MY story

Kaylee is a metro Detroit native, and a dedicated staple to the MYLead staff. She recognized the postive impact MYLead generates to such a large group of students in such a condensed timeframe, and ultimitely wants to base her career around working with nonprofit organizations.

Leadership

Kaylee has worked her way through the leadership ranks of Michigan Youth Leadership since its inception in 2003. After serving a few years as a Team Alumni, she stepped up and filled the role as a Co-Director of Team Alumni for the 2007 and 2008 conference year. After being named 2008's Volunteer of the Year, Kaylee was appointed to the newly-created Director of Communications at the start of the 2009 conference planning year to meet the for a communications specialist. She works with the Board of Directors, MYLead Acheivement Program and conference planning team to fill MYLead's communication and logistical needs.

Outside of MYLead, Kaylee is very involved in the Metro Detroit community. She serves as community service chair for Fusion: Detroit, the young professional's organization affiliated with the Detroit Regional Chamber. She also serves as vice president on the director's board for The Oakland Post, Oakland University's student-run newspaper. She also guest lectures for journalism and public relations courses at universities in Michigan, including Oakland University and University of Michigan - Flint.

Employment

Kaylee is a public relations account coordinator at Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications in Farmington Hills, Mich. She started with the firm as an intern in September 2007, and worked part time through 2008. She focuses in traditional, new and social media relations, event logistics and coordination, and strategic marketing initiatives for a variety of clients, including those in the nonprofit, professional services, automotive, retail, and healthcare sectors.

Also notable is her former role as a national contributing writer for Six Degrees Magazine, a fashion and entertainment publication distributed in Detroit, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Miami. Hawkins wrote dozens of articles for the monthly publication in her 2.5 years on staff.

Academics

Kaylee graduated with honors from Oakland University in May 2008. She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism, and double minored in communications and English. She was a 2004 graduate of Madison High School in Madison Heights, Mich.

Daily routine

As an avid traveler, she is on the road or in the sky every chance she gets. Kaylee also enjoys meeting new people and finding ways to helping others and changing the world. To fill in the rarely spare moments, she loves spending time with her family and beagle corgi puppy named Java, grabbing coffee with good friends, exploring metro Detroit’s best or making an absolute mess in the kitchen.