Staff Members

Adon Vazquez (Cherokee/Mexican/Macedonian) is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Cherokee, North Carolina. He is currently attending Wayne State University for his bachelor’s degree. He has been a part of the Native community his whole life and was a member of the Dreamseekers youth group here at AIHFS.
His main focus with his work is to make not only this community, but every community that he visits a suicide safe community. He has started doing this by becoming an inaugural member of the National Council of Urban Indian Health’s Youth Council in Washington DC as well as one of the ambassadors for We R Native from Michigan. In his free time, he likes to travel to powwows and round dances as well as listening to music and spending time around the fire.

Anthony Johnson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Detroit and Hamtramck public schools. Anthony likes writing poems, collecting toy cars and building toy cars. He also likes playing video games and collecting various types of video games. Anthony is a car fanatic, an electronics geek, and into all sports, especially teams of Detroit. He is into traveling and meeting new people from all over. Anthony is also into movies, DC & Marvel comics, mostly action packed, sci-fi! Though, he also likes some romance movies. He says he is adventurous, and a people person.

April has earned her Associate Degree in Health Information Technology and is a few credits away from a Bachelor in Healthcare Administration. She has over 15 years of billing and A/R experience and is very excited to be brought on board at AIHFS.
In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her 2 adult children. April also plays the violin, likes to crochet, and loves trying new food. She grew up in Southwest Detroit and still continues to live close.
“Detroit inspires me to see how far parts of the city have come through the last few years. My hero is, and always will be, my mom. A little fun fact is that I used to attend Sunday school in the church next door.”

Arwa is from Yemen. She has three children and likes to spend time with her family. She has been in the medical field for eight years and the reason why she likes the field is to help patients in need. She considers her husband to be her hero.

Byrn graduated from TESST College in Maryland for Billing and Coding with a 4.0 GPA in 2013. Over the 10 years since, he has had experience running a primary care front end office in Maryland for 3 years. And working as a medical collector in Arizona for 3 years, as well as a remote biller for CVS Health for 4 years. In his free time Byrn likes to spend time with family and friends, and loves to cook. Byrn loves working in non-profit because he like the thought of making a difference through helping others.

Crystal was first introduced to AIHFS in 2022 through the agency’s monthly sweat lodges. It was at her first lodge where she learned that access to traditional Native American teachings were available to her, and an admiration for healing through traditional, spiritual practice was planted.

Crystal now supports the Development Department through fundraising and grant writing activities, and enjoys partnering with each of the departments at AIHFS to empower and enhance the well-being of our local community.

Crystal’s commitment to the Red Road fills her free time with sweat lodges and other native ceremonies where she continues to learn how to incorporate teachings of the medicine wheel into everyday life. Her goal is to hold compassion and space for those seeking balance and harmony in their lives. You’ll find her tending fire at our sweat lodges, where she welcomes conversation on programs and resources available through AIHFS.

Daniel graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A in History and a Minor in Communications. While at Wayne State, Daniel became involved in the Native American Student Organization (NASO) and Native Development Network Learning Community (NDN LC). Daniel has five years of experience working in facilities and transportation positions. He likes working for organizations like AIHFS that provide services to the Southeast Michigan community. He is inspired by his parents, a retired Spanish teacher and a former stay-at-home father turned factory worker. In his spare time, Daniel likes to spend time with his family.

Don (Cherokee/Macedonian) is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Cherokee, North Carolina. In his spare time, he likes hanging out with his friends, whether it’s sharing food or taking in a ballgame. He is inspired by positive people who work hard for what they want in life: good heart and soul people. Don is a caring person who wants to contribute in any small way to see someone do well. His heroes are the men and women who protect the freedom we have in this great country we live in.

Dustin has been the Systems Administrator for AIHFS since 2013. Dustin has been dedicated to aiding AIHFS’s goals and growth through installing and maintaining high quality systems, and working directly with AIHFS’s technical partners.

Jennifer has been in the medical field since 2000. She got her EMT basic license in 2010, and enjoyed being on the front lines. She has worked in multiple positions and loves being able to help people in any way she can.

She likes to explore new things and adventures with her kids. “My inspiration is my daughter, who amid health issues graduated a year early. I enjoy spending time with my kids and sitting around the fire.”

Jermaine received his Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Construction Management. He has been working in the construction management field for 18 years in various roles.
Jermaine loves working with people. He’s a people person who loves to interact with people from different backgrounds. Working in non-profit is rewarding and allows him the opportunity to give a helping hand to underserved populations.
He likes to spend most of his free time connecting with family and coaching his kids with their extra-curricular activities.

Jessica Boyd is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a double major in Sociology and American Culture. She enjoys reading, watching movies, doing puzzles, arts and crafts, game night with her family, dancing when the mood strikes her and is working on her knitting skills. She strives to be a positive role model for her daughter. She also has one unfriendly yet adorable cat named Lizzy. She is excited to be working at AIHFS and looks forward to working with the community.

