Michigan Tech’s Lean practitioners are agents of positive change across campus. While maintaining their primary roles, they lead continuous improvement initiatives, consult with teams, analyze workflows, and share their problem-solving expertise. Their work creates more efficient and effective processes that allow faculty to focus on teaching and research, students to concentrate on learning, and the university to better serve community and industry needs for Lean expertise.
Lean Practitioners have been trained in Lean thinking and tools as well as facilitation and team skills, and may be certified as white, yellow, green, and black belts. These individuals bring Lean and continuous improvement into their areas and help to cultivate a Lean culture at Michigan Tech. Some practitioners prefer to focus on contributing to a Lean transformation in their area, becoming Lean implementation leaders. Many practitioners with green or black belts volunteer to commit time as campus Lean facilitators.
In addition to their regular work, Lean facilitators help other areas on campus practice continuous improvement. Facilitators are available to teach various topics to departments, facilitate kaizen events, coach you through a Lean project, and practice and share the Lean skills they have learned. If you or your department would like to receive help from one of these facilitators, please contact the Office of Continuous Improvement at improvement@mtu.edu or 906-487-3180, or fill out our improvement request form.
Bldg 1 Administration
- Chad Arney—Registrar's Office, yellow belt certified
- Catherine Burns—Community Engagement
- Debra Charlesworth, PhD—Graduate School, green belt certified
- James Desrochers—Career Services
- Shelly Galliah, PhD—Global Campus and Continuing Education, green belt certified
- Alexandria Guth, PhD—Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs
- Shellie Hubert—Information Technology
- Mia Kemppainen—Graduate School
- Amie Ledgerwood—Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs
- Andrew Miles, JD—Financial Aid
- Alan Ollanketo—Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs
- Heather Powers—University Marketing and Communications
- Heidi Reid—General Counsel, black belt certified
- Polly Schaefer—VP for Student Affairs, green belt certified
- Jamie Sertich—International Programs and Services, yellow belt certified
Bldg 3 Lakeshore Center
- Traci Bishop—Financial Services and Operations
- Megan Goke—Human Resources, green belt certified
- Lori Hardyniec—Human Resources, green belt certified
- Gina LeMay—Vice President for Research, black belt certified
- Katie Lucca—Budget and Planning, green belt certified
- Madeline Mercado Voelker—Human Resources, green belt certified
- Renee Ozanich—Human Resources, green belt certified
- David Palek—Internal Audit, green belt certified
- Jessica Palek—Human Resources, green belt certified
- Michelle Reed—Human Resources
- Jari Sague—Research Integrity and Development, green belt certified
- Richelle Schwaller—Vice President for Research, green belt certified
-
Julie Seppala—Vice President for Finance
Bldg 5 Academic Offices Building
- Adam Wellstead, PhD—Social Sciences, yellow belt certified
Bldg 7 Electrical Energy Resources
- Matt Bryan—Information Technology, green belt certified
- Jarrod Karau—Information Technology
- Karen Maki—Information Technology, green belt certified
- John Pakkala, PhD—Electrical and Computer Engineering, yellow belt certified
- Kevin Peltola—Information Technology, yellow belt certified
-
Charlie Temple—Information Technology
-
Maryann Wilcox—Electrical and Computer Engineering
Bldg 11 Walker - Arts and Humanities
- Samantha Butkovich—Facilities Management, yellow belt certified
- Wendy Hackman—Facilities Management, yellow belt certified
- Tanya Maki—Visual and Performing Arts, green belt certified
- A.J. Mikus—Facilities Management
Bldg 12 Minerals and Materials Engr
- Janet Callahan, PhD—Materials Science and Engineering, green belt certified
- Chelsie Carne—Psychology and Human Factors, yellow belt certified
- Danielle Davis—College of Engineering, green belt certified
- Gina Goudge—Materials Science and Engineering
- Nagesh Hatti—Enterprise Program, yellow belt certified
- Alexandra Holmstrom—Biomedical Engineering, green belt certified
- Kristi Juntunen—Pavlis Honors College
- Ginger Sleeman—Associate Provost, yellow belt certified
Bldg 14 Grover C. Dillman Hall
- Julie Ross—Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- Kerri Sleeman—Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
Bldg 17 J. R. Van Pelt & Opie Library
- Elisabeth Dennis—Van Pelt and Opie Library, yellow belt certified
- Annelise Doll—Van Pelt and Opie Library, green belt certified
- Georgeann Larson—Van Pelt and Opie Library, green belt certified
- Laurie Stark—Van Pelt and Opie Library, black belt certified
Bldg 19 Chemical Sciences and Engr
- Paul Charlesworth, PhD—Chemistry, green belt certified
Bldg 24 Student Development Complex
- Elka Frahm—Merchandising Operations General Manager, green belt certified
Bldg 28 Reiki Hall
- Kristi Hauswirth—College of Computing
