Women of Achievement 2026
Stacey Gannon - Business
Recently retired, Stacey Gannon’s business acumen has spilled over into her many community projects, resulting in a positive impact across the Great Lakes Bay region. Born and raised in Saginaw, she has lived her entire life in the region and is proud to call Saginaw her hometown. Although retired, Stacey will be the first to say, “I’m not done yet!”
A self-proclaimed “accidental banker,” Stacey rose through the ranks at Second National Bank, then Citizens Bank. In 2008, she was named the first woman President of Citizens Bank in Saginaw. In 2013, community leaders approached Gannon to help save the Saginaw Art Museum from closure. As Executive Director of the museum, she accomplished not only the task at hand but also took on the combined role of
overseeing the Temple Theatre Foundation. Today, both organizations are thriving and continue their tradition of being important regional assets. She returned to Huntington Bank (the successor to Citizens) in 2019 as a Senior Wealth Advisor and was named Community President in 2023 before retiring in June of 2026.
Gannon currently serves as Chair of the Delta College Board of Trustees; she is a member of the Delta College Foundation Board; Chair of the Board of Directors for the non-profit Lead organization; and serves on the Midland Business Alliance Board of Directors. She is a member of the Leadership Midland Alumni Association, a graduate of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance Leadership Institute, a Rotarian, and an Athena Award winner. She is known for championing many community projects, most notably the Midland Blooms and the Midland County Youth Leadership Program. Gannon lives in Sanford with her husband John. She has three grown sons, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, advocating for her community, and hip-hop dancing at the Dean Black School of Performing Arts.
Valeriah Ann Holmon, DNP, RN, FNP-BC – Healthcare
Dr. Valeriah Ann Holmon, a native of Moss Point, Mississippi, is a distinguished healthcare professional, educator, and community leader whose 38-year career reflects unwavering dedication to service, excellence, and the advancement of others. One of seven siblings, she graduated with honors from Moss Point High School and Cum Laude from Alcorn State University, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Dr. Holmon’s nursing career began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she specialized in Neurosurgical and Orthopedic nursing at a major trauma hospital. She later relocated to Midland, Michigan, becoming the first African American Surgical Nurse hired in the operating room at Mid-Michigan Medical Center. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s A Sisterhood of Firsts recognized this achievement nationally in 2023. Her work as a Surgical Nurse and Nurse Educator established her as a trailblazer committed to elevating patient care and professional standards.
Dr. Holmon advanced her education at Saginaw Valley State University, earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. She continued her academic journey by completing a post-master’s certificate in Nursing Education.
Her scholarly achievements include the Mid-Michigan Medical Center Nurse Practice Scholar Award (2007-2008) and two King Chavez Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Awards (2005, 2012). She later earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of Michigan–Flint.
A respected specialty provider, Dr. Holmon practiced as a Nurse Practitioner in Chronic Pain Management for more than a decade, earning Pain Management Certification and ensuring her patients received the highest standard of evidence-based care, contributing to improved quality of life. She served as an adjunct faculty member at Saginaw Valley State University for 17 years, teaching in both the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. She served as a LEAD RN Faculty Student Mentor for Saginaw Valley State University’s minority nursing students from 2009-2012.
Dr. Holmon’s commitment to community health and patient advocacy is reflected in her 24 years of service on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan–Blue Care Network Board of Directors, where she has focused on quality, service, and the health and welfare of patients in the state of Michigan. Her leadership has helped strengthen healthcare access, equity, and outcomes for residents across Michigan.
Her dedication to community improvement extends to her role as a Trustee of the Midland Area Community Foundation (since 2022). Guided by the Foundation’s mission to ensure that all Midland County residents thrive, Dr. Holmon has contributed her expertise in multiple leadership roles, including three years as Board Secretary and two years as Chair of the Foundation Directed Grants Committee. Her work has supported strategic investments, community partnerships, and initiatives that enhance quality of life and expand opportunities for Midland County families.
Dr. Holmon has maintained professional affiliations with several national organizations, including the Association for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN), the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners (MICNP), and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is a charter member of the Great Lakes Chapter of ASPMN and has served on leadership committees including the ASPMN National Nominating Committee. She has served as the President of the local chapter of MICNP (2012-2014). She has been featured in Who’s Who Among Nurses and Outstanding Young Women of America.
