YMOW Staff
Barbara Niess-May, President/CEO, MPA, MSW
barbara@ymow.org | (734) 217-4453
Barbara Niess-May joined YMOW in early 2024 as the second President/CEO in the organization’s 50-year history, bringing with her over 30 years of experience building strong resources to support the Ypsilanti community.
Prior to her most recent position as Development Manager at The King Center, Barbara served as Executive Director of SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor, transforming the organization into a progressive service provider supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Barbara holds master’s degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from the University of Evansville, Ind.
Show more... Barbara’s commitment to community extends beyond her job to include volunteer roles with the Washtenaw County Circles Program, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, the United States Adventure Racing Association DEI committee, and the First United Methodist Church Anti-Racism Work Group in Brighton. She will begin seminary work in the fall of 2024 as she works toward becoming an ordained deacon in the United Methodist church. In her spare time Barbara trains and competes as an amateur endurance athlete in adventure racing, competitive navigation and mountain bike/gravel racing. Barbara shares a home on the Huron River with her husband and their two Brittany spaniels, Meadow and Emmy. Show less...
Kelly Schwartz, Operations Director
kelly@ymow.org | (734) 547-3202
Kelly Schwartz began her role as Operations Director in July 2020, but her relationship with YMOW began in 2002. A longtime supporter of the YMOW mission, Kelly was serving as chairman of the YMOW Board of Directors when she joined the YMOW staff.
As Operations Director, Kelly manages the day-to-day operations of YMOW, supervising the CCAs, volunteer coordinator and managing client services.
Having previously worked in leadership roles at Food Gatherers, Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority and Huron Valley Humane Society, Kelly brings a long history and vast knowledge of non-profit work and community service to her role. While serving as Director of Operations at the Humane Society, Kelly helped to initiate the Bountiful Bowls program through which YMOW supplies pet owners with food and other necessities.
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She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Detroit College of Business and an MBA from University of Alabama at Birmingham.
As YMOW board chairman, Kelly said she was committed to helping the staff and volunteers of YMOW find new and better ways to enhance and improve the lives of the community’s homebound neighbors. As Operations Director, she continues that mission.
“I’m thrilled to serve YMOW and the community in this new role,” Kelly said. “Access to food and other supportive services is paramount for our aging and disabled population and I’m proud to be part of an organization that makes that happen.”
Kelly lives in Ann Arbor with her wife, Kristin, and their dogs, Molly and Lewis.
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Chris Brown, Supportive Services Manager
chris@ymow.org | (734) 217-4451
Chris Brown joined YMOW in August 2022 as Volunteer Manager and was promoted in April 2023 to Supportive Services Manager. In this role, Chris oversees YMOW's growing case management team.
"YMOW offers so many services to our clients beyond just a meal, and I'm so excited to help connect the dots across the organization. I'm eager to support the team that provides those additional services by promoting their work to stakeholders and partners, and leveraging our dedicated volunteer base to increase capacity," Chris said.
Chris also leads the formation of YMOW's DEI Committee.
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Originally from Ohio, Chris moved to Ypsilanti in 2011 and grew to love the character and quirkiness of the city. He holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Eastern Michigan University.
Chris lives in Monroe with his husband and their cat. He loves cooking, gardening and Michigan history.
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Alison Warren, Development Director
awarren@ymow.org | (734) 217-4770
Alison Warren brings over 10 years of experience in non-profit development and fundraising to her role as Development Director at Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. While her "offical" nonprofit career began in 2009, her involvement in nonprofits and caring for her commmunity began long before.
Alison's first exposure to working in nonprofits was due to her mother's leadership at multiple health and human service nonprofits throughout Michigan. From PSA's to mailing letters, Alison helped in whatever way she could.
“Growing up helping others has infulenced me in so many ways on both the large and small scale. I grew up in an environment that encouraged me to think critically about what I can do for others and how my choices impact my community. From organizations I support to my shopping habits, striving to do good in all the ways I can is just normal," she said.
