The Lakeshore Region’s Economic GPS

Contact: jennifer.owens@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education:  

The University of Southern Mississippi, EDMP, Economic Development Leadership 

University of Notre Dame, Executive Management Certification  

Michigan State University, B.A., Journalism 

Interests: Family, entertaining, boating, traveling 

Accolades:  

• Top 50 Economic Developers in the U.S. – Consultant Connect 
• 200 Most Influential Leaders in Grand Rapids  
• 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan 
• Corp Magazine Most Valuable Professional 
• Economic Development Newsmaker of the Year 

ABOUT  

As President of Lakeshore Advantage, Jennifer is responsible for setting the vision and strategy of the organization. Jennifer delivers direct business attraction, expansion, and retention services while providing overall leadership to the organization. Since joining Lakeshore Advantage in 2013, she has successfully landed numerous major business expansion and attraction projects.  

Jennifer has more than 20 years of leadership experience in marketing, communications, business retention, expansion, and attraction working in various state and local economic development positions throughout Michigan. Prior to joining Lakeshore Advantage, Jennifer held leadership positions at Southwest Michigan First and Consultant Connect. In addition, Jennifer held key positions at Ann Arbor SPARK and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.   

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Contact: angela.huesman@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education:  Baker College, B.S., Business Administration 

Interests: Cooking, gardening, traveling and spending time with my family. 

ABOUT  

Angela serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Lakeshore Advantage. She implements organizational strategy and manages the day-to-day operations, internal human resource needs, financial management, and board governance. Angela also represents the voice of business growth needs in the community through service on the Ready for School board, West Michigan Works! workforce development board, Hello West Michigan advisory board, and as a member of the Discover Manufacturing leadership team.  

Prior to her current role, Angela spent over a decade in corporate relocation services for Coldwell Banker Schmidt companies working with area employers to attract and retain talent. 

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Contact: beth.blanton@lakeshoreadvantage.com 

Education: Hope College, B.A., Business Administration, Communication 

Interests: Exploring Michigan, antiquing, time with family and friends, learning to golf 

ABOUT  

Beth built her professional and leadership skills through her experience at various organizations, including the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Fleetwood Group Inc., and the City of Holland, Michigan. These experiences, spanning the private, public and nonprofit sectors prepared her for a leadership role at Lakeshore Advantage, where she began in 2016. Beth serves as the Vice President of Engagement where she is responsible for growing investor engagement and partnerships.  

Her responsibilities include setting and executing all new revenue and fundraising initiatives to fully fund the organization’s operating budget, leading the engagement team, and setting the strategic direction and vision for events and sponsorship opportunities. Beth currently serves on the West Michigan Regional Airport Authority Board and the City of Zeeland Brownfield Board. 

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Contact: mandy.cooper@lakeshoreadvantage.com 

Education: Calvin College, B.A., Communications 

Interests: Spending time with her husband and two dogs at their rustic cabin up north 

ABOUT  

As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Mandy partners with federal, state, and local units of government along with civic and community organizations to advance economic initiatives in the Lakeshore region. Her work includes advancing talent and education initiatives as well as other major economic initiatives involving multiple stakeholders. Mandy participates in numerous community boards. 

Mandy joined the team in 2018 with 20 years of experience working with organizations in the Holland/Zeeland community, first as an executive vice president for marketing and communications firm, The Image Group, then as Director of Advancement at Zeeland Christian Schools where she led a $5.4 million capital campaign.  

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Contact: nora.vandenbrink@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Loyola Marymount University, B.A., Psychology, Studio Art

Interests: Cooking and anything culinary related, stand-up paddle boarding, problem-solving

ABOUT  

Nora serves as the Vice President of Entrepreneurship. In her role, Nora focuses on cultivating ecosystem growth through the stewardship and development of corporate, community and investor partnerships. Nora connects SURGE startups and founders with a wide range of resources and partner organizations to support the development and growth of their businesses.

Prior to joining Lakeshore Advantage, Nora honed her entrepreneurial expertise as the Associate Director of Startup Engagement and Venture Capital Programs at The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She first began cultivating her entrepreneurial toolkit in her role as Marketing Coordinator at Yoobi, a social enterprise startup based in Los Angeles, CA.

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Contact: Rebekah.Devries@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Trinity Christian College, B.S., RN 

Interests: Outdoor activities, reading, and spending time with her family

About:  

Rebekah deVries joined the Lakeshore Advantage team in 2018 and serves as Project Manager. In this role, Rebekah focuses on data integrity of primary data as well as the reporting and analysis of secondary data for research conducted by Lakeshore Advantage to gain insights into the region’s business trends.  

Rebekah has served on a local school board since 2016, where she contributes leadership skills and a unique viewpoint on flexible learning and innovative student experiences. Before joining Lakeshore Advantage, Rebekah worked as a registered nurse for nearly 10 years with experience in critical care and hospice care. Rebekah maintains an active Michigan license as a Registered Nurse. 

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Contact: owen.setteducati@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education:University of Vermont, B.A., Political Science

Interests: Skiing, reading, cooking, penguins, rock-climbing

ABOUT

Owen covers programming and workshops for our SURGE startups and founders, providing support opportunities to assist startups in developing their businesses. Owen supports our startup members with a plethora of different opportunities to provide them with the best possible environment for success. 

