Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees elections were held at the Oct. 5 Michigan 4-H Foundation annual membership meeting.

Trustees are volunteers who serve as community advocates for 4-H and lead the Michigan 4-H Foundation. Trustees manage foundation policies and operations with oversight of staff members and work on committees developed to facilitate foundation operations.

Reelected to three-year terms on the board were: Pamala R. Babbitt, of Muskegon; Mary F. Draves, Midland; Jennifer L. Kiel, St. Johns; and Sheila W. Kneeshaw, Detroit.

New trustees elected were: Shawn M. McNamara, Centreville, and Andrew Walker, West Branch.

Shawn McNamara

McNamara is a St. Joseph County 4-H’er who comes from a multigenerational family of 4-H members and leaders. He has been very active locally as well as statewide. In May 2018, he graduated from Centreville High School and was dual enrolled in Glen Oaks Community College. He has served as a part-time on-call maintenance assistant at the St. Joseph County Grange Fairgrounds, worked with the Centerville Athletic Boosters concessions stand and volunteered with the Centreville Fire Department.

Andrew Walker

An Ogemaw County 4-H alumnus, Walker currently serves as staff attorney at Legal Services of Eastern Michigan in Saginaw. He became an attorney in 2014 after passing the Michigan bar exam. He received his juris doctor degree from the Michigan State University College of Law, cum laude, and his bachelor’s degree in political theory and constitutional democracy from James Madison College at MSU. While attending MSU as an undergraduate, he was active in Student Senate, Collegiate FFA, Leadership in Environmental and Agricultural Fields Club and the MSU Block and Bridle Club.

In addition, four trustees retired from the board and were recognized for their service: Alondra Alvizo, of Detroit; Loren G. King, Burr Oak; Ian G. McGonigal, DeWitt; and Michael T. Wehner, Pigeon.