MOTION Coalition

Our Vision
Thriving children, thriving adults, thriving communities.

Our Mission
To accelerate organizational and community efforts that promote physical activity and healthy eating to optimize health and wellbeing.

2025 MOTION Summit

Guest Speakers

Naim Edwards
Director: MSU-Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation

Naim Edwards moved to Detroit in 2014 after earning a Master’s Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan. His thesis examined how urban gardens and farms can be managed to support biodiversity. Also a Morehouse Man and Catholic, Naim approaches his work with a spiritual preference for service and justice as well as a deep appreciation for all creation.

Bio

 

 

Caelan Keenan

Healthy Community Zones Coordinator – MDHHS

Caelan brings more than a dozen years’ experience in the nonprofit sector to her role as the Healthy Community Zones Coordinator with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Her previous work focused on building and managing community-based programs in areas of youth development, food security, and gender equity. She hopes to be a resource for Healthy Community Zones grantees and a partner in the work of making good health attainable for all Michiganders. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Vermont.

 

Janee Moore

Food Access Public Health Consultant – MDHHS

Janee is a public health professional, who is a passionate about improving population health through impacting the social determinants of health and increasing health/racial equity.  She attended the University of Michigan where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies focusing on Women’s Health.  Afterwards she attended Emory University and graduated with a MPH. Prior to working for the State of Michigan, she worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Public Health Advisor in the areas of HIV, Environmental Health, and Chronic Disease.  She is currently the Food Access Public Health Consultant at MDHHS. She strives for food security for all Michiganders through sovereignty and justice.

 

Barbara Blum-Alexander, MPH, MSW

Director, Community Health Opportunities & Prevention Strategies (CHOPS) Office of Community Health, Equity & Wellness (CHEW) – Henry Ford Health

Barbara Blum-Alexander, MPH, MSW (pronounced “Bloom”-Alexander), is the Director of Community Health Opportunities & Prevention Strategies within the Office of Community Health, Equity and Wellness at Henry Ford Health.  She has been leading the Generation With Promise (GWP) program since its inception in September 2007, through the Michigan Department of Community Health, Office of the Surgeon General (2007-2011), and at Henry Ford Health (2011-present).  She has a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and over 25 years of professional experience in the field, primarily in Detroit and surrounding communities.  In addition to the GWP program (Henry Ford Health’s SNAP-Ed funded program in Detroit/Wayne, Macomb and Jackson), she leads and collaborates on the following efforts: food access such as the Fresh Prescription produce prescription program; chronic disease prevention efforts; Henry Ford LiveWell Childhood Wellness related to ACES; and becoming a trauma and resiliency-informed community-healthcare organization (TRICHO).  In addition to being the Co-Chair of the MOTION Coalition, she is the former chair of Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan and is a member of the executive committee of the Fresh Rx Network.

 

Tyra Evans

Chief Operating Officer – Authority Health

Tyra is a charismatic, participatory leader with over 20 years’ professional health care experience.  Tyra is Chief Operating Officer for Authority Health. Immediately preceding this role, she served as National Director of Operations for Trinity Health corporate office, in Livonia, MI.

Tyra’s commitment to serving and bringing about positive change in Metro Detroit has been demonstrated through active participation in the community as a leader and volunteer. She is a lifetime member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., a family organization providing cultural, social, civic and recreational activities that stimulate and expand the mind to enhance the lives of children. She is on the board Neighborhood Services Organization, National Association of Health Care Executives, and a mentor in Women of Tomorrow.

Tyra makes free time to enjoy her book club, travel, and spending time with her family.

 

Chef Phil Jones

Community Food Specialist, Detroit City Council District  

With roots in Ohio and a culinary journey spanning the East Coast and Caribbean, Chef Phil Jones now calls Detroit home—where he works at the intersection of food, education, and justice. From selling meat patties in St. Croix to shaping food policy in Detroit, his work centers on reimagining food systems with a focus on equity, culture, and community empowerment.

Phil currently serves as Community Food Specialist for Detroit City Council District Three and Food Policy Specialist with the Detroit Food Policy Council. His efforts prioritize food justice, grocery access, and sustainable, community-led solutions.

Honored as Chef of the Year by the Detroit Free Press and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers in 2021, Chef Phil’s leadership was instrumental during the COVID-19 crisis and in initiatives like Farmacy Food and City Food Community Concepts. His work celebrates cultural heritage and uplifts Black and Brown communities through food sovereignty, storytelling, and practical action.

 

 

2024 MOTION Summit

Guest Speakers

Lauren Holaly-Zembo, CEO
Crim Fitness Foundation

Bio

Elizabeth K. Towner, PhD
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Family Medicine & Public Health Sciences

Presentation Title: Community-Driven Health Campaigns for Childhood Obesity Prevention in Detroit

Bio

 

 

 

 

 

Patrice Brown, Senior Manager,
Community Food Network,
Eastern Market Corporation – Partnership

Bio

Ceara O’Leary, AIA
Professor of Practice
University of Detroit Mercy

Presentation Title: Planning for Resilience + Health Equity: Everyday and Emergency Infrastructure in Detroit Neighborhoods

Bio

2023 MOTION Summit

Guest Speakers

 

Dr. Rebecca Hassan, Associate Professor

University of Michigan

Bio

Alex Allen 2nd, President & CEO

Chandler Park Conservancy

Bio

Dara OBryne, AICP – Chief Parks Planner

City of Detroit

Bio

JJ Velez, Director of Public Space

Gilbert Family Foundation

Bio

Charles Walker, Retail Specialist

Fair Food Network

Bio

Julie Cassidy, Policy Analyst

Michigan League for Public Policy

Bio

Julie Rice, Deputy Director

Hope Village

More About the MOTION Coalition Efforts

 

The MOTION Coalition was established in 2012 by Authority Health as a community coalition concerned with the growing incidence of obesity among young people. It meets quarterly for information sharing and advocates for policies that promote active living and healthy eating.

