Sean Carlson serves as an Oakland County Deputy Executive and is a founding member of the Oakland Thrive Board of Directors. Carlson’s role on the Board, which begins after awards and contracts are granted, is to provide direct oversight of county funds and ensure close coordination between the county and contractors. Prior to this, Carlson served as the executive director of the Michigan Defense Center, vice president of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s international trade program, and senior deputy director of Michigan's Department of Management & Budget. In 2006, the National Association of Government Accountants named Carlson as one of the top state leaders in the country for his development of policies bringing integrity to public procurement. After 20 years in the Air Force both on active duty and in the Air National Guard, Carlson retired as a lieutenant colonel.

Grace Lee is the CEO/President of Ashford Connex, LLC. Prior to founding Ashford Connex, she was a co-founder and CFO of Logic Solutions, Inc., a global web technology company. She has over 20 years of experience in both corporate/public accounting and human resources. Lee is a passionate advocate of diversity and entrepreneurship. She serves on the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission as Vice Chair and on the board of Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship. Lee received the MIT Enterprise Forum Excellence Award in 2012 as well as the Diversity award from Corp! Magazine in 2008. She holds a BA in Economics from UCLA and a Master’s in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University.

Alan Kiriluk is the founder and chairman of KIRCO, a Michigan-based commercial real estate development, construction, and property management company. He began his career as a subcontractor in paving and road construction for his father’s business. Kiriluk later expanded that business to include office construction and corporate build-to-suit projects. Since its beginning in 1974, KIRCO has built a reputation of quality and integrity throughout the country and has grown to include locations in Ohio, Alabama, Minnesota, and Florida. Alan’s leadership has grown beyond his own company and has established him as a recognized leader in the real estate industry as well as in his government and community endeavors, primarily in the fields of healthcare and transportation. He has been recognized for his success by publications and local communities and has received numerous awards for his philanthropic and fundraising efforts.

Shannon Steel was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and has a degree in Economics from the University of Houston and a certificate of finance from Harvard Business School Online. At 23, she became the youngest stockbroker at Axa Advisors and one of the youngest in the country. While at Axa she increased retired client's portfolios by 15-20%, and was awarded the General Motors account where she managed and strategically invested their 401k, pension, and buyout funds for retirees. Steel also has experience with private banking and has held executive and board of director positions with various private offshore banks. Steel recently became one of the youngest female hotel owners in the country after completing a $3,000,000 renovation on a Wyndham hotel. She was awarded Wyndham hotel and Resorts developer of the year for 2019.

Renee Pipis Axt is the founder and President of RCP Associates, LLC., and SOSWorks, both headquartered in Detroit. She is solution-driven and has demonstrated experience in both the public and private sectors, including leadership positions within the Wayne County Executive’s Office and the Wayne County Airport Authority Board. Renee has worked extensively in nonprofit, government, and event management, budgeting, grassroots organizing, and economic development. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has served with several other boards and organizations in Southeast Michigan.