Groundswell Staff
Allison Palm, Place-based Education Specialist
Allison is a nonprofit professional who was born and raised in Grand Rapids. She graduated from Albion College with a degree in Mass Media Communication Studies and Sociology. She later earned a master's degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Grand Valley State University. Throughout her career, she has worked at several local nonprofit organizations of various missions; primarily with those in education, community engagement, the arts, and social justice.
Allison will be planning Groundswell Professional Learning opportunities, assisting educators in connecting with community partners, and visiting schools to observe and support classes as they pursue their action projects!
Allison lives in downtown Grand Rapids with her husband and loves spending time at Lake Michigan, hiking local trails, and creating art.
Office Address: 356 DeVos Building C
Email: [email protected]
Clayton Pelon, Director
Clayton Pelon has been the director of the Center for Educational Partnerships within the College of Education and Community Innovation for many years.
He helped to create the Groundswell Stewardship Initiative, and has been a driving force behind the initiative all these years.
Office Address: 362 DeVos Building C
Email: [email protected]
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Vicky Wright, Assistant Director
Vicky Wright currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Center of Educational Partnerships. This is her second time working at GVSU - her first being in Housing and Residence Life as a Living Center Director. In her current role, Vicky works collaboratively with departments across campus to promote experiential learning initiatives and works cooperatively with faculty to develop and support partnerships in the greater West Michigan communities. She also works closely with program staff to further develop the Groundswell Stewardship Initiative.
Vicky holds an M.S. in Positive Organizational Development and Change, a certificate in Coaching for Emotional Intelligence, and The Appreciative Inquiry Certificate in Positive Business and Societal Change from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. She is also certified from the Institute for Experiential Learning as a facilitator for the Kolb Experiential Learning Profile. She holds an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Administration from The University of Akron and a B.A. from Aquinas College.
Vicky is passionate about creating conditions that allow individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive. Vicky draws on her expertise in mindfulness, emotional intelligence and strengths-based mindset to do her work. She is particularly interested in sustainable business practices and how we can support businesses "doing well by doing good".
Vicky lives in Muskegon, MI with her dog Toby and enjoys camping, hiking, and gardening.
Office Address: 358 DeVos Building C
Email: [email protected]
Cait Portko, Office Coordinator
Cait is the Office Coordinator for the Center for Educational Partnerships here at the College of Education and Community Innovation and provides administrative support for all department programs, including Groundswell.
Cait lives in Grand Rapids and enjoys reading, gardening, and time with family and friends.
Office Address: 396 DeVos Building C
Email: [email protected]
Student Staff
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Elana "Lana" Burns, Communications Assistant
Lana Burns is a sophomore at Grand Valley State University, majoring in journalism with plans to minor in advertising and public relations.
At Groundswell, Lana serves as a communications assistant. In this role, she supports a range of projects, including managing social media content, contributing to the newsletter, and assisting with behind-the-scenes updates on the website.
Outside of school and work, Lana enjoys spending time with friends and family. She also takes an interest in reading, writing, and video editing.