Her community service continues as a dedicated “Life Member” of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, supporting national initiatives focused on social, health, and economic justice issues while helping others to excel. Dr. Holmon has served numerous leadership roles within her local chapter, Zeta Omega Zeta, the Michigan State Organization (MSO), and the Great Lakes Region. She served as the appointed Michigan State Organization Director, the first elected MSO Executive Board Chair, and currently serves as both the MSO Nominations/ Elections Chair and the Great Lakes Region Representative to the International Nomination Committee.
She has been inducted into both the Michigan State Organization and the Great Lakes Region Hall of Fame. Dr. Holmon is married to Perry Holmon. They have three children, Warren, Valencia, and Vanessa, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her spiritual foundation is rooted in Faith Ministries Church in Midland, Michigan, where she has served faithfully in various capacities over the past 34 years.
Dr. Valeriah Ann Holmon’s life is a testament to leadership, service, and purpose. Her influence spans healthcare, education, community service & development—uplifting her profession, her community, and all who are inspired by her remarkable journey.
Nicole Luczak – Social Justice & Advocacy
Nicole Luczak has spent more than a decade in the nonprofit sector after earning a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Central Michigan University. Her work in equitable food access and addressing food insecurity sparked a deeper commitment to understanding community needs, ultimately leading her to the United Way. She currently serves as President and CEO of United Way of Bay County, where she is dedicated to advancing a mission focused on helping every person thrive through increased youth opportunity, financial security for every generation, and a healthier and more resilient community overall.
Luczak is actively engaged across the region, serving as Chair of the Human Services Collaborative Council in Bay County and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance (MiHIA), 211 Northeast Michigan, and Michigan 211. She is starting her 11th year with the Junior League of the Great Lakes Bay Region, where she held multiple leadership roles before becoming a sustaining member. Nicole also serves on the SVSU College of Health and Human Services Advisory Board and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Advisory Council for the Great Lakes Bay Region. Additionally, Liczak is a member of the Bay City Morning Rotary Club and a graduate of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance Leadership Institute.
Diane Middleton – Civic & Community Impact
Diane Middleton serves as Vice President of Advocacy for the Midland Business Alliance (MBA), a combined Chamber of Commerce and economic development organization serving Midland, Michigan. She is responsible for coordinating the MBA’s engagement with local, state, and federally elected officials, and advocating for public policy that will best serve the 3,100 businesses in Midland.
Middleton has 32 years of experience in the chamber industry, with 10 years at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and 22 at the MBA (previously the Midland Area Chamber). Aside from advocacy, she leads the MBA’s Leadership Midland program. In 2007, she helped create the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance’s “Institute for Leaders” program. Over the years, she has led five leadership programs, with 1,300+ participants.
Middleton earned a master’s degree in leadership & public administration from Saginaw Valley State University, a bachelor’s degree in psychology and anthropology from Western Michigan University, and an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Delta
College. She also earned the IOM (Institute for Organization Management) designation from the US Chamber of Commerce in 2008. She is a graduate of both Leadership Bay County and Leadership Midland. In 2014, she was honored with the Leadership Midland Alumni Association’s Leader of the Year. In 2020, she earned the same type of recognition, the Leadership Alumni Community Service Award, from the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Middleton grew up in Bay City and spent time in Kalamazoo and Germany before re-settling in her hometown in 1995. She and her husband Lance moved to Auburn in early 2017, after raising their two children, Chris (now 32) and Jamie (now 27). She enjoys being Mimi to her two grandchildren, Leo and Norah.
Current community volunteerism includes serving on the Boards of the Leadership Midland Alumni Association, Junior Achievement of North Central Michigan, and as an elected Trustee for Delta College. On a state level, she volunteers in several capacities with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. She also serves with the Cultural Awareness Committee of the Midland Area Community Foundation and has served several consecutive terms on the board of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance.
Elsa Olvera, Ed.D. – Education
Elsa Olvera is a strategic higher education leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing enrollment, student access, recruitment, retention, and student success across the Great Lakes Bay Region. She demonstrated success leading large-scale outreach initiatives, building enrollment pipelines, and developing partnerships with K-12 districts, community organizations, workforce agencies, and underserved populations. Olvera has experience in supervising staff, managing multimillion-dollar budgets and grants, utilizing data-informed decision-making, and implementing student-centered enrollment strategies that improve access, persistence, and completion. She has proven ability to collaborate across admissions, advising, financial aid, marketing, and student services to create seamless pathways from recruitment through enrollment and student success. Olvera is deeply committed to Delta College’s mission of equity, belonging, and educational opportunity for all learners.