Board of Trustees -- 2011 / 2012

Julie Knaffla, President

As a parent, Julie drove great lengths to ensure her three sons had a Japhet education, traveling 75 miles each day from the time they were in Daycare through eighth grade. She continued her commitment to Japhet as director of development. With 26 years of retail experience, she is presently the office manager for an automotive supplier.

Cassaundra Bing, Vice-President

Cassaundra is a proud parent of a Japhet alumna. Over the last year she has been busy launching her own company, Diversified Tube. Prior to that Cassaundra spent 25 years with the Bing Group serving various roles.She is a former board member of Lula Belle Stewart and has an affiliation with Alternatives For Girls.

Ann Nicholson, Secretary

Ann has been active in community affairs for 35 years, with a special interest in education. She has recently served on the Board of Trustees of Oakland University, OU's Finance and Investment Committee, Board of Visitors of Wayne's Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, League of Women Voters of Grosse Pointe, and others.

Jay Schmitt, Treasurer

Jay serves Japhet School as chairman of the Finance Committee, chairman of the Investment Oversight Committee, and member of the Development Committee. He worked for 37 years at Detroit Edison, and four years at Michigan Electric Transmission Company, achieving the position of Director of Transmission Planning.

Kent heads Essex Financial Group, which focuses on personal financial, investment, insurance, and estate planning requirements. He has extensive experience with nonprofit groups as an active community volunteer through his church, the Lakeshore Optimist Club of Grosse Pointe, and as a municipal appointee to the Grosse Pointe Park Tax Increment Finance Authority.

Judy taught children in second, fifth, and sixth grades in California and Michigan. She has owned Expressions Custom Furniture in Birmingham, Michigan. Judy also serves on the board of the Women's Farm and Garden Association, and is a member of the Junior Group of the Goodwill Association of Greater Detroit.

Susan Golbiw

Susan is a Japhet parent of two young children. A graduate of the University of Michigan Honors College, she is active in alumni and business networking groups in the Detroit Metropolitan area. She is involved in her church and serves weekly as a volunteer.

Mike Hedge

Most recently, Mike was Vice President -- North America Marketing for Parrot, Inc., a French consumer and OE electronics manufacturer.  Prior to that, Mike was president and CEO of Hedge & Company, Inc., a marketing and corporate communications business he founded 25 years ago and operates today on a consulting basis. Mike has served on a number of boards, including Japhet School and the board of the Society of Automotive Analysts.

Terry Helgesen

Terry has spent the last 30 years in various sales, marketing, and management positions for tier-one auto suppliers. He and his family lived two years in Japan while on assignment with Denso Corp. He is currently Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Denso International American. He is active in his local church and Sunday School.

Jack is vice-president and chief operating officer of McNaughton-McKay Electric Company, a leading distributor of electrical products for the industrial, automation, commercial, and construction markets with locations in five states and in Germany.

Libby Palackdharry

Libby attended Japhet School from daycare through eighth grade, graduating in the class of 1997. Today she has nearly completed her Master's degree in Urban Planning from Wayne State University. Libby works for Southwest Solutions in southwest Detroit as the Center for Working Families coordinator. She has also managed a Kumon Math and Reading Center and has worked as a community organizer for Detroit Public Schools.

Natalie Wright

Natalie has taught second grade, and for the last 10 years she has been either First Reader or Reading Room Librarian at the First Church of Christ Scientist, in Farmington.