Mayoral Fellowships

On This Page

News & Events

Mackenzie W. Smith

Mackenzie W. Smith is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office, Office of Youth Affairs, where he supports initiatives that expand opportunities for young Detroiters. He is an Alabama A&M University graduate and is currently pursuing his MBA at Wayne State University. He is passionate about empowering youth and strengthening the future of Detroit.

Naabia Romain

Naabia Romain is a Wayne State University graduate, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management and an undergraduate certificate in entrepreneurship & innovation. In the fall, she will continue her studies in the MFA Design for Sustainability program at the College for Creative Studies This summer, Naabia is working with the Jobs & Economy Team and worked with the Office of Sustainability this past spring.

Melvin Alston-Norman

Melvin Alston-Norman is a rising junior at Oakland County Community College pursuing a degree in computer science. His previously worked with the Detroit Department of Elections and was a member of the mobility team with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. He currently serves as a Mayoral Fellow under Dr. Chanel Hampton, focusing on special projects and out-of-school youth programming.

Uget Hagan

Uget Hagan is a student, entrepreneur, and emerging finance professional pursuing higher education at Soka University of America. She is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office with the Department of Neighborhoods.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Uget is the co-founder and chief financial officer of MoneyLink, an emerging fintech startup focused on advancing financial accessibility and contributing to the transformation of Africa’s financial technology ecosystem.

Ravawn Hackney

Ravawn Hackney attends Georgia State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in communications, concentrating on digital media strategies. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Georgia State University in 2025. This summer, she is working under Dr. Chanel Hampton with the Division of Youth and Education as the Media and Storytelling Communications Fellow.

Anneke Craig

Anneke Craig is studying for her master’s in public policy at the University of Michigan. She holds a B.A. in critical social thought and Spanish from Mount Holyoke College and served as a program coordinator at the Massachusetts Municipal Association for two years. This summer, she is working as a Policy Fellow for the Division of Youth & Education with Dr. Hampton.

Mariah Farr

Mariah Farr is a rising junior attending the University of Michigan and currently studying sociology with a concentration in law, justice, and social change. She aspires to become a family attorney and real estate investor. This summer, she is working in the Mayor’s Office with the Department of Neighborhoods.

Na’Kyah Adjuman

Na’Kyah Adjuman is a rising junior majoring in political science and minoring in theater arts at Howard University. She served as an intern with We the People Action Fund and as a youth advocate with Global Girls Glow and was a member of the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. Nakyah works with Dr. Chanel Hampton in the Department of Youth and Education.

Destini N. White

Destini N. White is a marketing student at Northwood University with a passion for leadership, creativity, and community involvement. She has interned with Rocket Mortgage, Chrysler, and the Detroit Tigers, and is the owner of Fanci Graphics. Destini is a Mayoral Fellow with the Department of Neighborhoods under the leadership of Bryan Peckinpaugh.

Ellissa Freed

Ellissa Freed is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office, Department of Communications, where she supports communications and public engagement initiatives. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations at Wayne State University. She is passionate about using strategic communication to inform, engage, and strengthen communities.

Rael Gibbons

Rael Gibbons is a junior at Grand Valley State University majoring in advertisement and public relations and minoring in digital studies. Rael is interested in marketing and creating content that can help benefit the community. During her fellowship, Rael will be working with the Office of Neighborhood and Community Safety.

Nando Felten

Nando Felten is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office, Office of Youth Affairs, where he supports initiatives that expand opportunities and voice for young Detroiters. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Educational Studies at the University of Michigan, where his research examines how trauma affects the way Black students learn in urban environments.

Donnie Fleurina

Donnie Fleurina is a rising junior attending the University of Michigan and majoring in public policy with a minor in real estate development. He plans to focus on urban development and planning and attend law school in the future. This summer, he'll be working in the Mayor's Office with the Office of Mobility Innovation.

Sheshank Reddy Mothupally

Sheshank Reddy Mothupally is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office, working with the Neighborhood Economic Development and Small Business (NEDSB) team, where he built the Detroit Small Business Data Dashboard which is a unified data pipeline giving City leadership real-time visibility into Detroit’s small business ecosystem. He holds a master’s degree in data science and AI from the University of Central Missouri and is passionate about using data analytics to build infrastructure that drives public-sector decision making.

Amaya Banks

Amaya Banks is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office, Home Repair Task Force, where she supports initiatives that help improve and expand access to home repair resources for Detroit residents. She is currently a Master of Public Administration candidate at Western Michigan University. She is passionate about policy, law, strengthening communities, and contributing to efforts that create safe, stable, and thriving neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

Kennedy Campbell

Kennedy Campbell is a Mayoral Fellow in the Mayor’s Office – Health, Human Services, and Poverty Solutions – where she supports research initiatives on food insecurity, housing instability, and workforce development. She is a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Political Science.

Emma Schwartz

Emma Schwartz is a Mayoral Fellow with the Housing and Revitalization Department. She is currently pursuing a master’s in public policy at the University of Michigan and is interested in how local governments can partner with communities to foster growth, equity, and quality of life. Before moving to Michigan, she was a policy researcher at the University of Southern Maine and received her B.A. in comparative literature and Jewish studies from Smith College in 2021.

City of Detroit

Mayoral Fellowships

Mackenzie W. Smith

Naabia Romain

Melvin Alston-Norman

Uget Hagan

Ravawn Hackney

Anneke Craig

Mariah Farr

Na’Kyah Adjuman

Destini N. White

Ellissa Freed

Rael Gibbons

Nando Felten

Donnie Fleurina

Sheshank Reddy Mothupally

Amaya Banks

Kennedy Campbell

Emma Schwartz

Contacts City Directory

Mayoral Fellowships

Mackenzie W. Smith

Naabia Romain

Melvin Alston-Norman

Uget Hagan

Ravawn Hackney

Anneke Craig

Mariah Farr

Na’Kyah Adjuman

Destini N. White

Ellissa Freed

Rael Gibbons

Nando Felten

Donnie Fleurina

Sheshank Reddy Mothupally

Amaya Banks

Kennedy Campbell

Emma Schwartz

Contacts City Directory

Uget Hagan

Mariah Farr