 2023 as the Director of Member Events. Connell’s previous experience includes conference services manager with the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing and sales manager with the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau. She also founded Keystone Management Concepts – an association management company that has served nonprofit associations, including MAC from 2014 to 2020. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cornerstone University.

“It’s exciting to join — or, in a way, rejoin — the team at MAC,” Connell said. “I’m committed to putting together exceptional educational events and doing great things for our members.”

Connell can be reached at connell@micounties.org.

Three counties in Michigan have been chosen to participate in the NACo Opioid Solutions Leadership Network, a cohort of 30 county leaders from around the country focused on opioid abatement strategies for settlement funding. The three counties participating are Genesee (Marlene Collick, director of community corrections, Jackson (Debra Kubitskey, assistant administrator) and Gladwin (Karen Moore, commissioner).

The network will work over one year to participate in peer-to-peer learning and receive support from both NACo and Vital Strategies, a global public health organization working with U.S. county governments in response to the opioid crisis. This network will increase coordination and allow for scaling of strategies utilized in other areas of the country across the continuum of care (prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery).

For more information on this issue, visit the Opioid Solutions Leadership Network (naco.org).

For more information on MAC’s resources on opioid solutions, visit our Opioid Settlement Resource Center or contact Amy Dolinky at dolinky@micounties.org.