Our Mission
The Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan supports the improvement of a literate Michigan citizenry of all ages through the distribution of charitable funds to enhance literacy-related efforts.
Supporting our Mission
LLF Michigan encourages philanthropic investments in temporarily restricted and/or general operating funds that support literacy-related efforts. We solicit gifts from individual, group and corporate donors throughout the year, and invest these funds in secure deposits for future use. Anyone interested in promoting literacy development is encouraged to donate. We prepare an annual report noting donors and activities for the year, and distribute the report in March of the following year. The Board welcomes inquiries regarding current and future activities. Please visit our How You Can Help page to learn more.
Nancy Wiseman Seminoff
Board Chair and President
Dr. Nancy Seminoff has served on several agency and non-profit boards at the national, state and local levels, including as Board Member of the International Reading Association (now ILA), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Appeals Committee, Michigan
Association of State and Federal Program Specialists, and the Michigan Reading Association (Past President). She received the MRA Individual Literacy Award for 2017-2018. Prior to founding LLF Michigan Dr. Seminoff served as a teacher, professor and administrator at the local school and university levels.
Gloria LaPointe
Treasurer
Gloria LaPointe has served on various nonprofit boards as President, Secretary and Treasurer. Some of these organizations included Community Foundation of Marquette County, Community Coordinated Child Care, Superiorland Soccer Association, and others. She has also been very active in her church in many volunteer capacities and committees, including Treasurer and Accountant. She
has accounting and auditing experience as a CPA and financial planner for over 35 years, including being a partner with Cowell & LaPointe, PC. for 25 years. This experience involved working with many types of businesses, nonprofit organizations and governmental entities.
Carolyn Jane Blough
Member-at-Large
Carolyn Jane Blough has leadership experiences with non-profit groups at the local and state levels including as a Past President the Michigan Reading Association and as the MRA Annual Conference Chair for Local Arrangements (for years). She served as Board President for the United Methodist Church Pre-school over a span of 45 years, and continues to serve as a Board
Member of the Lowell Area Historical Museum. She has teaching and administrative experience as a Reading Consultant and Director of Reading for the Lowell Area Schools. She is a Charter Donor to LLF Michigan.
Colleen Whitehead
Secretary
Coming Soon.
Melinda Vokal
Member-at-Large
Melinda has served in various leadership roles for over the past 30 years. Her current employment with MB Division in Spring Lake Michigan, started in April 1986 as a secretary/receptionist. She was quickly promoted through several positions until eventually fulfilling the duties of the company president. Melinda also currently runs a WOFE in Shunde, China where she oversees daily operations including personnel and exporting logistics. Melinda has owned three small businesses and serves on multiple boards – both for profit and non-profit. Working at multiple levels over the years enabled Melinda to experience and understand the different management requirements of a successful organization. This diverse experience is related to both the internal workings of an organization and how that organization serves the community at large, including publicity and consumer relations.
LLF Michigan Board of Directors
The LLF Michigan Board is composed of educators and business professionals. All Board members are volunteers and receive no remuneration for their time or travel. Therefore, we are able to use all donations to promote LLF Michigan literacy-related efforts. LLF Michigan Board Biographical Information.
The Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan family lost one of its beloved board members, Phyllis Ann (DeJonge) Aurich, who passed away on Wednesday, March 7, 2023. Read more about Phyllis’s work on our Board.
Advisory Group
Angela Hentkowski J.D., LLM (2) • Dave Bamnert, M.A. • Eric Paad, B.S. • Heather Picotte B.S. • Kori Tossava, M.A. • Kristin Tessman, J.D. • Laura Lamp, B. S. N. • Roxanne Daust, B. S.
Operational Assistance
Accountant – Gloria La Pointe, CPA; Publicity Consultant – Heather Picotte; Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Marquette 49855 Data Clerk – Brett Hanson
Learn more our activities and support from our 2023 LLF Michigan Annual Report