Our Team
Dawn Harding
Administrative Assistant for Administration, Communications, Government Affairs & Public Policy
Administrative Assistant for Administration, Communications, Government Affairs & Public Policy
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Jeff Donofrio is President and Chief Executive Officer of Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Under Jeff’s leadership, the organization has influenced significant policy outcomes to make Michigan a state where businesses want to invest and grow and people want to live and work, including increasing the state’s economic competitiveness, advancing K-12 education reforms, expanding talent pathways and strengthening Michigan’s business climate. Jeff also guided the development of the organization’s strategic plan, Compete to Win: Michigan’s Path to Top 10.
He previously served as director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), leading the state’s workforce, economic development, housing, and labor activities and overseeing 2,700 employees and a $1.6 billion budget. Before LEO, Jeff was the executive director of Workforce Development for the City of Detroit and an executive at Ford Motor Company. He also led the Michigan operations for Congressmen John D. Dingell and Sandy Levin and served in the Granholm administration.
Jeff grew up working in his family’s small businesses and earned his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and MBA from Georgetown University.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Launch Michigan (Michigan’s bipartisan nonprofit organization to reform K-12 public education). He also is Chair of the Michigan Workforce Development Board and serves on the boards of the Growing Michigan Together Council, Detroit Economic Club, the Michigan Educational Excellence Foundation and the [Detroit] Mayor’s Workforce Development Board, as well as the University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships National Advisory Board. In 2018, he was appointed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s transition team as Special Advisor for Jobs and the Economy and was named to Crain’s Detroit Business 40 under 40 class.
Dawn Harding serves as Administrative Assistant for Administration, Communications, Government Affairs and Public Policy at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy. Guided by research and diverse perspectives, we provide insights and develop strategies that bring people and ideas together to ignite change – for growth, shared prosperity, and lasting progress.
Dawn assists with special projects and provides administrative support to the Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Development. Dawn also plays a supportive role in the organization’s events, board meetings and outreach activities.
Dawn holds an associate’s degree from Baker College and a continuing legal education certificate. She has more than sixteen years’ experience in a law office, serving as a paralegal and legal assistant.
She also has previous experience as a police cadet and executive assistant for the city of Taylor.
Peter Hill is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent and a thriving economy.
Peter is leading the organization’s work around talent, innovation and economic growth.
Peter previously was an associate partner at McKinsey & Company in Detroit, where he was a leader in economic development and government performance, working with states and regions on topics from unemployment to technology strategy to regional growth and innovation.
Prior to McKinsey, Peter was a strategist at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where his work included resiliency planning, sector development, and managing the creation of the city’s workforce development strategy alongside the Jobs for New Yorkers Task Force. He started his career in the nonprofit sector, consulting for mission-based organizations at Root Cause and running youth leadership programs in Mexico and the U.S. as part of Amigos de las Americas.
Peter has a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Amy Novak serves as the Executive Assistant at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Amy provides support to the President & Chief Executive Officer and to the Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this role, she was Special Assistant for Projects and Outreach, where she provided administrative support to the communications, government affairs, administrative and public policy staff.
Before joining Business Leaders For Michigan, she served in an executive support role at Valenti Capital. Amy attended Oakland Community College and has more than 17 years of experience as an executive assistant. Amy lives in downtown Detroit and is very involved in her local community.
Tim Sowton is Vice President of Public Policy and Research at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Tim is responsible for policy advocacy, policy development, and supporting the organization’s benchmarking efforts.
Prior to joining Business Leaders For Michigan, Tim was Regional Director of Government Relations for R. L. Polk & Co., based in Southfield, Michigan. In that position, Tim managed all government relations efforts for a 17-state region, including Michigan. In addition, he supported the company’s business development efforts, negotiating agreements with private vendors. Tim also served for nine years in the administration of former Governor John Engler, holding several positions focusing on policy and legislation, with his last position being Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs.
Tim has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
Stephen Walters is Strategy Analyst at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Stephen works to improve Michigan’s competitiveness by collecting and organizing data, abstracting trends, researching best practices, and supporting the development of benchmarks and actionable solutions.
Previously, he worked as a public policy and strategy analyst at MJ Capitol Consulting, LLC. In that capacity, he researched and analyzed federal healthcare legislation and regulations, consulting on behalf of the largest healthcare provider in the state of Michigan.
Stephen earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with high distinction from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Jacqueline J. Wiggins is Chief Operating Officer of Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Jacque brings a strong background in shaping organizational strategy and aligning investment, large-scale initiatives, communications and teams to drive results. She has extensive experience in private and public companies spanning professional services, banking and nonprofit.
Most recently, Jacque served as Chief Strategy Officer for Baker Tilly, a Top 10 advisory CPA firm where she was responsible for business strategy, brand, marketing and communications. She first joined Baker Tilly in 2016 as Chief of Staff and played a pivotal role in the firm’s 19 acquisitions completed during her tenure.
Prior to Baker Tilly, Jacque served as Chief Operating Officer at Inforum, a Detroit and Grand Rapids-based organization that accelerates careers for women. She began her career in banking, working in Detroit and Chicago in a range of leadership roles including sales, marketing, process reengineering and public affairs.
A Detroit native, Jacque has her bachelor’s degree in economics from Wayne State University and a master’s degree in finance from Walsh College.
Bonnie Zorn is Chief of Staff at Business Leaders For Michigan, a statewide organization driven by CEOs from the state’s leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making Michigan a Top 10 state for jobs, talent, and a thriving economy.
Bonnie oversees office management, logistics, events, many of our team’s operations and countless other things to keep everything running smoothly.
Bonnie has spent much of her career in municipal and federal government, including in leadership roles in several Congressional offices and the City of Taylor. She has her Bachelor’s degree in communications studies from University of Detroit Mercy and a Master’s of Public Administration from University of Michigan Dearborn.
