Kathryn Tate is the President & CEO of The Legacy Center for Community Success, a role she has held since 2019. The Legacy Center develops a more resilient community through education and prevention. As CEO, Kathryn provides strategic direction for the agency and represents these topics in a variety of collaborative groups.
Kathryn joined The Legacy Center in 2017, where she became a Certified Prevention Specialist. In that role, she served as coalition coordinator and led changes in the community’s response to opioid use disorder. Before the Legacy Center, Kathryn served as a Social Insurance Specialist with the Social Security Administration and an Extension Educator with Purdue Extension.
Kathryn has a bachelor’s degree in human development and a master’s degree in education, both from Purdue University. Kathryn also holds a certificate in nonprofit executive leadership from Indiana University. Kathryn lives in Midland with her husband and two teenage sons.
Mathew (or Mat) serves as the Office Manager for The Legacy Center. Mat is a highly skilled and experienced office manager with several years of expertise in effectively overseeing administrative operations and optimizing workplace efficiency. With a keen eye for detail, Mat excels in managing various administrative tasks, such as record-keeping, document control, and facility management. With a strong commitment to organizational excellence, Mat ensures seamless operations and a welcoming environment for visitors and staff.
Julie serves as the Director of Adult Literacy and English as a Second Language program. Julie is a retired school teacher with 30+ years of experience. She retired in 2017 from the classroom of Midland Public Schools and then started as one of the homebound teachers for the district. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree from SVSU and also a Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology from Michigan State University.
“I have always had a desire to learn more and to be a lifelong learner which is what I always want to share with my learners. I want to be able to help all learners of any age work toward the goals they have set for themselves.”
When not at work, Julie enjoys many different activities. She directs youth handbell choirs at her church and sings in her church choir. She also enjoys many different crafting projects and loves to shoot photography.
Kay serves as the Director of Math Programs. She retired from teaching mathematics in 2020 from Midland Public Schools. The first half of her teaching career was at Central Middle School and the second half was at Midland High School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree from SVSU.
When not at work, Kay enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has two grandchildren who are the joy of her life. She also enjoys many different hobbies including photography and painting.
Jeff Tuck serves as The Legacy Center’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Coordinator. Jeff is a Central Michigan University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and History, a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, and an MA in Counseling. Jeff joined The Legacy Center bringing many years of expertise as a former middle and high school educator. He is a published author and content creator. He has extensive experience in tutoring and curriculum implementation. Jeff enjoys spending time with family, juggling, and solving puzzles in his free time.
Cassandra Honson is the Coordinator of Reading Programs for The Legacy Center. She manages the Barton Dyslexia Tutoring Program, which includes learner assessment, tutor training, and community outreach. Cassandra began her involvement with The Legacy Center as an instructor for the Read2Lead pilot program in 2020 and later became a Barton Tutor. Before her current role, she worked as a special education one-on-one instructional paraprofessional at Midland Public Schools. Cassandra holds an associate degree in arts and is pursuing certification from the Center for Effective Reading Instruction as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist.
Michelle Beeck is the Prevention Supervisor for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Her current role includes working closely with Northern Michigan Substance Abuse Services (NMSAS), Community Alliance for Youth Success (formerly Midland Area Partnership), law enforcement, local school districts, and Alcohol and Tobacco retailers in Midland County to build assets to reduce risk-taking behaviors such as underage alcohol and tobacco use, misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, and illicit drug use.
Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education from Central Michigan University in 2005 and recently earned a Certified Prevention Specialist certification. She has been married for 15 years to her wonderful husband and has two children.
Marianne contributes her expertise as a Prevention Educator at the Legacy Center, where she collaborates closely with the prevention team and community partners to co-create and implement a range of engaging prevention programs. Her extensive experience is evident in her adeptness at designing meaningful programming, developing educational curricula, and evaluating the impact on diverse groups, from youth to adults. Teaching is her passion, and this is reflected in the innovative approaches she brings to her work.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Animal Science from the University of Findlay, Marianne furthered her education with a Master of Science, concentrating on Agriculture, from The Pennsylvania State University.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Marianne has a profound passion for horses and shares her love and knowledge for horseback riding by teaching lessons in her free time. She cherishes moments spent with her husband, Dan, and their daughter, Fauna, reveling in the joys of family life alongside their playful dog and a beloved flock of chickens.
Jessica Blewett is the Development and Prevention Outreach Coordinator at The Legacy Center for Community Success. She is instrumental in building community connections, raising awareness of their programs, and fundraising. Jessica developed a passion for the nonprofit sector while working for multiple nonprofits throughout her career. One of those roles was with the Boy Scouts of America as a District Executive, where she increased funding for the organization and the number of volunteers supporting local youth through Scouting. Prior to these roles, Jessica spent several years in insurance and pharmaceutical research after graduating from Ferris State University with a Bachelor’s in Forensic Biology. Jessica has been an Ambassador for Midland Business Alliance since 2018 and serves in various roles at her church, including the Board of Deacons. She has also been a Rotarian at the Mt. Pleasant Club and is planning to join the Midland Noon Club. Jessica is married to Joe and they have two daughters, Sophie and Ally. As a family, they enjoy traveling, watching the kids play soccer, spending time with family and friends, and spending time with their pets, Cooper and Whiskers at home.
Barb currently serves as an evening Front Desk Associate for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Prior to this role, she was the DYTUR (Designated Youth Tobacco Use Representative) for Midland County and coordinates tobacco, vaping, and other nicotine products-related education and events. Barb also coordinated local drug take-back education and events through our Dump Your Drugs! initiative with local law enforcement.
Anna currently serves as an evening Front Desk Associate for The Legacy Center for Community Success. Anna is a graduate of Midland High School. During the day, Anna works with children with autism as a Registered Behavior Technician for an Applied Behavioral Analysis program. When not at work, Anna enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her dog who is the biggest baby.