Board of Directors
Kurt Mazag
President/Director
Kurt has been a resident of Allen Park for 48 years. He is an Air Force, EDS (now HP) and TAC Automotive retiree with experience in supervision and management in the fields of Personnel, Project Management and Mainframe Software Development.
Kurt has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan, Dearborn.
He served on the Allen Park Emergency Manager's Advisory Committee. After serving on that Committee, Kurt realized there was more to do and hopes he can make a positive impact with the APCCF.
Ed Wurtzbacher
Vice President/Director
Ed moved to Allen Park in 2021 and found Allen Park to be a very welcoming community and he has taken to his adopted City wholeheartedly. Born and raised in Livonia, Ed is the youngest of seven. He developed a strong work ethic by handling responsibilities at a young age, assisting with job duties at his family’s small business. Other opportunities presented themselves and Ed went to work for Murray’s Ace Hardware, Discount Jewelry & Discount Auto Stores - 3 stores under one roof, where he worked side by side with its founders. Ed was able to enhance his skills in human relations, customer service, marketing, strategics planning, advertising, and motivational skills by working with the best! Ed retired from Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers in 2015.
Through the years Ed volunteered for many school functions, coached Little League Baseball and youth basketball and hosted many fundraising events to benefit The Dearborn Animal Shelter, U of M Pancreatic Research Center, and to raise awareness about Frontal Temporal Dementia. Most recently he coordinated the recognition of the bands and DJs who once called Allen Park their home and who found fame on a national or international level. A permanent display case to honor them is located in our community center’s main lobby.
Ed enjoys spending time with his family and grandson. Hobbies include reading, spending time in northern Michigan, following Michigan State football and basketball, listening to music, and working with wood.
Ed believes that everyone can make a positive impact on their community. Volunteering your time for just a couple of hours each year is worth its weight in gold! Ed is all for the community and this explains why he lends his time to the APCCF, the Downtown Development Authority’s Marketing Committee and the City of Allen Park Beautification Commission.
Maureen Stauder
Treasurer / Director
Stauder is an Allen Park resident who was born and raised in Allen Park and graduated from Cabrini High School. She left the City when she was 19 years old and returned in 2012 to help take care of her aging parents.
Maureen retired from Three Rivers Youth, a not-for-profit organization in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, serving youth, adults and families. She also worked at Southwood Psychiatric Hospital. She has 38 years of experience working in 501(c)(3) organizations and has extensive experience in training and management, including Vice President and Chief Program Officer and Vice President of Compliance and Performance Management. While working in Pittsburgh, she volunteered on the board of Holy Family Institute and at local schools.
Maureen holds a B. S. degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Child Care/Child Development and an M. S. degree from Nova Southeastern University in Child and Youth Care Administration. Maureen currently serves as a Trustee on the Allen Park Pension Board.
She enjoys finding and polishing Petoskey stones and planting and maintaining a home garden. She has chosen to serve on the APCCF Board to help raise funds that will improve the quality of life for fellow residents of Allen Park.
Gail McLeod
Secretary / Director
Gail McLeod, APCCF Secretary, has been a resident of Allen Park for over 50 years. She is a retired General Motors Human Resources Manager, who was responsible for Corporate Staffs, including the Legal Staff. She has extensive experience in the HR field and in working with all levels of management. Following retirement, she was an HR consultant for a small Detroit law firm and also acted as their Office Manager. Gail graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Detroit with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration/Personnel.
She served as Co-Chair of the Allen Park Emergency Financial Manager's Advisory Committee from May of 2013 to November of 2014 and was a key member in developing the Visioning Plan which resulted from meetings with Allen Park residents. Gail was elected and served as Mayor, Pro Tem of the Allen Park City Council from 2015 to 2019. She was elected Mayor of Allen Park in November of 2019 and re-elected in 2023. Hobbies include travel, golf and driving her '96 Pontiac Formula Firebird.
Gail chose to serve on the APCCF Board of Directors because it was an extension of the work which began as a result of the Visioning Process. Her focus in all she does is to ensure that Allen Park remains an attractive and viable community in the Downriver area.
Joyce Bertasio
Director
Joyce is a lifelong resident of Allen Park and Allen Park High School graduate. She was a secretary in the Allen Park Public School System for 18 years, providing services throughout the district. In this capacity, Joyce interacted with parents, students, faculty and school administrators at all levels. A member of the PTA for 15 years, she was Treasurer of the high school PTA for two years.
