Precious Miller joined the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA) in February 2020 as the MI-BEST Coordinator, where she led efforts to create and sustain college systems that offer holistic support for students. In her current role as Director of Basic Needs and Belonging, Precious collaborates with members to identify and address the unique needs of Michigan’s community college students and employees. She also develops partnerships, provides training, advocates, and fosters campus cultures of belonging. Precious has extensive experience in removing barriers for students and their families in K-12 education, implementing a holistic student success model at Western Michigan University, providing CliftonStrengths coaching, and coordinating care for adults with mental illness. An alumna of Western Michigan University (WMU), Precious holds a B.A. in Social Work and is a Licensed Master Social Worker.

Leslie Navarro is an accomplished higher education leader dedicated to advancing student mental health, well-being, and success. As Associate Dean of Student Success and Well-Being at Lake Michigan College, she provides strategic leadership for integrated, student-centered services that promote wellness, persistence, retention, and equitable access to education.

Since joining Lake Michigan College in 2019 as the institution’s inaugural campus mental health counselor, Leslie has helped shape and expand the college’s approach to student well-being. Her work spans mental health counseling, disability and accessibility services, basic needs support, crisis response, and proactive student intervention through the CARE Team. She also provides leadership for student success coaching, career services, TRIO programs, and grant-funded initiatives designed to reduce barriers and strengthen student outcomes.

Leslie is passionate about advancing holistic, trauma-informed, and equity-centered approaches to student support. She brings a practitioner’s perspective and an institutional leadership lens to collaborative efforts that strengthen mental health services, improve access to resources, and foster environments where students can thrive.

She holds a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, from Grand Valley State University.

Amy Reddinger earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Africana Studies from Bryn Mawr College and both a master’s degree and PhD in English from the University of Washington in Seattle. Amy joined Bay College in 2018 and served as the Dean of Arts and Sciences for four years. Before that, she was a faculty member at UW-Marinette for a decade. Dr. Reddinger has a range of  publications that focus on institutional inclusion and diversity as they relate to student success. She has received various awards, including Faculty of the Year in 2009 and 2015, the Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award by the UW Colleges in 2015, the Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Award in 2017, and the Bay College TORCH Award in 2020.

Chris Stroven is a licensed therapist based in Michigan with over 15 years of experience supporting adults and college students through challenges such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and life transitions. As a counselor at Kalamazoo Community College, he works closely with students to develop practical coping strategies, improve emotional well-being, and navigate personal and academic stressors. Chris provides both in-person and virtual therapy.