A partnership between Oakland Literacy Council and Oakland80 is putting Eleonore Bell and adults like her on the path toward economic prosperity by lifting their foundational literacy skills and helping them earn credentials sought by employers.

Pauline Schultz, Eleonore’s ESL tutor, says Eleonore is a perfect example of OLC’s mission of preparing learners for a successful and productive life in America. “Eleonore studied 12 hours a week to prepare for her nursing school entrance exam, including in-person English tutoring at OLC and online ESL courses,” Pauline said. “Her tutoring was individualized to focus on reading, vocabulary and grammar to prepare for her college entrance exam.  Healthcare topics were integrated into her English lessons to match her professional goals.”

When Vasyl Fedorovych immigrated to America in April 2023 from his war-torn country of Ukraine, he couldn’t speak or read English. Leaving behind his wife and three young children, like generations of immigrants before him, Vasyl came to southeast Michigan in search of peace and a new beginning.  

A master carpenter and artist in Ukraine, Vasyl lost his construction business in the war. Now living in America, he is determined to learn English in order to start a new life and eventually be reunited with his family here. To assist him in his journey, the Oakland Literacy Council partnered Vasyl with adult ESL volunteer tutor Brenda Gaunt, a retired teacher.   

“Vasyl is a natural learner, diligently attending all his classes, practicing every day and becoming more and more confident in conversational English,” Gaunt observes. “He was inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society last summer for his work ethic and positive attitude.” 

Vasyl currently puts his skills to work as a freelance handyman, with plans to earn a contractor license to support himself and his family. Impressed with his abilities, the Carpenters Union of Detroit has offered to help him secure a job and eventual membership. Vasyl credits the Oakland Literacy Council for motivating and inspiring him toward his goals.

“The classes make learning interesting and lively and English becomes a part of everyday life,” he says. “I am grateful to OLC for its support, opportunities and friendly atmosphere.  My dream is to learn English, get my contractor license, and to have my family join me here in America.” 

Oakland Literacy Council is excited to offer an intensive bootcamp to help GED candidates pass the math subject test–often the hardest part of completing their high-school equivalency. Candidates can enroll by clicking here.

GED Math Bootcamp (3)

At a pivotal moment for adult education and workforce readiness, Oakland Literacy Council today announced the appointment of its 2026 Board Officers, whose leadership will help guide the organization through its next phase of growth, innovation, and community impact.

The newly appointed officers are:
• Mita Bhavsar, Director, FINNEA Group- Chair
• Sue Klunk, Former OLC Communications & Development Coordinator- Vice Chair
• Jeffrey Rodabaugh, Director, FINNEA Group- Treasurer
• Paula Brown, CFRE, Development Director, The Arc of Northwest Wayne County- Secretary

This group of accomplished professionals who, together with their fellow board members, share a commitment to advancing OLC’s mission and a dedication to actively engaging to strategically support the organization to best reach the community it serves.

“We look forward to an exciting year of collaboration and development with our Board of Directors and congratulate the officers on their appointments,” said Laurie Weeks, Executive Director of Oakland Literacy Council. “The relationship between our board and staff is truly one of partnership. Our shared passion for our organization strengthens our ability to serve our learners and communities more effectively.”

Each Board Officer brings a unique perspective and a strong record of leadership and service. Together, they will support organizational governance, amplify community partnerships, and help expand OLC’s reach. The Board of Directors currently has 13 Board Members, including three new members who will be joining in 2026.

About Mita Bhavsar: Mita is an industry expert in data modeling, with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries. Mita is a community advocate with a focus on math literacy. She is “passionate about education and believes that knowledge truly is power.” Mita has served as a volunteer GED Math instructor and worked with multiple nonprofit organizations leading math boot camps, promoting STEM education for young women, and ensuring that teenagers at risk for dropping out of school have a path to higher education and trade programs. She is a certified diversity and inclusion facilitator. Mita graduated from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, with a Bachelor of Mathematics.

About Sue Klunk: Sue joined the Board in 2023 after retiring from her role as an OLC staff member She chairs our annual fundraising dinner Ex Libris and is the representative to Bookstock for OLC. Sue brings strong storytelling and communication expertise to the organization and as a former tutor she understands our core service. Sue is active in the community and serves on the Board of Aish Detroit. She holds a Master of Education in Instructional Technology from Wayne State University and her bachelor’s in business administration from Miami University.

About Jeff Rodabaugh: Jeff has 15 years of experience in various accounting and FP&A roles. He holds a degree from the University of Findlay in Financial Accounting. The majority of Jeff’s career has been spent building a strong set of professional skills in the automotive industry. His strong foundation in costing, coupled with a sound understanding of operational activity, has helped margin improvement for several companies. Jeff has developed a strong acumen in building unique financial models surrounding inflation as well as general financial forecasting. Jeff’s passion for literacy stems from his gratitude for the literacy opportunities provided, especially in speech pathology, to his son following his autism diagnosis. His wife is also a tenured elementary teacher where literacy is the foundation for young growing minds.

About Paula Brown: Paula, who just completed a three-year term as OLC’s board chair, brings to the Oakland Literacy Council more than 30 years of experience in fundraising for non-profit organizations. She was formerly the Fund Development Officer at Zaman International in Inkster and now the Development Director of The Arc of Northwest Wayne County. Paula is deeply committed to combatting adult illiteracy; she is the former Executive Director of Reading Works in Detroit.

We are looking for an experienced math teacher to lead a short-term, paid bootcamp for our GED candidates. Please check out the job description. GED Math Bootcamp Job Description