February 16, 2018
Friday, Feb. 16, 2018
LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Brenda Henige of East Lansing and Jacqueline Tahtinen of Pelkie as well as the reappointment of Carol Bergquist of Escanaba to the Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services.
Housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, the council was designed to review, analyze and advise Michigan's rehabilitation programs and services.
“I appreciate the commitment these individuals have made and thank them for serving,” Snyder said.
Appointments:
Henige is a loan funds manager for United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan. She previously served as a benefits counselor for Livingston County Veterans Services. Henige holds an associate’s degree in business administration from Lansing Community College, a bachelor’s degree in human resource development from Oakland University, and continues to take business, leadership, and management courses through the Hadley Institute. She will represent current or former applicants for, or recipients of, vocational rehabilitation services and replace Zach Tomlinson.
Tahtinen is a vocational rehabilitation consultant for Trico Industries, Inc., and a job development specialist for Great Lakes Recovery. She previously served as a vocational rehabilitation site manager and counselor for Michigan Rehabilitation Services. Tahtinen holds an associate’s degree in pre-law from Suomi College, a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Wisconsin, and a master’s degree in K-12 counseling and guidance from Northern Michigan University. She will represent vocational rehabilitation counselors and replace Deanna Middlebrooks.
Reappointment:
Bergquist is director of vocational rehabilitation services for the Hannahville Indian Community, where she directs a program that provides rehabilitation services for Native Americans residing on reservations. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor, special education supervisor, special education teacher, teacher consultant and vocational evaluator. Bergquist holds a bachelor's degree in exceptional education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a master's degree and Ph.D. in rehabilitation counseling from Michigan State University. She will continue to represent the director of a project carried out under Section 121 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, providing vocational rehabilitation services grants to the governing bodies of an Indian tribe or to a consortium of tribal governing bodies.
Henige and Bergquist will serve three-year terms expiring Dec. 31, 2020, and Tahtinen will serve the remainder of a three-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2019. Their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
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