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Following stints at the Treeline Conservancy and Michigan Public Radio, both in Ann Arbor, Alison felt the pull to do something that directly impacts the community where she lives. YMOW, she said, is just what she was looking for.
Alison said YMOW is a vital service to not just her neighbors, but for all those in the future who might need it.
“I’m excited to be able to be more connected and support my neighbors through the work YMOW does every day. Working at YMOW also is another way I model for my son how to be active in a community. I'm proud that he already has such capacity for compassion and understanding of what it means to make our community a better place,” she said.
Alison is a graduate of Earlham College in Indiana where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Classical Studies and earned a Master’s degree in Fine and Decorative Art from University of Manchester, England. She lives in Ypsilanti with her son and their guinea pig, Fluffy.
Outside of YMOW, Alison is an active volunteer at her son's school, enjoys spending time with her family, knitting, and working in her pollinator-friendly garden.
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Olga Kharin, Finance Manager
olga@ymow.org | (734) 403-3109
Olga Kharin managed the finances of several for-profit and non-profit organizations before joining YMOW in 2024. Olga said she is eager to use her knowledge and many years of experience to help the mission of YMOW.
Olga studied accounting in Russia before moving to the United States in 1990. She then earned a degree in accounting from Baker college in 2012.
A mother and grandmother who helps to care for her aging mother, Olga said she is aware of the challenges faced by seniors and their families, and she’s proud to work for an organization that makes aging and caregiving easier.
Cait O'Banion, Meal Services Coordinator
cait@ymow.org | (734) 217-4454
After serving as a delivery volunteer, Cait O'Banion became a YMOW Client Care Associate in August 2023. She was promoted to Meal Services Coordinator in March 2024.
In this position, Cait works directly with clients and prospective clients to ensure they receive the food and YMOW services they need. Cait also coordinates meal orders and oversees delivery and delivery prep operations each day.
Cait said she enjoyed getting to know clients and their needs as a CCA and is dedicated to further serving her neighbors as Meal Services Coordinator.
Cait is an Ypsilanti native and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. She is the owner of Poppin’s, a boba tea shop that currently serves private and pop-up events. Cait lives in Normal Park with her pitbull/boxer rescue, Theo.
Elonah Dooley, Volunteer Coordinator
elonah@ymow.org or volunteer@ymow.org | (734) 217-4454
Elonah Dooley came to YMOW in early 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in social work and a desire to help her community.
A graduate of Western Michigan University, Elonah trained and managed volunteers at a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter while earning her degree.
“I really wanted to branch out,” said Elonah, who is excited about the chance to strengthen and grow YMOW’s vital corps of volunteers.
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Elonah said she will apply her social work knowledge and experience to her role as volunteer coordinator, teaching volunteers to identify and address the unspoken needs of seniors in the community.
“They can actually build a connection,” she said.
A native of Ypsilanti, Elonah enjoys reading, video games, and her dog, Maggie.
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Kellie Childs,Technical Manager and Project Manager for Care on Wheels, MOT, OTRL
kellie@ymow.org | (734) 557-8241
After a career in social justice, Kellie’s career switched gears when she witnessed the progress her own son made while working with an occupational therapist. She earned a master’s degree in OT at Eastern Michigan University before teaching the subject at the school and finally finding her place on the YMOW team in 2020.
In 2023, Kelli was promoted to Technical Manager and Project Manager for Care on Wheels - YMOW’s hands-on program to make home safer for homebound seniors. Kellie uses her clinical and technical skills to build accessible and workable technology solutions for YMOW, its clients and its clinical staff.
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“I have been working on technology solutions for the agency since the pandemic started, and the knowledge I've gained over the last 3 years has helped me understand the importance of using tech as a means of staff communication and data collection so we can show proof of the amazing work done by YMOW staff,” Kellie said.
Raised by her grandparents, older adults have long been an important part of Kellie’s life. She said she’s pleased to find a way to use her OT skills and knowledge, and her knack for technology, to make aging easier and to help people age in the comfort of home.
