Leadership

Laura Kropp
Chairperson
Mayor, Mount Clemens

Laura Kropp serves as Mayor of the City of Mount Clemens, where she is committed to advancing economic development, infrastructure investment, and community revitalization. First elected in 2019, she has led efforts that have secured tens of millions of dollars in grant funding, transformed the city’s downtown through major public infrastructure investments, expanded recreation opportunities, and advanced long-term projects including a new municipal campus and regional water infrastructure improvements. A lifelong advocate for public service, Laura previously served on the Mount Clemens Community School Board and as a City Commissioner. She and her family live in MountClemens, where they own and operate a local business. Laura and her husband, Paul, are proud parents of two children, Jack and Maya. Their family has called Mount Clemens home for more than two decades, and they remain deeply invested in the community they have chosen to live in, raise their family, and serve.

Anne Marie Graham-Hudak
First Vice Chairperson
Supervisor, Canton Township

Anne Marie was elected as Canton’s first woman Supervisor in 2020 and was also elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016 where she served on the Planning Commission and now chairs the Sustainability Committee and the Technology Committee, which focuses on ensuring Southeast Michigan is the center of tomorrow’s advancement. Anne Marie serves on numerous local and regional boards including Chair of the Conference of Western Wayne’s board of 18 communities, the Executive Board of the 35th District Court, and Chair of the Western Townships Utilities Authority Board. Anne Marie is also now First Vice Chair of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) Executive Committee. Anne Marie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Boston University and her MBA at Lawrence Technological University. She began her career in engineering with the Federal Aviation Administration leading construction and replacement of high-tech equipment while removing contaminated fuel tanks and working in brownfields. She worked as an automotive engineer in connected and electric vehicles at Ford, Chrysler, and Visteon for over 25 years, and has lived in Canton for over 30 years, where she and her husband Hadley raised their four children.

Jonathan Kinloch
Vice Chairperson
Commissioner, Wayne County

Jonathan Kinloch first assumed office on the Wayne County Commission in 2021. He serves as Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means and the Special Committee on the Criminal Justice Complex. He also serves on the Special Committee on Behavioral Health. Jonathan’s focus has been on transformational policies in housing, mental health, regional transportation, and economic equity. Jonathan serves as President of the Wayne County Housing Commission; Chair of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN), the county’s Mental Health Authority; and Chair of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Wayne County Economic Development Corporation, the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners, and the Board of Directors for the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan(CMHAM). Jonathan previously had a career in the music industry as an artist manager and record producer, founding Kinloch Entertainment Inc. (later renamed The Kinloch Group Inc., a multifaceted media holdings and consulting company) and served as President of 2000Wats Music Inc. He also worked in the communications department at UAW-Ford; served as Southeast Michigan Community Liaison to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; and later as Political Director for the Service Employees International Union-Healthcare Michigan. Jonathan was born and raised in Detroit, growing up one of six siblings.

Joe LaRussa
Vice Chairperson
Mayor, Farmington

Joe LaRussa was first elected to Farmington City Council in 2017 and has served as Mayor since 2023. He has served on various Farmington boards and commissions including the Farmington Downtown Development Authority, Farmington Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Retiree Healthcare Board of Trustees, and the Joint Municipal Broadband Task Force with Farmington Hills. LaRussa also serves on the Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees, and is the Secretary for the newly formed CLEMIS Authority focused on public safety data and information sharing among various local, state, and federal agencies. LaRussa has been Farmington’s delegate to SEMCOG since 2017, and has served on the SEMCOG Broadband Task Force, Executive Committee, and Regional Review Committee. He was a 2024 Taubman Fellow attending the Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. LaRussa’s public service is largely focused on infrastructure renewal, placemaking, and the application technology in government.

Diana McKnight-Morton
Vice Chairperson
Trustee, Washtenaw Community College (WCC)

Ms. McKnight-Morton was first elected to the WCC Board of Trustees in November 1994. She has served as Secretary of the Board, Vice Chair, and Chairperson. She has represented the college in many roles at SEMCOG. She promotes the needs of education at SEMCOG by serving as a member of the General Assembly, Executive Committee, and as Vice Chair of the Education Bloc. She serves as delegate to the Regional Review Committee, which reviews projects funded by the Transportation Alternatives Program and other special projects. She also serves on the Taubman Fellowship Selection Committee and has served on the Transportation Coordinating Council.

Frank Viviano
Vice Chairperson
Supervisor, Macomb Township

Frank Viviano was first elected Macomb Township Supervisor in 2020.   In his career, he developed a diverse range of skills as a small business owner and Vice President of Viviano Flower Shop, Inc. He also served as Chief Operating Officer, Holsbeke Construction, Inc. and Accountant, Follmer Rudzewicz (now known as UHY, LLC). As Township Supervisor, Viviano has led significant investment in roads and sidewalks as well as parks and recreation while working with the Board to reduce taxes. He attended University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, earning his Juris Doctorate and admission to the Michigan Bar. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Minor in English at Hillsdale College. Supervisor Viviano has been an active SEMCOG member since 2021, providing a strong voice of leadership throughout this time, including in his role as Chairperson of SEMCOG’s Legislative Policy Platform Task Force.

Gwen Markham
Immediate Past Chairperson
Commissioner, Oakland County

Gwen Markham is Oakland County Commissioner for District 15, which includes Novi Township, the entire portion of the City of Northville within Oakland County, and portions of the cities of Farmington Hills and Novi. She was first elected to serve on the Board in November 2018. Prior to that, she was a member of the Novi City Council from 2013 to 2018. A former automotive/aerospace manufacturing executive, she is an advocate for women, public transit, and preservation of the natural environment. She is the chair of the county’s Finance Committee, and serves as a member on the Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee. In addition, she serves as Chair of the Claims Review Committee and Coordinating Zoning Committee, and is a member of the Drain Board. She is also a Board member of the Oakland Historical Society. A past Chair of SEMCOG, she served from 2024-2026.

Amy O’Leary
SEMCOG Executive Director

Amy O’Leary has been employed at SEMCOG since 1994. She became Deputy Executive Director in 2017 and Executive Director in 2020. She attended Harvard University’s Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government as well as other specialized training. She holds leadership positions at Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, and the Executive Directors Council of the National Association of Regional Councils.