Childhood obesity is not just a medical matter, but a community predicament. To make an impact in this epidemic, a whole family approach is needed.
The MOTION Coalition (the “Coalition”) is a unique collaboration of stakeholders representing health plans, schools and early childhood programs, organizations supporting nutrition and fitness, local government, health providers, health systems, universities and other nonprofits, among others.

The Coalition is comprised of more than 30 organizations across the region. Co-chaired by Barbara Blum Alexander, MPH, MSW and Dr. Susan Woolford, MD, MPH, the action-oriented Coalition works together to identify opportunities to advocate for improved nutritional programming, the creation of safe green spaces and the development of community resilience. The Coalition holds an Annual Summit to share findings and collaboratively identify community strategies.

For more information on the MOTION Coalition, contact Dr. Prashanti Boinapally, MOTION Coalition Lead, at pboinapally@authorityhealth.org.

Statement on dog attacks (revised August 5, 2021)

Our Advocacy Agenda

Working in tandem with the Authority Health public affairs staff, the MOTION Coalition advocates for legislation and policies that favor active living and healthy eating. Some of those include:

10 Cents a Meal
When state funding for the 10 Cents a Meal program was threatened, the Coalition launched a sign-on letter advocating for maintaining the funding. When funds were vetoed, a “Paper Plate Campaign” activated Coalition members to decorate paper plates and send them to the governor to save the program. Coalition efforts proved beneficial when full funding was reestablished in February 2020.

MDOT I-94 Modernization Project
Coalition members learned more about the I-94 reconstruction plan and notable improvements that were added to contribute to enhanced community health through increased neighborhood connectivity, “Complete Streets” and greater recreational fitness via connecting trails. A letter was submitted on behalf of the Coalition supporting these improvements and advocating for the inclusion of “calming service drives” at the initiation of the plan rather than waiting until 2030.

Michigan Complete Streets Legislation
Active living requires safe spaces for walking, running and riding – oftentimes while sharing urban streets. The Complete Streets initiative provides guidance for the planning, design and construction of roadways or an interconnected network of transportation facilities being constructed or reconstructed and designated for a transportation purpose that promotes inclusion of multiple modes of transit.

City of Detroit Dog Bite Ordinance
The threat of attacks from wild dogs dissuades people from using some public spaces for exercising. The death of a young girl who was attacked by a loose dog prompted the Coalition to support efforts by Detroit City Council to pass “Emma’s Clause” to create tighter guidelines for securing neighborhood dogs.

Federal Farm Bill
The Coalition supports the cultivation of urban agriculture to promote nutrition and food security in Detroit. The Federal Farm Bill has traditionally promoted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan. Most recently, it has established an Office of Urban Agriculture, designed to promote development of this sector of the agricultural industry. Both programs are integral to the nutrition goals of the MOTION Coalition.

Who We Are

Susan J. Woolford, MD – Co-Chair, MOTION Coalition

Susan J. Woolford, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) unit in the Division of General Pediatrics and the Medical Director of the C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital Pediatric Comprehensive Weight Management Center at the University of Michigan. Dr. Woolford earned her medical degree at Michigan State University where she also completed her residency and Chief Residency. She completed her Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship at the University of Michigan, where she also received her Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in Health Behavior and Health Education. Her clinical interests are childhood obesity prevention and treatment, particularly for severely obese adolescents.

In recognition of her innovative work in the area of childhood obesity, Dr. Woolford has received awards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and from the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

Barbara Blum-Alexander – Co-Chair, MOTION Coalition

Barbara Blum-Alexander, MPH, MSW (pronounced “Bloom”-Alexander), is a director within the Office of Community Health, Equity, Wellness and Diversity at Henry Ford Health System.

Barbara has been leading the Generation With Promise (GWP) program since its inception in September 2007, through the Michigan Department of Community Health, Office of the Surgeon General (2007-2011), and at Henry Ford Health (2011-present).  She has a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and over 20 years of professional experience in the field, primarily in Detroit and surrounding communities.  Her special areas of interest include working with diverse, multicultural community partners, youth and adults around social drivers/ determinants of health, with the ultimate goal of eliminating health disparities.

In addition to the GWP program (Henry Ford Health’s SNAP-Ed funded program in Detroit/Wayne, Macomb and Jackson), she leads efforts on: food access such as the Fresh Prescription produce prescription program; chronic disease efforts identified through our Community Health Needs Assessment (in particular diabetes prevention); Henry Ford LiveWell childhood wellness related to ACES, trauma-informed care, and building resilience; the Trauma Recovery Initiative (TRI) at Henry Ford Hospital with acute care trauma surgery: and guiding the system towards being more trauma-informed overall.

In addition to being the Co-Chair of the MOTION Coalition, she is on the executive committee of Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan and the executive committee of the Fresh Rx Network.

MOTION Coalition Member Organizations