Our Team
The Detroit College Access Network (DCAN) consists of a leadership team and a team of professional staff who are committed to achieving our mission and goals by continually expanding access opportunities to postsecondary education.
Leadership Team
Our leadership team is a cross-sector partnership of K-12, higher education, philanthropy, nonprofit, business, government, and community-based organizations and leaders responsible for:
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Providing the vision and strategic direction for the network
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Building public will around college access and success efforts in Detroit
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Developing and committing to the network common agenda and shared metrics
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Working toward systems change in their sector and within their organizations
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Reviewing and approving the DCAN annual budget
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Conducting performance reviews of DCAN staff and the network as whole
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Analyzing data and making recommendations for network priorities
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Mobilizing funds to invest into and sustain the network
Ashley Aidenbaum
The Skillman Foundation
Ahmad Ezzeddine
Wayne State University
John Ambrose
Michigan State University
Anita Martinez
Michigan Hispanic Collective
Doreen Odom
College Prep International
Patrick Cooney
University of Michigan
Dawn Aubry
Oakland University
Doug Ross
Promise Schools
Ericka Matthews-Jackson
Wayne State University
Greg Handel
Detroit Regional Chamber
Jametta Lilly
Detroit Parent Network
Jade Scott
Detroit Promise
Kim Lijana
University of Michigan
Randy Liepa
Wayne RESA
Nicole Carter
Detroit Public Community School District
Ryan Fewins-Bliss
Michigan College Access Network
Shane Lewis
Oakland University
William F. L. Moses
Kresge Foundation
Clarissa Russell
Eastern Michigan University
Staff
Our team of highly experienced and dedicated staff is responsible for the day-to-day operations that support the vision, campaigns, and programs DCAN provides to our community.
Cyekeia Lee
Executive Director
Cyekeia Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree in counseling education from Wayne State University. At her most recent position, she held the role of director of community collaboration at The Kalamazoo Promise, an award-winning initiative to provide up to 100% of tuition and fees paid for students from the Kalamazoo Public Schools at any in-state public community college or university. Prior to her time with the Kalamazoo Promise, Lee was the executive director of The Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo, where she had the opportunity to work with cross-sector partners to explore community collaboration efforts for students in Kalamazoo County. Additionally, she has served as the director for higher education initiatives with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, where she worked to streamline higher education access for students experiencing homelessness in 25 states.
Jasmine Brooks
Senior Director of Community Hubs
Jasmine Brooks, M.Ed., founder of JMB Advising, is a proud educator both professionally and personally. Gaining experience during her undergraduate experience at the University of Michigan as a Residence Advisor, Residence Coordinator, and Academic Success Partner to freshmen and sophomore students, Jasmine has been advising and guiding others in their decisions towards success since 2010. Having begun her career as a first-grade teacher in Detroit in 2012, she transitioned to working with high school students as the college success counselor in Southwest Detroit in 2014 at Voyageur College Prep and has been there ever since. Since then, she has served as the National Honor Society Advisor, Dean of Students and Dean of College Success, with a primary focus on the matriculation and graduation rate of high school students into post-secondary institutions. JMB Advising, her educational consulting company has grown from supporting high school and college students to service school curriculum development, individual clients, and out-of-school time programming.
Ashley Lane-Barrett
Program Manager
Ashley Lane is the Program Manager. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor as a proud recipient of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scholarship. Prior to her time at DCAN, she worked as the College Prep Coordinator and Alumni Relations Coordinator at University Prep Science and Math High School for 5 years. As a first-generation college student from Detroit, Ashley strives to empower urban youth to successfully navigate their educational pathway to bring their dreams to reality.
Daniel Valentine
Professional Development Program Manager
Daniel Valentine is a native Detroiter and proud alum of Central State University in Ohio. While in college, he discovered his passion for college access and volunteered with various groups to support student success. After earning his Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications- Broadcast Media, he was recruited by his alma mater, to head the Marauder Jumpstart Program. As the Program Coordinator he developed and managed the leadership training curriculum for incoming freshmen. Upon returning to Detroit, Daniel began working directly with Detroit’s youth in various ways. Daniel currently serves as the Program Director for the Detroit Youth Choir and most recently worked as an Admission Counselor for Grand Canyon University. Daniel’s passion is to impact the next generation, and is excited to begin his new position as Professional Development Program Manager for DCAN.
LaTayia Byars
Program Coordinator
LaTayia Byars is a Detroit native and a proud graduate of Cass Tech High School. As an alumnus of the Year Up internship program, she has honed their skills and expertise, and now serve as a dedicated Program Coordinator at the Detroit College Access Network, while attending Eastern Gateway Community College to pursue a degree in Business Management.
Kendra Agee
Program Director
Born and raised on Detroit’s east side, Kendra Agee, M.Ed, never anticipated that she would become an educator. Kendra earned her bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Sociology at Oakland University in 2013 and her master's degree in Higher Education Leadership in 2015. During her time at Oakland, sheworked as a student mentor and graduate assistant in the Pre-College Programs Office. After receiving her master's degree, she became the Program Coordinator for the Michigan GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) initiative. Kendra's tenure with Pre-College Programs and her own experience as a first-generation college student fueled her continuous advocacy for post-secondary access across the metro-Detroit area. She has twelve years of professional experience that include K-12, as well working at both two and four-year post-secondary institutions. Kendra works to provide academic, social, and cultural support for students and their families, in hopes of motivating individuals to pursue and complete post-secondary education in numerous forms. In her most recent role as Dean of College & Post-Secondary Success at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Kendra challenged students to begin post-secondary planning as early as ninth grade. Kendra is excited to be joining the DCAN team and looking forward to taking on the role as the Program Director for Graduate 313.