June 24 - Fort Wayne mayor's office, council make appointments to various groups

FORT WAYNE — Mayor Sharon Tucker’s office in partnership with City Council on June 24 announced that appointments have been made to the National Opioid Settlement Committee, Mayor’s Mental Health Commission, and Mayor’s Young Adult Council.

Since Tucker took office in April 2024, she has emphasized the importance of programs that are people-focused and needed in the community. These new mayoral initiatives were approved by City Council last month. The efforts are designed to enhance the quality of life in Fort Wayne.

Highlights of the National Opioid Settlement Committee:

Opioid settlement payments are scheduled to run through 2038. The purpose of the committee is to recommend use of the funds, convene individuals and groups to explore causes and responses to priority issues related to opioid and substance use, and educate the community about opioid and substance use.

Highlights of the Mayor’s Mental Health Commission:

The commission will advance a communitywide agenda for addressing untreated mental health conditions and the harmful effects on the quality of life of individuals and the community. The commission will advise the mayor on issues related to access of mental health services and the affordability of mental health care. The commission will also convene individuals and groups to explore causes and responses to untreated mental health conditions and educate the community on the importance of mental health.

Highlights of the Mayor’s Young Adult Council:

The council will provide a platform for young adults ages 19-26 to advise the mayor on issues affecting their demographic. The commission will encourage civic engagement through policy discussions, community service, and leadership development. There will also be opportunities to develop public service initiatives and contribute to citywide decision making. In addition, the members will be educated on municipal government functions and policies.

Appointments National Opioid Settlement Committee

•Ewelina Connolly (council appointee): Connolly is currently serving as the chief executive officer at Amani Family Services, directing, and executing long-term strategic plans. She is a licensed clinical addictions counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist and certified professional and development coach. Connolly is a board member for Sister Cities International, Multicultural Council of Fort Wayne, and YMCA Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

•Theresa Juillerat (mayoral Appointment): Juillerat is a lifelong resident of Fort Wayne and has been advocating against the opioid crisis since her son Christopher Juillerat died May 12, 2020. She is a co-founder of JAVA (Justice Accountability and Victim Advocacy), a nonprofit that formed in 2018, supporting families that have lost a loved one to homicide. Their mission expanded following the death of her son to include those who have lost a loved one to fentanyl poisoning. She quickly discovered that her family was not alone. She made the decision to be transparent with her son’s story as well as her own personal grief journey in hopes of spreading awareness and supporting families as they learn to navigate their losses. She is grateful and honored for the opportunity to serve and collaborate alongside others in the community who share the same mission, to become a part of a solution toward saving lives.

•Rebecca Karcher (mayoral appointment): Karcher is the director of communication and community engagement at Trinity English Lutheran Church. She previously served as director of public information for Mayors Paul Helmke and Tom Henry and as the co-chair of the Planning Council on Homelessness for Henry. Her career also includes work for public relations firms and television news stations in Nevada, Iowa and Indiana. Her volunteer activities have included board appointments with Wellspring, Arena Dinner Theatre, and Courageous Healing and she has been a reader for Audio Reader Services with the Allen County Public Library.

•Michelle Rowland (mayoral appointment): Rowland is a pre-licensed professional who is in the process of completing the requirements to become a licensed counselor. Rowland is passionate about helping those in need. She is dedicated to pursuing holistic wellness and coming alongside others as they work to achieve their own unique goals. Rowland uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), client-centered therapy, brainspotting and Christian counseling as her approach. Michelle believes that no matter what challenges life brings, it is essential to have meaningful relationships, stay connected, seek peace, and find one’s voice.

•Andrew Teel (mayoral appointment): United States Magistrate Judge Andrew L. Teel has been sworn in and officially takes the bench July 7. He has spent the last six years serving Chief Judge Holly A. Brady of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana as judicial law clerk. Prior to his service to the court, Teel practiced law in Fort Wayne, including as a partner at the Fort Wayne law firm HallerColvin, P.C. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary School of Law and Indiana University, Bloomington. His community activities include membership on the Community Advisory Board for the Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center, and he served as president of the board of directors of the Allen County Bar Association in 2023 and 2024.

•Pat Turner (council appointee): Turner is currently the facilitator for HealthVisions Midwest serving as a liaison between the community, local government, and social service systems. Turner is also the outreach and education coordinator for Tobacco Free Allen County. She is the president of the La Rez Neighborhood Association and board member for the Wayne Township Trustees office and Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry.

•Jayme Yates (council appointee): Yates is currently the director of community engagement at Bowen Health, working with community partners to bridge the gap and help others achieve positive health outcomes. She has also served as the Rehabilitation Service manager and Skills Coach leader for Bowen Health. She is proficient in therapist training and overseeing their daily operations, raising community awareness on program offerings and foundational objectives.

