Kathryn Tate is the President & CEO of The Legacy Center for Community Success, a role she has held since July 2019. Kathryn believes that education is the key to improving lives, which will, in turn, strengthen our entire community. It is through this lens that Kathryn leads The Legacy Center into its next chapter.
Prior to this role, Kathryn served as a Certified Prevention Specialist in a role shared by The Legacy Center for Community Success and Ten16 Recovery Network. Under this partnership, Kathryn took a lead role in coordinating the community’s response to substance use disorder and youth substance use prevention.
Kristi Kline is the Director of Student Reading Programs at the Legacy Center. She manages the Barton Dyslexia Tutoring Program including learner assessment, tutor training, and community outreach. She has been a Barton tutor since 2008 and earned her Level 1 certification in 2011. Kristi is a member of the International Dyslexia Association and is certified by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist. She earned her M.A. in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University in 2021.
Julie serves as the Director of Adult Literacy and English as a Second Language program. Julie is a retired school teacher with 30+ years of experience. She retired in 2017 from the classroom of Midland Public Schools and then started as one of the homebound teachers for the district. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree from SVSU and also a Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology from Michigan State University.
“I have always had a desire to learn more and to be a lifelong learner which is what I always want to share with my learners. I want to be able to help all learners of any age work toward the goals they have set for themselves.”
When not at work, Julie enjoys many different activities. She directs youth handbell choirs at her church and sings in her church choir. She also enjoys many different crafting projects and loves to shoot photography.
Kay serves as the Director of Math Programs. She retired from teaching mathematics in 2020 from Midland Public Schools. The first half of her teaching career was at Central Middle School and the second half was at Midland High School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree from SVSU.
When not at work, Kay enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has two grandchildren who are the joy of her life. She also enjoys many different hobbies including photography and painting.
Michelle Beeck is the Community Educator for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Her current role includes working closely with Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services (NMSAS), Community Alliance for Youth Success (formerly Midland Area Partnership), law enforcement, local school districts and Alcohol and Tobacco retailers in Midland county to build assets to reduce risk taking behaviors such as underage alcohol and tobacco use, misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, and illicit drug use.
Michelle received her Bachelors of Science in Public Health Education from Central Michigan University in 2005 and recently earned a Certified Prevention Specialist certification. She has been married for 15 years to her wonderful husband and has two children.
Mathew (or Mat) serves as the Office Manager for The Legacy Center. Mat is a highly skilled and experienced office manager with several years of expertise in effectively overseeing administrative operations and optimizing workplace efficiency. With a keen eye for detail, Mat excels in managing various administrative tasks, such as record-keeping, document control, and facility management. With a strong commitment to organizational excellence, Mat ensures seamless operations and a welcoming environment for both visitors and staff.
Alexis is the Prevention Collaboration Leader for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Her job consists of managing operations within community coalitions and collaborating with community leaders to communicate SUD-related issues within Midland County. She also works with integrating and increasing the awareness of countywide prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Alexis works within local schools to help students and teachers understand substance use disorders and prevention towards substance usage.
Alexis received her Bachelors of Science in Health Science along with a Minor in Sociology from Saginaw Valley State University in 2021. Currently, she is working toward her certification for being a Certified Prevention Specialist. She is a Midland native so helping the community she grew up in is very important to her. Outside of work, Alexis spends time teaching ballet at a studio in Auburn as well as playing with her vizslapoo puppy.
Barb currently serves as the evening Front Desk Associate for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Prior to this role, she was the DYTUR (Designated Youth Tobacco Use Representative) for Midland County and coordinates tobacco, vaping, and other nicotine products-related education and events. Barb also coordinated local drug take-back education and events through our Dump Your Drugs! initiative with local law enforcement.
Jessica Blewett is the Development and Prevention Outreach Coordinator at The Legacy Center for Community Success. She is instrumental in building community connections, raising awareness of their programs, and fundraising. Jessica developed a passion for the nonprofit sector while working for multiple nonprofits throughout her career. One of those roles was with the Boy Scouts of America as a District Executive, where she increased funding for the organization and the number of volunteers supporting local youth through Scouting. Prior to these roles, Jessica spent several years in insurance and pharmaceutical research after graduating from Ferris State University with a Bachelor’s in Forensic Biology. Jessica has been an Ambassador for Midland Business Alliance since 2018 and serves in various roles at her church, including the Board of Deacons. She has also been a Rotarian at the Mt. Pleasant Club and is planning to join the Midland Noon Club. Jessica is married to Joe and they have two daughters, Sophie and Ally. As a family, they enjoy traveling, watching the kids play soccer, spending time with family and friends, and spending time with their pets, Cooper and Whiskers at home.