Speakers

As a former teacher, I see the world as an opportunity for hands-on learning and excitement! I love to learn about my clients' special interests to best customize group and family trips, while taking care of each individual need. With both land and cruise destinations, I have customized multi-generational family getaways, fundraising for charitable organizations, spring break multi-family vacations, class reunions, honeymoons, destination weddings, along with trips that include service work and pilgrimages to religious sites. I am also excited to be introducing "Coach and Cruise" combo trips for senior citizens. Smart, new ideas and customized group trips are my specialty.

President and Campaign Chair Debi Hollis is an Interior Designer who lives in Royal Oak, Michigan. Her involvement with Honor Flight Michigan began in 2008 when she took her first flight as a guardian. Inspired by her Dad’s military service, she remained a part of the program as we transitioned to the memorial project.  Debi values the lessons she has learned from the men and women of the Greatest Generation and wants to pay tribute to them with this memorial. 

For more information:
https://michiganww2memorial.org/

Emily has served on NOHLC's Board of Directors since 2013 and is currently serving as president.  She has been active in the Stewardship and Land Acquisition Committees for twelve years.  She is also Chair of the Oakland County Cooperative Invasive Species management Area *(CISMA).  She is a Conservation Steward in Michigan and co-founded the Oakland Phragmites and Invasive Species (OPIS) Task Force. Emily earned her bachelor's degree in geology from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. and her master's degree in environmental science from Duke University.  She worked for 18 years in environmental consulting, investigating and remediating contaminated soil and groundwater at industrial sites  throughout the mid Atlantic states, Ohio, and Michigan.  Emily is an adjunct professor at Wayne State University in Detroit and Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio.  She has extensive experience in preschool and K-12 education, particularly educating students with special needs, and was a founding school board member of the M.O.D.E.L. Community School, a charter school for students with autism in Toledo. 

For more information:
https://www.nohlc.org

Longtime Birmingham Fire Chief John Connaughton retired on December 17, after 38 years with the Birmingham Fire Department, with former assistant fire chief Paul Wells named as interim chief.

Connaughton, a Livonia native, graduated from Bentley High School and attended Madonna University. He first worked at St. Mary's Hospital in Livonia, which he said led to his career in firefighting.  

He earned his state paramedic license, and began his career in Birmingham in 1980 as a firefighter/paramedic, where he was trained in firefighting.

"Advance life support changed the face of the fire service," said Connaughton, noting how his time working in the hospital sparked his interest in earning a state paramedic license to compliment his firefighting experience.

Connaughton was promoted to EMS coordinator, and later joined the department's command staff as a lieutenant, eventually becoming assistant chief, which he served from 2009 to 2015. He was the Birmingham Fire Department's Chief from 2015 through 2018, with December 17 his final day.

Among his many accomplishments, he was very proud of the recent rebuild of Birmingham Fire Station No. 2 on Chesterfield at Maple Road, which replaced the original station that was built in 1955, and reopened in 2018.

His motto as a firefighter, paramedic, chief and mentor? "Always treat a situation like your mother, father, sister and brother is involved and you'll be fine," Connaughton said.

Interim chief Paul Wells began his latest assignment on Saturday, December 29. He is a former captain in the department.

Paul Wells is an outstanding fire officer,” Connaughton said in 2017. “He’s one of the hardest-working employees we have in this department.”