2009 Partner Award
Melissa Valerio, Assistant Professor University of Michigan, SPH
Dr. Valerio’s interests include chronic disease management and prevention, the design and evaluation of effective health education messages and materials, and survey methods. She is particularly interested in health literacy and cultural competence issues related to health education and communication in minority underserved communities. Dr. Valerio has been involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of community-based coalitions and partnerships for over 15 years. She is also faculty with the Center for Managing Chronic Disease at the University of Michigan.
Currently, Dr. Valerio is partnering with DHDC is several ways. Over the past two years she has worked with DHDC through the Detroit Community Academic Urban Research Center to design and evaluate a youth health literacy program focused on the prevention of type 2 diabetes. As diabetes disproportionately impacts Hispanic and African American communities its prevention has become afocus of her recent research. Additionally, Dr. Valerio partners with DHDC in the training of students through her courses including Materials and Methods in Health Education. Student groups have worked with DHDC staff to design and implement program specific materials for the promotion of DHDC programs and efforts.
Ron Bachman President,Walk This Way
When Ron Bachman speaks people listen, people respond and people change. Ron’s legs were amputated when he was four years old but that did not stop him from being a happy kid with a bright future. Now in his forties, after raising his daughter Alicia as a single parent since she was four years old, Ron brings a no-nonsense message that captures audiences from the moment he begins to speak. “You don’t live some forty years this way without learning a few things a long the way,” he says.
No other speaker can take an audience to a level of understanding on issues such as diversity, the power of words and relationship building the way Ron does in his presentations. He speaks to thousands of people throughout the world in corporations, schools, and other organizations with a fresh new voice delivering his message in a frank, open and honest style.
Corporate audiences give Ron outstanding reviews for his program. Management from companies such as DTE Energy say that his message improves employee productivity and interpersonal relationships long after he has spoken.
School administrators, teachers and students rave about the 80% decrease in bullying after students attend Ron’s program. Results like these only mean that Ron and his work are a must for any organization.
Most motivational speakers and diversity trainers tell you what you want to hear. Ron Bachman tells you what you need to hear. After listening to Ron speak, the way you view your life will change for the better. That may sound like a tall order but once you meet Ron, you’ll understand.
Christine Rice President, VisionIT
VisionIT, Inc. President Christine Rice is one of the driving forces behind the company’s successes and one of its most nationally-renowned executives. Rice’s passion for providing the very best in service delivery is unparalleled among her peers and has quickly become the hallmark of the fast-growth IT staffing, managed services and .vendor management firm.
Christine was named president in February of 2007-the first woman to hold the firm’s title in its 12-year history. Having worked more than 20 years in the human resource and staffing industry, Rice brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as president and has been credited with helping to build VisionIT’s stellar national reputation and equally impressive client list.
Over the past nine years, Rice has played an integral role in helping VisionIT become one of the nation’s fastest-growing IT staffing and managed services firms. Joining VisionIT in 1998, Christine built its recruitment team from the ground up, implementing innovative procedures that helped the firm become an award-winning supplier to several Fortune 100 companies and major government agencies.
Today as president, Christine oversees all operations including human resources, account management and recruitment. Her focus is simple: to continue to find innovative ways to better serve clients by improving processes, while identifying and recruiting the best talent in the industry. Her unique experience coupled with her relentless pursuit of excellence has helped to create a winning culture within VisionIT that has led the company to national expansion and increased capacity.
Christine also possesses a strong passion for community involvement and is an active participant in programs aimed at improving the Hispanic community. She is one of the architects of VisionIT’s internship and scholarship program that gives inner city students the opportunity to learn information technology, while working at one of the company’s Fortune 500 clients. Christine is also an active member of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and works very closely with the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation to improve the lives of Hispanics in the Detroit Area.
Prior to joining VisionIT, Christine worked for EDS, one of the largest information technology companies in the world. At EDS, she worked in the areas of business development and employee relations, serving as regional manager of employee relations with oversight of Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and California.