Kellie also holds a degree in women’s studies from University of Michigan. She lives in Saline with her husband, son and daughter.
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Bridget Daly, Occupational Therapist, OTRL, CAPS
bridget@ymow.org | (734) 217-4769
Bridget Daly came to YMOW in September 2021. Since then, her role has grown as she helps people remain safe and independent in their homes through application of the Care on Wheels (CoW) program.
Bridget has nearly 30 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist. Along with her role at YMOW, Bridget supports the Henry Ford Health System as a support group leader for Caregivers in Downriver (C.A.R.E.S.) and the Henry Ford hospice team. She recently became a Certified Aging in Place Specialist.
Part of a large, close-knit family, Bridget is the primary support person for her mom, who is going through the dementia journey.
Bridget shares a home with her husband and their dog, Rosie. She enjoys hiking, kayaking and being outdoors.
Traci Bibins,Community Health Worker
traci@ymow.org | 734-217-4441
Traci joined the YMOW team in March 2019 after a search for volunteer opportunities in her community led her to YMOW. After three years as a Client Care Associate, delivering food to YMOW's clients, Traci expanded her role in 2022 by becoming YMOW’s first Community Health Worker.
As Community Health Worker, Traci serves as a connection between YMOW clients and the services available to help them age safely and comfortably at home. She is acutely familiar with the support services available at YMOW and throughout the community.
Food delivery is important, Traci said, but YMOW clients also need access to someone who can help with their non-food needs. Traci said she’s proud to be the person that clients can call when they’re in need of help.
“Sometimes, that’s all they want,” she said.
The mother of three sons, Traci looks forward to Sunday dinners with her family.
Kevin Craven,Case Manager
Kevin@ymow.org | 734-557-8254
As Case Manager at YMOW, Kevin Craven wants to help homebound neighbors feel less isolated and more a part of the Ypsilanti community.
“Aging can be lonely,” he said. By connecting seniors with local resources, both within YMOW and beyond, Kevin hopes to build connections that broaden the scope of a homebound senior’s world.
Before coming to YMOW, Kevin fulfilled a similar role in Ann Arbor, where he worked with people experiencing homelessness. He said YMOW’s focus on seniors and its location near his new home in Ypsilanti make his new role a perfect fit.
Kevin holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Michigan. He and wife Aesha share their home with their dog, Bailey, and recently welcomed their first child, Audre.
Kevin is a self-described film buff who enjoys cooking, bicycling and spending time with family.
Kathy Stanislawski,Case Manager
kathy@ymow.org | 734-557-8259
Shortly after retiring from a long career in nursing, Kathy Stanislawski joined YMOW as a volunteer. It wasn’t long before she became part of the YMOW staff, accepting the position of case manager in November 2023.
Kathy said she turned to YMOW as a way to stay active in her community, but soon found a way to use her decades of nursing skills to help make aging easier for her neighbors.
“I think it’s a great program,” said Kathy, who assists YMOW clients by helping them to access support services available throughout the community. She also conducts assessments for new clients and reassesses existing clients, as well as those entering the Care on Wheels (CoW) program.
“It’s such a huge thing for the caregivers of clients,” Kathy said of CoW, which offers support and respite to family caregivers through housekeeping, home repairs and more.
An avid golfer, Kathy lives in Ypsilanti with her partner and their three dogs.
Sandy Bosch, Grants and Communications Manager
sandy@ymow.org | (734) 217-4578
Sandy stepped into her role as communications coordinator at YMOW in 2018. It is a job that pairs two of her favorite things – writing and serving the senior population.
After a long career in community journalism, Sandy left her job as a reporter in 2014 to pursue a long held desire to work with older adults and to help them age safely in their homes.
Sandy uses her writing and communication skills to share the story of YMOW with the community, donors and supporters, and with those who might be in need of the organization’s many services.
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“YMOW is an organization that the entire community should be proud of. I want people to know about the good we do and the people who make that possible,” Sandy said.
