Our Board

Kama Ross currently serves as the “President” the RPCVs of Northern Michigan, taking over from our founding President Sandy Seppala-Gyr in December of 2020. Kama served as a Forestry Volunteer in Yatytay, Paraguay from 1981-83. Working with her forestry counterparts, she helped create a native tree nursery, landowner extension program and environmental education in 5 one-room school houses. Kama retired in October 2021 after serving forest landowners through the Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse Conservation Districts.

Kama attended Michigan State University, has three grown children living in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. She lives near Good Harbor Bay and enjoys exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes and other natural areas when not traveling to see her kids. Playing her flute with three local ensembles is another one of her other passions which brings joy to her life. Kama plans to return to volunteer service in Ghana, West Africa as soon as Peace Corps is back to placing volunteers.

Marilyn Jaquish served in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippine Islands on the island of Mindanao as a high school teacher from 1964-66.

She is Faculty Emeritus at Northwestern Michigan College. Marilyn taught English, Journalism, and Professional Communications at NMC from 1980 to 2016. She, with a small group of students, founded White Pine Press, the student newspaper, in 1983. Currently serving on the Traverse City Human Rights Commission, Marilyn has lived in Traverse City since 1978. In addition to her NMC teaching career, she was a reporter for the Indianapolis (IN) Times, and a writing coach at the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Brenda Rusch taught for over 35 years in special education and general education in Washington State and Michigan before her Peace Corps Service in Bulgaria from 2011 – 2012. In Bulgaria Brenda taught teaching methods to Bulgarian teachers of English. Brenda and her husband David McCullen began PC service together after retiring. They have lived in Traverse City for a little over 7 years.

Linda Wade is from Hudsonville, Michigan. She went to college at University of Evansville. Peace Corps training took place in Mobuto Sese Seko’s Zaire. She served in Juvenal Habyarimana’s Rwanda as a physical therapist working with children with poliomyelitis in 1990 – 1993. Upon returning to the US Linda furthered her education at University of Michigan-Flint. She currently resides in Traverse City with her husband and three children.

Wendy served as a Community Economic Development Volunteer placed with an agricultural extension office in Azerbaijan, 2008 – 2010. After the Peace Corps Wendy returned to her hometown of Traverse City and works in human resources.