CONTACT: Emily Reyst, Director of External Affairs
517-210-5936 | emily@cedamichigan.org
Twelve fellows begin 15-month placements supporting transportation and mobility initiatives across Michigan
DETROIT—The MI Mobility Fellows (MMF) Program is proud to welcome its second cohort of fellows this month, starting a 15-month fellowship experience that connects emerging professionals with organizations advancing transportation, mobility innovation, clean energy, and community economic development across Michigan. The 2026-27 cohort begins June 16, 2026, and runs through September 17, 2027.
Through placements with transit agencies, nonprofits, regional planning organizations, and mobility-focused startups, fellows will gain hands-on experience addressing Michigan’s most pressing mobility and transportation challenges while building the next generation of industry leadership.
“Developing a strong mobility workforce is essential to Michigan’s long‑term competitiveness,” said Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer of OFME. “The MI Mobility Fellows Program brings fresh talent, new perspectives, and real capacity to the organizations driving Michigan’s mobility future. We’re proud to support a program that strengthens both our industry and our communities.”
The MMF Program is a partnership between Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), Michigan Central, the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), and Wayne State University. The initiative was created to attract, develop, and retain diverse early‑career talent committed to advancing equitable, sustainable, and innovative mobility solutions aligned with OFME’s MI Future Mobility Plan 2.0.
2026–2027 MI Mobility Fellows and Host Organizations
- Breah Marie Willy—Ann Arbor SPARK (Ann Arbor)
- Kade Phoonsiri—Mobile GR, City of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids)
- Matthew Williams—Energy Storage Safety Products International, LLC (Detroit)
- Shannon Gaffey—Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (Grand Rapids)
- Aaron Johnson—Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities (Traverse City)
- Camille Minner—Mass Transportation Authority Flint (Flint)
- Jason Martin—Metro/Central County Transportation Authority (Kalamazoo)
- Ashutosh Mirashe—Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Office of the Great Lakes (Lansing)
- Mani Venkata Sainadh Reddy Sathi—ThermoVerse (Detroit)
- SaMiya Carroll—Transportation Riders United (Detroit)
- Adam de la Fuente—Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation (Caro)
- Anagha Menon—Washtenaw County Facilities Management & Resiliency Office (Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti)
This year’s cohort includes 12 fellows representing a range of academic backgrounds and professional experiences—including urban planning, engineering, sustainability, public policy, public health, transportation, communications, and economic development. Several fellows are originally from Michigan and returning to the state, while others are relocating to launch careers in Michigan’s rapidly evolving mobility ecosystem.
Fellowship Experience
Throughout the fellowship, participants will work full‑time with their host organizations while engaging in a robust professional development curriculum featuring leadership training, mentorship, networking, and exposure to mobility leaders across the state.
The program builds on the success of the inaugural cohort, which concluded in December 2025. Half of the fellows from that cohort received full‑time job offers from their host organizations, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness as a workforce development and talent retention strategy.
“Programs like the MI Mobility Fellows Program ensure that emerging professionals can build meaningful careers while contributing to Michigan’s leadership in mobility innovation,” said Melvin Henley, MI Mobility Fellows Program Manager. “By connecting fellows with organizations tackling real‑world challenges, we are strengthening both the mobility workforce and the communities these organizations serve.”
The fellowship begins with a multi‑day orientation, introducing the Fellows to Michigan’s mobility ecosystem, building cohort connections, and preparing them for their placements. Over the next 15 months, the fellows will collaborate across sectors to support projects that improve how people, goods, and services move throughout the state.
For more information about the MI Mobility Fellows Program, visit https://cedamichigan.org/programs/mi-mobility-fellows-program/.
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About Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification
The Office of Future Mobility and Electrification builds on Michigan’s robust mobility legacy and leadership to develop people-centric and community-oriented solutions. Through public and private partnerships, OFME works to enhance Michigan’s mobility ecosystem, enriching lives, creating equitable opportunities, while connecting Michiganders to a brighter future. Michigan’s competitive advantage across land, sea, and sky makes it the ultimate destination for mobility innovation, where companies of all sizes will find long-term support and success. Learn more at michiganbusiness.com/ofme
About CEDAM
CEDAM is a nonprofit membership association building vibrant communities across Michigan. Our capacity building programs, policy advocacy, and training events emphasize supporting communities in affordable housing, economic growth, and wealth-building at both the federal and state levels. Through engagement and collaboration with CEDAM members, policymakers, state departments, and other partners, we sustain a thriving and equitable community economic development sector across the state. Learn more at https://cedamichigan.org/
About Michigan Central
Michigan Central is a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit, where leaders, thinkers, communities, and creators come together to accelerate bold ideas and technologies that shape our collective future. By providing access to world-class infrastructure, tools, and resources, Michigan Central inspires innovators and community members to collaborate on real, groundbreaking solutions to global problems. Since opening in April 2023, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of more than 600 employees from over 100 companies and startups working at the intersection of mobility and society. Learn more at michigancentral.com
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University works to expand the impact and network of diverse leaders committed to driving positive systemic change within the civic, community, and economic development landscapes in Detroit. Wayne State University’s Division of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development operates in close alignment with TechTown Detroit, the university’s entrepreneurship hub and home of the Mobility Accelerator Innovation Network (MAIN).