Sandy also works as a freelance writer. She and husband Dave have two grown children and welcomed their first grandchild in 2021.
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Ash Dwyer, Client Care Associate
Caring for people is nothing new for Ash Dwyer, who joined YMOW’s team of Client Care Associates in early 2025.
“I just love being o service to my community,” said Ash, who worked in funeral services, an industry also known as “death care,” before coming to YMOW.
Ash said the YMOW team works well together toward a common purpose of bringing food and support to homebound neighbors. The respect that YMOW staff has for each other transfers to the respect they have for clients, Ash said.
The best part of the job is visiting clients and listening to their stories, Ash said.
A resident of Ypsilanti, Ash mentors youth in foster care and is part of Ypsi’s art and LGBTQ+ communities. They also enjoy spending time with their cat, Hades.
Eric Gill, Client Care Associate
Eric Gill joined the YMOW team in September 2018, fulfilling his need to help others in his community.
“I believe that helping those in need is the right thing to do,” Eric said.
In his previous job at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Eric worked with a diverse population of all ages and from a wide range of demographics and socio-economic backgrounds, including senior citizens and people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.
Eric lives in Ann Arbor with his husband and two dogs. During his free time he enjoys baking, gardening and staying active. He also loves to travel and to explore nature.
Atticus Kirkjian, Client Care Associate
Atticus Kirkjian joined YMOW in May 2023, but his connection to the organization began years ago, when he was just a kid. The son of former YMOW board chair K.J. Miller, he accompanied his parents every year for holiday meal delivery.
Fast forward to more than a decade later, Atticus now delivers meals and other necessities to homebound seniors and adults three days a week as a YMOW Client Care Associate.
Atticus isn’t the only Kirkjian at YMOW. His dad, Bill, became a CCA in 2022. When the search began for new CCAs to join the program, Bill encouraged his son to join him.
“It’s great, actually,” Atticus said of working with his dad. “He’s helped me a bunch.”
After just a week on the job, Atticus said he made the right choice in joining YMOW. He said he loves the friendliness of the staff and meeting the clients.
“I really enjoy helping people when I can. It’s a rewarding job,” he said.
Atticus is a lifelong resident of Ypsilanti and a current student at Washtenaw Community College.
Zach Klaus, Client Care Associate
Zach Klaus was searching for a job that aligned with his values and helped his community when he found both in Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels.
“I wanted to do something that made me feel good,” said Zach, who became a YMOW Client Care Associate in summer 2022. After losing his grandfather earlier in the year, Zach said he was driven to make life a bit easier for other people’s grandparents.
Originally from Howell, Zach moved to Ypsilanti about two years before joining YMOW. As a CCA, Zach said he enjoys getting to know the people on his route and learning about the issues facing seniors.
“It really has opened my eyes to what life is like for people,” he said.
Zach attended Columbia College in Chicago, where he studies art, design and marketing. He and his partner, Will, have two cats, Simon and Squid.
Dawn Kotcher, Client Care Associate
A 30-year resident of Ypsilanti, Dawn Kotcher had her eye on YMOW long before becoming a Client Care Associate.
“I have watched the program grow,” said Dawn, and had long considered joining the team before delivering her first meals in last December 2024.
A self-employed tutor, Dawn said she was looking for a meaningful way to spend her daytime hours. She found it in YMOW.
Show more... “It’s so much more than I every expected,” said Dawn, who especially enjoys getting to know the people on her route and doing little things to make their days easier and their lives brighter. Bad weather makes the job extra challenging, Dawn said, but it also makes it extra rewarding when she knows seniors have the food they need when it’s extremely cold, icy, or even hot outside. Dawn lives in Ypsilanti with her husband and their three dogs. She enjoys taking her dogs for walks and bird watching. A former gymnast and gymnastics coach, Dawn is an avid gymnastics fan who enjoys adding to her collection of autographs of Olympic gymnasts. Show less...
