Jim Ayres earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Biological Sciences from Grand Valley State University and his MBA from Davenport University. His interests and areas of expertise include cross-cultural international business, coaching and mentoring, change leadership, strategic planning and project management.

Jim is a board member of Mental Health Foundation, Literacy Center, US Dream Academy, and Kinzler Foundation.

With more than 38 years of experience in the mental health field, Christy’s passion for transforming and saving lives through mental health education led her to develop two mental health and suicide prevention programs - be nice. and be nice. extension.

Since 2006, she and her staff have passionately presented to over 300,000 people in West Michigan on mental health awareness, bullying, and suicide prevention. She has been the keynote speaker at many events and regularly delivers speaking engagements to community and business groups on mental health awareness.

Christy’s determination to make mental health a part of the conversation has led to her involvement with numerous community organizations and coalitions along with becoming a certified instructor for QPR and Mental Health First Aid, for which she has been recognized as one of the Top 100 instructors in the country.

Christy has been awarded wonderful honors for her work including the American Red Cross Hometown Hero Award, 50 Most Influential Women In West Michigan, Daughters of the American Revolution Women In History Award, and most recently, was honored with the West Michigan Woman Legacy of Brilliance Award.

Of all of her accomplishments, her family brings her the most joy. She earned the title of yiayia four years ago and now has five beautiful grandchildren, and is the proud mom of Demetrios, Katerina, and Isabella with her hubby Tim. Christy is a proud to be a graduate of Michigan State University!

Christy protects her mental health by dominating in trivia every Wednesday night with her friends and spending time at her second home in Manistee, Michigan. She is a proud graduate of Michigan State University (Go Green!) and is a devoted member of the Greek Orthodox Church.

John Kotwick joined the Mental Health Foundation Board in 2018 and strives to live the 'be nice' action plan every day.

John grew up in East Grand Rapids and graduated from The University of Michigan with a degree in mechanical engineering. He moved back home to Grand Rapids after five years working as an engineer in Saudi Arabia and has since returned to East Grand Rapids High School to coach the lacrosse and football teams. Professionally, John works in the medical device industry as a product manager.

Awareness, education, and support of mental health related causes became a very real part of John's life through the diagnosis, ups, downs, and eventual loss of his mother, Marnie Kotwick, to bipolar disorder and suicide in 2017. John cites his mom's compassion and spirit as his primary motivation in supporting the MHF in every way he can.

In addition to his work with the MHF, John is also active with the Movember Foundation (movember.com), a worldwide non-profit focused on men's health issues including mental health and suicide prevention. John captains a network of teams under the banner 'Mo Mental Help' each November, or 'Movember', raising awareness and funds for the foundation's projects and research.

In his free time, John enjoys road trips, trail running, and the outdoors.