Jodie decided to work for a nonprofit organization because she has struggled in the past. Life gets hard and Jodie knows how it feels when you have nowhere to turn. She likes that we can give back to the community and help everyone to be successful and healthy.

Her Mom is her hero. Jodie remembers her being a warm, welcoming and a caring person. Jodie tries to live life as her mom did. Not only do she want her to be proud of the woman she became, but she would also like to be remembered one day in the same way.

Jodie LOVES to sing! She really enjoys all types of music and tends to have her own personal concerts from time to time.

“I always say, I should have been famous, but my nerves get the best of me.”

John Marcus has family roots in Six Nations, Ontario; Taos Pueblo, N.M. and the Sault Ste Marie Band of Chippewa Indians.
He contributes to our agencywide and program specific community outreach efforts using print, video, digital and web-based mediums. He also administrates our website, our social media accounts and our Mailchimp account.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to work with Community, especially in a capacity where communication, education, and how this information is exchanged, are crucial elements: these elements can be the seeds of a healthy community.”

John is from a little bit of everywhere, but eventually decided Michigan is his favorite to live. He has a Master’s in Public Administration with a B.S. in Political Science. He has previous experience with mental health working in supportive housing through the Americorps VISTA program. In addition, he previously worked on the I-LEAD and Food Sovereignty/Fitness programs with AIHFS. John has a passion for helping communities and understanding how systemic changes could affect their lives. His favorite saying is “Prior Proper Planning Prevents Problems” and tries to live by it. In his free time, he enjoys reading, making petrified wood jewelry, playing dungeons and dragons, listening to music, and jumping into cold-water pools as part of his self-care routine.

Kayla first began her career in Healthcare in 2009 after receiving her certification in Medical Assisting. From that point on, Kayla has constantly challenged herself to learn new positions/roles which have allowed her to move forward with new opportunities of advancement and growth.
She shares that she is inspired to always try and do better than yesterday, and that her compassion for others has helped drive her to always work harder so she can continue to move forward and help others in need.
In her spare time, Kayla enjoys being with family and friends. She is the mother of two beautiful girls, Madelynn and Kinley, proud aunt of 4 boys and oldest sibling of 5.

Kimberly Copeland serves as the Development Director at American Indian Health and Family Services (AIHFS), where she has been an active member of the community since 2012. With over ten years of experience in nonprofit administration and fundraising, Kimberly is dedicated to mission-driven work that enhances the health and well-being of the community.

She holds a PhD in Education Evaluation and Research and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Wayne State University. Kimberly’s expertise in fundraising, program evaluation, operations management, and community organizing has benefited several Detroit-area organizations, including Hospice of Michigan, Detroit Parent Network, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), showcasing her proficiency in philanthropy and grant writing. Additionally, she serves on the Board at the Downriver Council for the Arts (DCA), contributing to the advancement of the arts in our community.

Outside of her professional role, Kimberly is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work has been showcased at venues such as the Muskegon Museum of Art and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. She creates movement, sound, and visual art, and enjoys dance classes, reading, and playing the accordion.

Lesley started working at AIHFS in September 2014 as an Accounting Assistant. Lesley has her associate degree in Accounting Management from Baker College. Her hobbies include traveling, shooting on a dart league, camping, cooking, attending concerts, playing with her two dogs, and spending time with family and friends.

Mari grew up in Southwest Detroit with a parent who spoke no English. Mari saw the struggles and discrimination her mom received because her mom was only Spanish speaking. Today as a cross-trained medical assistant Mari is happy to provide patient care and support to those in need of translation services in Spanish.  This is why she is very excited to be part of a non-profit organization like AIHFS who is so giving and helpful to the community. Her goal is to provide care and to ensure our clients feel valued.

Melissa has lived in Louisiana, Texas, New York, and Hawai’i, but considers Michigan her home. She loves to be among the freshwater lakes and cedar trees here. She is devoted to serving her community through a variety of ways, including massage therapy, childbirth support and education, and creating nourishing and delicious meals.  She is a student of midwifery and traditional birthing knowledge, and is passionate about seeing families thrive together.  You can usually find her around the fire at our community sweat lodges here at AIHFS. She also enjoys walking in the woods, expressing herself through writing, reading a good book, opening her voice through song, and is currently learning to play the guitar.

Mya graduated from Wayne State University with a bachelor’s degree in History before becoming the Education Coordinator for the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum; a children’s museum in central Michigan, where she often worked with the Saginaw Chippewa Academy. From there, she found her passion in community involvement and turned her focus to the non-profit world. Her passion for learning and eagerness to serve the Detroit community is what brought her to AIHFS. 

In Mya’s free time, she likes to spend time with her family and animals (two cats, a rabbit, and a leopard gecko!), participate in crafts, and romanticize the small things in life.  She has made it her mission to explore as many of Detroit’s historic, cultural, and social hotspots as possible to connect with the city in a way that the pandemic had previously prevented her from doing. 

Nicole is honored to bring her curiosity, creativity, and compassion to her work with youth at American Indian Health and Family Services. She is a certified k-12 visual arts teacher who studied at University of Michigan for her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Michigan State University for her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Education, and is currently studying at Wayne State University for her Masters in Art Therapy and Clinical Mental Health.