Brent O'Banion, Client Care Associate
Brent O’Banion’s work as a Client Care Associate is just one more way he makes life a little easier for older adults. As a physical therapy assistant, Brent regularly works with seniors to help them recover from injuries, surgeries, or just the effects of aging.
Brent became a CCA in early 2024, when daughter Cait was promoted from CCA to Meal Services Coordinator at YMOW. He’d heard Cait talk about her job, and upon her suggestion, applied to take her place.
“It’s been a very positive experience for her,” Brent said, and for himself.
He now works two days a week delivering meals and spending time with YMOW clients on his route.
Show more... A resident of Ypsilanti for about 30 years, Brent said he enjoys doing something to help his neighbors, and being a part of the YMOW staff. “We have a really good team of people,” he said. Along with his two jobs, Brent enjoys singing with Measure for Measure, a men’s choral group that he and four other University of Michigan Men's Glee Club alumni started in 1988. Show less...
Sean Reilly, Client Care Associate
Sean Reilly was looking for a fulfilling part-time job while completing his work toward a degree in social work. He found it at Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels.
“It was an absolute no-brainer for me and I knew I had to apply,” said Sean, who joined the YMOW team in May 2024.
Shortly after delivering his first meals, Sean said the job was already more than he expected. Taking time to chat with the seniors on his route is fulfilling, Sean said, and has strengthened his commitment to a career that helps his community.
A resident of nearby Pittsfield Township, Sean was elected to the Pittsfield Park Commission in 2020, where he focuses his efforts on accessibility and DEI. He will seek re-election in November 2024.
Dina Seguin, Client Care Associate
Dina Seguin was looking for a follow-up to her nursing career when she heard about the need for a Client Care Associate at Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. It wasn’t long before she realized the importance of her new job.
“I really think some people wouldn’t eat if it wasn’t for YMOW,” Dina said.
While delivering food is Dina’s main task, she said time spent with clients is the best part of the job.
“It’s nice to visit with people,” she said. As a CCA, the former nurse said she is still taking care of people, but in a different way.
A resident of Pinkney, Dina lives with her husband Scott. They have three grown sons, two granddaughters, a dog and three cats.
Brett Snyder, Client Care Associate
Brett Snyder has missed YMOW ever since he left back in 2016.
“I’ve always wanted to come back,” he said. And he did from time to time, as a volunteer.
When the opportunity arose in 2020 to return to YMOW, Brett didn’t hesitate. He now delivers meals as a client care associate and also uses his master’s degree in social work to assist with data collection for the CAPABLE program.
“I love it,” Brett said. “I like seeing the clients every day and building a relationship, a couple of minutes at a time.”
Brett lives in Ypsilanti with his wife, Caren, a professor of social work at Eastern Michigan University. He and Caren have two rescue dogs.
Richele Taylor, Client Care Associate
New to the area, Richele Taylor was searching for her place in the community when she found it at Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels.
“I was called to it,” said Richele, who started delivering meals to YMOW clients in November 2021. Just weeks into her new job, Richele had already grown to know and care about the clients on her route.
“I look forward to going to work,” she said, and to doing small things for her clients, even if that small thing is as simple as a smile. “It’s not just a food delivery service. It’s a lifeline. It’s about community. It’s just about being there.”
Richele lives in Ann Arbor with her partner, Brent, and their blended family of four children. They have a German shepherd/Alaskan malamute named Penny and a cat named Batman.
Joe Waldrop, Client Care Associate
Joe remembers how his mother-in-law looked forward to her daily meal delivery from her local Meals on Wheels. So when the opportunity arose to join the YMOW team, he knew it was his chance to return the favor.
“I was always impressed with people who brought her meals. They made her day,” Joe said. Now, he’s happy to be that person for the people on his YMOW route.
After several years of retirement, Joe said he’s happy to find a role that allows him to interact with people while contributing to his community.
Joe lives in Ypsilanti Township with his wife and their two Chihuahuas, Pixie and Hazel.