- Karen Johnson—College of Computing
Bldg 34 Memorial Union
- Katie Torrey—Enrollment Management, yellow belt certified
Bldg 37 Wadsworth Hall
- Ruth Archer, PhD—Office of Continuous Improvement, Lean six sigma master black belt (LSSMBB) certified
- Theresa Coleman-Kaiser—Associate Vice President for Administration, black belt certified
- Nicole Foguth—Residential Living, green belt certified
Bldg 44 Facilities Management
- Mitch Apriesnig—Transportation Services, yellow belt certified
-
Gregg Richards—Facilities Management
-
Lori Weir—Facilities Management
Bldg 52 Portage Lake Golf Course
- Erik Crowley—Portage Lake Golf Course, green belt certified
Bldg 54 Mont Ripley Ski Chalet
- Christopher Maxson—Mont Ripley Ski Hill, green belt certified
Bldg 95 Michigan Tech Alumni Center
- Karla Aho—Advancement
- Jessica Comfort—Advancement
- Damon Huotari—Advancement, yellow belt certified
- Cyndi Martin—Advancement, green belt certified
- Carrie Nielsen—Advancement, green belt certified
- Kari Price—Advancement, green belt certified
- Lorraine Thoune—Advancement, black belt certified
Bldg 103 A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum
- Julie Stark—A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, yellow belt certified
Alphabetical Listing, by Last Name
- Karla Aho
Advancement - Mitch Apriesnig
Transportation Services - Ruth Archer, PhD
Office of Continuous Improvement - Chad Arney
Registrar's Office - Traci Bishop
Financial Services and Operations - Matt Bryan
Information Technology - Catherine Burns
Community Engagement - Samantha Butkovich
Facilities Management - Janet Callahan, PhD
Materials Science and Engineering - Chelsie Carne
Psychology and Human Factors - Debra Charlesworth, PhD
Graduate School - Paul Charlesworth, PhD
Chemistry - Theresa Coleman-Kaiser
Associate Vice President for Administration - Jessica Comfort
Advancement - Erik Crowley
Portage Lake Golf Course - Danielle Davis
College of Engineering - Elisabeth Dennis
Van Pelt and Opie Library - James Desrochers
Career Services - Annelise Doll
Van Pelt and Opie Library - Nicole Foguth
Residence Education and Housing Services - Elka Frahm
Merchandising Operations - Shelly Galliah, PhD
Global Campus and Continuing Education - Megan Goke
Human Resources - Gina Goudge
Materials Science and Engineering - Alexandra Guth
Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs - Wendy Hackman
Facilities Management - Lori Hardyniec
Human Resources - Nagesh Hatti
Enterprise Program - Kristi Hauswirth
College of Computing - Alexandra Holmstrom
Biomedical Engineering - Shellie Hubert
Information Technology - Damon Huotari
Advancement - Karen Johnson
College of Computing - Kristi Juntunen
Pavlis Honors College - Jarrod Karau
Information Technology - Mia Kemppainen
Graduate School - Georgeann Larson
Van Pelt and Opie Library - Amie Ledgerwood
Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs - Gina LeMay
Vice President for Research - Katie Lucca
Budget and Planning - Karen Maki
Information Technology - Tanya Maki
Visual and Performing Arts - Cyndi Martin
Advancement - Christopher Maxson
Mont Ripley Ski Hill - Madeline Mercado Voelker
Human Resources - Andrew Miles, JD
Financial Aid - A.J. Mikus
Facilities Management - Carrie Nielsen
Advancement - Alan Ollanketo
Provost & Senior VP for Academic Affairs - Renee Ozanich
Human Resources - John Pakkala
Electrical and Computer Engineering - David Palek
Internal Audit - Jessica Palek
Human Resources - Kevin Peltola
Information Technology - Heather Powers
University Marketing and Communications - Kari Price
Advancement - Michelle Reed
Human Resources - Heidi Reid
General Counsel - Gregg Richards
Facilities Management - Julie Ross
Civil, Environmental, & Geospatial Engineering - Jari Sague
Research Integrity and Development - Polly Schaefer
Vice President for Student Affairs - Richelle Schwaller
Vice President for Research - Julie Seppala
Vice President for Finance - Jamie Sertich
International Programs and Services - Ginger Sleeman
Associate Provost - Kerri Sleeman
Civil, Environmental, & Geospatial Engineering - Julie Stark
A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum - Laurie Stark
Van Pelt and Opie Library - Charlie Temple
Information Technology - Lorraine Thoune
Advancement - Katie Torrey
Enrollment Management - Lori Weir
Facilities Management - Adam Wellstead, PhD
Social Sciences - Maryann Wilcox
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Helpful links for Lean Facilitators:
- Lean Facilitators and Implementation Leaders Resource Area—This link will take you to a website that contains helpful resources for our Lean Facilitators and Lean Implementation Leaders.
- Lean Facilitators can report internal improvement activities here: www.tinyurl.com/ReportAnImprovement. This helps us more accurately reflect Lean activity on campus.
- Lean Facilitators can provide us with feedback that will help us improve the kaizen process here: http://tinyurl.com/LeanFacilitatorFeedback
- Members of kaizen teams can provide us with feedback that will help us improve the kaizen process here: http://tinyurl.com/KaizenFeedback