Prior to joining Lakeshore Advantage, Owen worked in a traditional economic development role, focusing on main street business support. He’s also had prior experience working on political campaigns and supporting the Vermont state legislature in a research capacity. 

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Contact: kelly.wandel@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education:

Davenport University, Master of Business Administration

Grand Valley State University, BS, Biomedical Science

Interests: Coaching West Ottawa basketball, skiing, playing volleyball, spending time with her white lab, and traveling with her husband and two daughters.

ABOUT  

As Director of Talent Initiatives, Kelly leads efforts to strengthen the regional workforce by aligning talent strategies with the needs of our Lakeshore region. She collaborates with employers, educators, and workforce partners to develop innovative programs that attract, develop, and retain talent across the region. With a focus on data-driven solutions and inclusive practices, Kelly works to ensure a resilient and competitive workforce that supports long-term economic growth. 

Kelly joined the Lakeshore Advantage team in 2025, bringing 19 years of experience in higher education and workforce development. Prior to her role with Lakeshore Advantage, Kelly served as Partnership Manager at Davenport University where she led the development of strategic partnerships with businesses, K–12 schools, community colleges, and local organizations to enhance workforce pathways and build a more resilient talent pipeline in the healthcare sector.

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chris.marco@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Grand Valley State University, MPA, State, Local, & Regional Government; Grand Valley State University, BA, Political Science and History 

ABOUT  

Chris is a housing and community development policy expert with experience supporting strategic initiatives at the state and local levels of government. As the inaugural Community Development Director at Lakeshore Advantage, Chris works closely with units of government, real estate developers, and community organizations to support and advance workforce housing initiatives in the Lakeshore region.

Prior to joining Lakeshore Advantage, Chris managed community development projects across the state with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He began his career managing grant programs, supporting housing projects, and researching public policy at the City of Grand Rapids. Chris is actively engaged with the Michigan Community Development Association (MCDA), Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), and is a member of Grand Valley State University’s Young Alumni Council (YAC).

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Contact: lindsay.maunz@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education:

Saint Louis University, MPH, Behavioral Science and Health Education and Epidemiology

Central Michigan University, B.S., Community Health Education and Childhood Development

Interests: Baking, hiking, and snuggling with her dog

About:

Lindsay is a Project Manager for the Strategic Initiatives team at Lakeshore Advantage. In her role, Lindsay spearheads vital projects to advance strategic goals and foster community growth. She is responsible for researching and writing grant funding applications, grant administration, and managing communications and project timelines with key stakeholders.

Lindsay brings several years of experience in public administration. Before joining Lakeshore Advantage, Lindsay held positions at Allegan County as the planning and preparedness manager and public health specialist/public information officer.

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Contact: grace.mauillo@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Lake Forest College, B.A., Biology; Anthropology 

Interests: Family, running, yoga, hiking, reading 

ABOUT  

Grace is the Director of Marketing & Communications. In her role, she serves as lead storyteller for Lakeshore Advantage, managing media and public relations, content creation, and event production. Grace joined the team in 2022 with over ten years of experience in donor, sponsor, and member engagement within the nonprofit sector. 

Grace started her career in 2010 working for a trade association and gained extensive experience with investor engagement through event production and strategic communications aimed at building awareness and garnering community support for organizational missions at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Special Olympics Michigan. 

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Contact: sara.little@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Purdue University, B.S., Psychology

Interests: Cooking, travel, and deep dives into anything random on Wikipedia.

ABOUT

Sara serves as the Marketing Manager at Lakeshore Advantage. In her role, Sara is responsible for event planning, social media, and digital asset production.

Prior to her current role, Sara spent 20+ years developing her marketing career in the hospitality industry across Napa + Sonoma in a variety of roles, from event programs to marketing strategies and community development.

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Contact: sarah.keely@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Hope College, B.A., Business; Entrepreneurship

Interests: Cooking, Traveling, Family Time, Golfing, and Skiing

ABOUT

As Event Coordinator, Sarah helps bring ideas to life by planning and coordinating events that reflect Lakeshore Advantage’s mission and community impact. She handles a wide range of details, from developing concepts and organizing logistics to working with vendors, coordinating sponsorships, and supporting on-site event execution. Sarah assists with venue coordination, budgets, and technical elements like AV, décor, and staging, collaborating with team members to create events that engage and inspire. She also supports the Learning Lab by coordinating bookings, site visits, and rentals.

Before joining Lakeshore Advantage, Sarah gained experience in project coordination and marketing through roles at Continental Properties and Coldwell Banker Schmidt, along with nearly a decade of involvement in West Michigan’s small business and entrepreneurial community.

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Contact: jean.ellis@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

Interests: cooking, baking

ABOUT

Jean is responsible for supporting the Lakeshore Advantage board of directors and board committees as well as for scheduling and meeting support for the Lakeshore Advantage leadership team. Jean joined the team in 2025 after several years of experience in sales, customer support, and hospitality.

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Contact: marissa.taylor@lakeshoreadvantage.com

Education: Western Michigan University

Interests: Live music, art, and sports – football, basketball, and soccer.

ABOUT

Marissa’s primary background is in retail and customer service. Previous employment includes having had the pleasure of working for West Michigan companies such as New Holland Brewing Company and Gordon Food Services. Her experience in customer service, hospitality, and account management make her the ideal Experience Coordinator for our SURGE Program and the needs of the Next Center.  Outside of work, she loves creating art, gardening, DIY projects, and traveling

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