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Mayor’s Mental Health Commission

•Angela Crawford (mayoral appointment): Crawford is a resident of Fort Wayne and has been employed at DeafLink, a division of The League for 4 years. In her role as the lead sign language interpreter at DeafLink, she works in all areas of the community including educational, legal, medical, vocational and mental health. Crawford has been the lead interpreter for mayoral events like the State of the City Address and major news conferences. Angie has a master’s degree in American Sign Language Linguistics from Gallaudet University, has been a certified interpreter through RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) for 15 years, and recently received her QMHI (Qualified Mental Health Interpreter) from the state of Alabama Mental Health Interpreter Training Program.

•Audrey Davis (mayoral appointment): Davis is a Transformational Life and Leadership coach who helps nonprofit, neighborhood and business entrepreneurs create intentional social impact from the inside out. As a former community organizer, candidate for public office, co-founder of a statewide power organization, and military veteran, Davis brings nearly two decades of experience in developing transformational leaders and teams that take on big issues and deliver new collective wins. She contributes to several community initiatives throughout northeast Indiana, and most recently helped Fort Wayne get on the map by being nominated a national fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “Cultures of Health Leadership Institute for Racial Healing” (2023-2024). She holds degrees in Political Science and History (BA), has certifications in Embodied Anti-Racism, Art Therapy Practice, and Positive Intelligence Coaching. She and her husband, Chris Davis, have a 4-year-old daughter and live in southwest Fort Wayne.

•Aisha Diss (council appointee): Diss is the founder and executive director of Project.Me, which is a five-person harm reduction street outreach team. She also oversees a support team of 12 people working with individuals related to substance use, mental health, and justice involvement. Diss has extensive experience with overdose, peer recovery coaching, and family coach/therapy. She has certifications in alcohol and drug addiction, harm reduction and crisis support.

•Melissa Fisher (mayoral appointment): With more than 17 years of behavioral health experience, Fisher works to improve the lives of those with developmental disabilities. She has served as an adjunct professor at Purdue University in the area of Human Services, she has also shared her practical experience to develop the next generation of those who will work to care for the underserved while making the world a better place. Fisher holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Indiana University, Bachelor of Arts in Human Services with an emphasis in Psychology from Purdue University, a Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary, and a Certificate in Public Advocacy and Civil Service from Indiana University.

•Heather Miller (council appointee): Miller is the founder and CEO of School Care Team which works to address students’ mental well-being and employability skills. She also has experience as the program director of Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana. Miller is skilled in developing and implementing programs, fostering strong relationships with administrators and community partners, all while advocating for student needs.

•Tommy Streeter (council appointee): Streeter, a Warsaw native, has been sustaining sobriety and long-term recovery since age 25 and has devoted his life to helping others who face similar struggles to find recovery themselves. Streeter is now the director of Community Outreach at Fort Wayne Recovery, Allendale Treatment and Behavioral Health. He is the co-founder of Bare Knuckle Recovery and has worked alongside many different community organizations that specialize in substance abuse prevention, intervention and raising awareness.

•One more mayoral appointment is pending.

Mayor’s Young Adult Council

•Ben Burkle (mayoral appointment): Burkle is a Homestead High School graduate and expects to graduate from Purdue Fort Wayne in 2025 with BAs in political science and history. He has been a barista at Starbucks and works as a student tutor at the Tutoring Center at PFW. He has been interning with Greater Fort Wayne since 2024. Burke has been a senator in the PFW Student Senate since 2022 and was a PFW Top 50 Award winner in 2024.

•Analy Cole (council appointee): Cole is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human services with a minor in Social Work through Ball State University. Cole is a member of the Legal Studies Student Association, the National Pan-Hellenic Council at Ball State University and the Tau Nu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.

•Teonna Hardy (mayoral appointment): Hardy is a New Haven High School graduate and expects to graduate from Purdue Fort Wayne in 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in music business. She lived in Japan as a high school exchange student in 2018 and speaks Japanese. She currently is a production assistant for City TV. Before that, she ran her own business — T-Glitz, an online supplier of glitter to crafters.

•Hannah Hubley (mayoral appointment): Hubley is a graduate of Snider High School (2019) and Indiana Wesleyan University (2023) with a BA in writing. Her education in writing has helped her develop her communication skills. Hubley is blind and was a part of the Leadership Academy at The League. That experience taught her how to be a better advocate for herself and the community.

•Kaleb McGague (council appointee): McGague has served three years on the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council and two years as a student senator at Purdue Fort Wayne. McGague was an Eagle Scout and won the Ulmscheider Prize for Political Science. He is a graduate of Purdue Fort Wayne with a degree in Political Science.

•Two more mayoral appointments are pending.