She is dedicated to learning and practicing balanced wellness of body, heart, mind and Spirit with the Medicine Wheel Teachings she has received from Andean, Celtic and Lakota Elders. She enjoys creating, reading, cooking, being in nature with her dog, and being with community in Ceremony. Her vision is for each youth to know themselves, with roots in their culture, tools for their journey, and beautiful dreams for their future.

Patrick is a U.S. Army Vet, born in Detroit, Michigan. He has worked many years in retail and accounting. He is very dedicated to his family and his grandkids are very special to him. He enjoys hunting, fishing, bowling, and attending sporting events, such as the Red Wings, Tigers and Lions games. He takes great concern for the environment and does what he needs to do to help. He enjoys helping the community, spending time at AIHFS, and being involved in certain programs we offer.

Ricardo Treviño earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Development and a minor in management from Oakland University in Oakland county, where he lives.  Ricardo brings over 12 years of HR experience to AIHFS, and has served a diverse workforce at local minority owned businesses in Southeast Michigan.  For over 15 years, he has delivered a variety of youth leadership and skills training programs for area non-profit agencies including The Boys and Girls Clubs, Covent House Michigan, and Youth-Build Detroit.

Ricardo is of Mexican American and Indigenous Mexican heritage.  His mother’s family draws their roots from the Chicimeca people in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.  He has been walking the Red Road for nearly 30 years, and practices native spiritual traditions of the Lakota, the Native American Church of Mexico, and the N.A.C. of the Morning Star here in Michigan.  He is a Sun Dancer and Pipe Carrier and can be found traveling most weekends participating in ceremonies throughout the Great Lakes region, where he enjoys tending fire.  He is most proud of being a father of two daughters and has one granddaughter.

Salli Renee Wabsis, BS, is a member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians in Michigan. She is fortunate for having a career in social services working for Indigenous youth and families in San Diego and Seattle. She is grateful for the opportunity to now serve Indigenous families at American Indian Health and Family Services in Detroit.

Salli practices the Medicine Wheel teachings to keep her balanced. Salli has three sons and two grandchildren. In her leisure time, she enjoys beading, spending time with her family, and watching her youngest son play AAU basketball.

Ya’at e’ e’ h! Shelly is dine and African American. Shelly has been actively involved in the community thru various cultural events offered at AIHFS. Go red wings! Along with hockey, she enjoys jewelry making, powwows, reading and making people laugh! Shelly is proud to part of the AIHFS family! Ahe’hee’

Stefani works at a non-profit because she believes working with a non-profit often creates a community. She believes you will find yourself working alongside passionate, like-minded individuals who are dedicated to the cause, creating a supportive work environment. She finds it very rewarding working for a non-profit, seeing how her efforts can improve lives has given her a deeper sense of job satisfaction.

As a parent, one of the most profound sources of motivation has been her son, Logan. From the moment she first held him in her arms, she realized that her world had shifted in a way she never imagined before. He has ignited a sense of purpose and resilience within her she never knew she had. He is not just her child — he is her inspiration and her biggest accomplishment!

In her spare time she enjoys cooking for her family. Stefani likes trying out new recipes. She also likes watching movies with her family.

Taylor Maxwell attended the University of Alabama where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, with a minor in Social Work, and a specialization in North American Archaeology. She worked in various human-centered and archaeological research labs, as well as working alongside the native community of Moundville, AL throughout her collegiate career. One of her passions includes collaboration within communities for anthropological and archaeological projects as well as the ethical treatment and execution of repatriation for all native communities. She previously worked with the Alzheimer’s Association as a part of their outreach and fundraising team. She is excited to be returning back to her home state of Michigan to further expand the scope and reach of AIHFS’s Sacred Bundle and Native Connections programs. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her blue heeler Lou, traveling to any U.S state she hasn’t been, baking new recipes, and boating on any and all Michigan lakes.

Tina (Cherokee/Macedonian) is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from Cherokee, North Carolina. She has been a part of the native community her whole life and was one of the first members of the youth group Dreamseekers here at AIHFS. She is a proud mother of two handsome boy’s Adon and Adrian. In her spare time she likes spending time with her family and friends and traveling to pow wows as much as she can.

Tonia obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Wayne State University and her Masters Degree in Human Resource Management from Marygrove College. She prefers working within the non-profit arena because it allows her to demonstrate her innate compassionate, humanistic side which in turn grants her many opportunities to service the under privileged within society.

In her spare time she likes to catch up on her rest, along with spending time with family and friends while enjoying a great meal. Additionally, exercising is a priority for her to relieve stress.

Her hero is herself and Viola Davis and all those individuals who persisted on through overwhelming obstacles, odds and challenges.

Wefaq received her Medical Assistant certification from Schoolcraft College. She is from Yemen. She has four children. Her favorite hobby is sewing. In her spare time she likes to read her favorite book, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki. Her hero is her mom.