Joyce has volunteered at soup kitchens, Christ Net, the Cabrini Festival, as a Cub Scout Den Mother, Brownie and Girl Scout Leader and assistant coach of the Cabrini Girls' Summer Softball League.
Joyce has served on the APCCF Board for over eight years and participated in park playscape builds, mulch spreading, playscape painting and at the annual Pizza, Wine and Beer Fundraiser. She is our liaison with the Allen Park Public Schools with which APCCF has forged a strong relationship.
Joyce and her husband, Dave, have three children and seven grandchildren and enjoy spending most of their time attending their events and activities. Joyce chose to serve on the APCCF Board because she wants to continue to help better our community and become more involved in the decision-making process.
Ashaki Sorrell
Director
Ashaki Sorrell is a dedicated Allen Park resident since 2018, with a proven track record in securing grant funding for both non-profit and for-profit organizations. To date, she has successfully acquired over $10 million in grant funding and government contracts.
With a decade of experience in project and program management, Ashaki is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), and Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) through the Project Management Institute. She currently serves as a Senior Program Manager at a global technology company.
Ashaki holds a Bachelor of Science in Technical Writing from Eastern Michigan University and a certificate in Proposal Writing from Fort Hays University. In addition to her PMP certification, she is also a Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
Motivated by her passion for community involvement, Ashaki has joined the APCCF Board of Directors. She is eager to contribute her expertise in project management and grant writing to the organization's ongoing efforts and is excited to become an active member of the Allen Park community.
In her spare time, Ashaki enjoys singing karaoke, exploring the neighborhood, and spending quality time with her son, Jalen.
Amanda Wertz
Director
Amanda Wertz has been a resident of Allen Park for over 10 years and is a graduate of Wayne State University where she majored in accounting.
She has spent the majority of her career working in local government in various capacities and is a member of the Michigan Government Finance Officers Association.
She enjoys spending time with her family and friends in her spare time. Amanda has chosen to serve on the APCCF Board of Directors because she is interested in volunteering in the community and assisting in having a positive impact on the things that make Allen Park a great place to learn, live and work.
Jane A. Spellacy
Director
Jane has been a resident of Allen Park for twelve years, relocating following her retirement.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Jane brings a broad range of experiences to the Board, having taught in elementary school, been involved with the child welfare system and serving as Executive Director at Holy Family Institute, Wesley Institute and the Mt. Nazareth Center. She was also the Development Director for the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and Mt. Gallitzin Academy. Jane has served on the boards of other organizations and has experience in fund development and grant writing.
She chose to serve on the APCCF Board because she believes her experience and skills will help APCCF meet their goals and objectives. Jane's hobby is walking her dog, Bailey, twice a day and she also loves vacationing in Florida.
Jeannette MacDonald
Director
Jeannette MacDonald has been a resident of Allen Park for over 33 years. She was an elementary school teacher at both Lindemann and Bennie for 12 years, then became a counselor at Allen Park High School. She retired from the Allen Park Public Schools after 30 years of service. During her tenure, she helped initiate and became skilled in Interest Based Bargaining strategies, which served the district well. She is currently a trustee on the Allen Park Board of Education.
Jeannette holds a degree in nursing (RN), a Bachelor of Science in teaching and a master’s degree in counseling. Her hobbies include spending time with her children & grandchildren, reading, sewing, crocheting & travel. She chose to serve on the APCCF Board of Directors in order to actively serve her community!
Madison LaPalm
Director
Madison has been a resident of Allen Park since 2000. She attended Allen Park public schools for her K-12 education, then went on to Wayne State University for her B.A. in Urban Studies and M.S. in Criminal Justice. Due to her family background in Civil Engineering and roadway construction, an interest in public infrastructure was fostered from an early age. Her educational background focuses on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), crime mapping, social and urban planning theory.
Madison has worked at OHM Advisors, an engineering, architectural, and planning firm, since 2015. She is employed in their Field Services - Construction & Surveying department, where she holds a leadership role as Field Services Discipline Manager. Her job has allowed her to work on and witness many community advancement projects spanning Michigan and multiple states, which resulted in her desire to make a lasting impact on communities where she works and lives.
In 2017, she and her husband bought their first home in Allen Park to remain close to their family. They live with their rescue dog, Mr. Biggs, a Shar Pei/American Bulldog mix who keeps them active with plenty of walks around their neighborhood. Madison enjoys working on home renovation projects, spending time with her family (especially her nephews), gardening, reading, and bird watching.
As an almost lifelong Allen Park resident, Madison wanted to help make the city she lives in even better. This led her to investigate the city's website for ways to get involved and she began attending meetings and volunteering through APCCF.