ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP  

President

Jay Meeks has called Detroit home since birth and has had a few sojourns in the Northeast.  As a former–or always– social studies teacher, Jay is both civically minded and engaged and was one of the leads in bringing a new dog park to the municipally owned and operated Palmer Park.  In addition to his community engagements, Jay is a former college professor in teacher education and presently works as a university administrator.  He brings extensive experience in nonprofit management, having served ten years as a Trustee/Director of the Telluride Association.  Jay’s tenure with the Marygrove Community Association has been very productive as he obtained the 501 (c) 3 status for the Marygrove Community Association and most recently served as treasurer, helping to secure over $150,000 in funding over two years for projects and programming for the community. Jay created an endowment at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to support the long-term work and assets of the Marygrove Community Association.  Jay is also a board member for Keep Michigan Beautiful and is the founder and president of the non-profit Marygrove Community Development.

Vice President

Rachel Cappadona grew up in the 19th Ward in Rochester, NY, where her family always had a garden, and her house was the go-to house for the neighborhood kids to play. After spending time in Tennessee and Louisiana, Rachel moved to Michigan in 2018 and has lived in the Marygrove community for over three years. Passionate about community, being outdoors, and getting the neighborhood stray cats spayed and neutered, Rachel looks forward to planting lots of flowers at the Indiana Street Garden in 2025, spending time with her family, and getting to know more neighbors.

Secretary

Djennin Z. Casab was born and raised in Mexico City and has fallen in love with our city, culture, and communities since she immigrated to Michigan almost 30 years ago. She has dedicated her extensive professional life to building partnerships between universities, community organizations, nonprofits, and local government. She has been involved in various boards and initiatives, like Michigan Campus Compact, Detroit Data/DETROITography, and the Detroit Data Coalition. She is passionate about community and approaches her work with a mindset of reciprocity, curiosity, learning, and humility.  When she’s not at work, you can find her enjoying live performances in the City, diving into historical fiction or nonfiction, making jewelry as a side business, baking, and enjoying quality time with her family and friends.

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Director Julie Kim's early life was marked by frequent moves across the country before her family's significant relocation to Korea during her 5th-grade summer—this experience of adapting to new environments shaped her into a resilient and open-minded individual. A serendipitous moment occurred while volunteering as a translator for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she met her future husband. Following him to Ann Arbor in 1988 as he pursued his PhD at the University of Michigan, Julie has since become a dedicated local community member. Her commitment to social justice and community well-being is evident in her passions, which extend to exploring new cultures through travel, enjoying the tranquility of the outdoors, losing herself in a good book on her deck, and finding immense joy in her garden.  

Treasurer

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Julie Kim's early life was marked by frequent moves across the country before her family's significant relocation to Korea during her 5th-grade summer—this experience of adapting to new environments shaped her into a resilient and open-minded individual. A serendipitous moment occurred while volunteering as a translator for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she met her future husband. Following him to Ann Arbor in 1988 as he pursued his PhD at the University of Michigan, Julie has since become a dedicated local community member. Her commitment to social justice and community well-being is evident in her passions, which extend to exploring new cultures through travel, enjoying the tranquility of the outdoors, losing herself in a good book on her deck, and finding immense joy in her garden. 

Director

Jasmine Paulk grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and Washington, D.C. She is finishing her senior year at the University of Michigan, majoring in architecture and minoring in sustainable food systems. During her time at U of M, Jasmine participated in the Graham Scholars Program, working alongside the MCA on its future Green-Arts Alley project and interning under Jay and Rachel last summer. Beyond her time in the Fitzgerald neighborhood, Jasmine has been involved with community organizing groups on the East Side - Freedom Dreams, Freedom Freedom Growers, & the Boggs Center - and will return to Chicago to join one of their partner organizations, Sweet Water Foundation, in June. She looks forward to bringing a community engagement and sustainability lens to the MCA board and planning more events at the Indiana Street Garden!

Write to the Board of Directors at all@marygroveca.org