2026 Honorees
ComArtSci is proud to recognize our 2026 class of honorees who will be honored at The Celebration.
Martin B. Brodsky | David Calkins | Susi Elkins | Suzette Hackney | Ann Thomas | Mario McLean
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
B.A. 1992 Audiology and Speech Sciences; M.A. 1995 Audiology and Speech Sciences
Martin B. Brodsky, Ph.D., Sc.M., CCC-SLP, F-ASHA
Dr. Martin B. Brodsky is section head for speech-language pathology in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Cleveland Clinic. He also holds adjunct associate professor appointments in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University.
A fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Brodsky is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist whose NIH-funded research has advanced understanding of swallowing and airway disorders, particularly following critical illness and endotracheal intubation. His work has clarified mechanisms, risk factors and clinical implications of postextubation dysphagia and laryngeal injury, contributing to evidence-based practice across speech-language pathology, otolaryngology, critical care and rehabilitation medicine.
Brodsky has demonstrated sustained leadership and professional service through editorial and governance roles, including service as associate editor for Dysphagia and section editor for Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, as well as participation on editorial boards for multiple journals. He is regularly invited to speak and organize educational programs at national and international meetings, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and professional development.
Grounded in a strong commitment to service and education, Brodsky has mentored clinicians, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and interdisciplinary trainees, many of whom now hold academic, clinical and leadership roles. A double alumnus of Michigan State University, he remains actively engaged with the College of Communication Arts and Sciences through mentorship, collaboration and educational outreach, reflecting a sustained dedication to leadership, service and the advancement of both the profession and the university’s mission.
Section Head—Speech-Language Pathology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cleveland Clinic
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
B.A. 2001 Advertising
David Calkins
David Calkins serves as president of growth at Publicis Media, where he leads a team focused on driving transformational growth in media and advertising. Under his leadership, Publicis Media has secured the business of numerous household brands and Fortune 500 companies, achieving the No. 1 position in new business for five consecutive years
With more than two decades of experience in both agency and client-side roles, Calkins’ business development expertise is informed by leadership positions at Spark Foundry, where he served as chief growth officer when the agency was named Media Agency of the Year by Ad Age and Adweek, as well as strategic leadership roles at Publicis Collective. His client-side tenure at Diageo and Luxottica further deepened his insight into how brands connect with consumers and how clients evaluate and select agency partners.
A proud Spartan, Calkins earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences. He remains deeply connected to his alma mater, regularly returning as a guest lecturer while recruiting top MSU talent to Publicis. He also expanded his professional skill set through executive education at Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Calkins’ commitment to community extends beyond his professional endeavors. He is the founder of Project Playground, a Detroit-based initiative that mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers to renovate playgrounds, and he volunteers with Chicago’s Off the Street Club, supporting youth development programs.
President, Growth of Publicis Media
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
B.A. 1995 Telecommunication; M.A. 2005 Educational Technology
Susi Elkins
Susi Elkins serves as senior vice president of station services at PBS, where she leads national strategies that empower member stations to thrive as essential community institutions. She oversees initiatives that strengthen local impact through innovation, collaboration and professional development, ensuring PBS stations have the tools, resources and connections needed to serve audiences with excellence and purpose.
A seasoned public media executive and nonprofit leader, Elkins has dedicated her career to advancing the mission of public service media. Before joining PBS, she served as director of broadcasting and general manager at WKAR Public Media, where her leadership expanded the station’s impact through community engagement, educational programming and technology innovation. Under her direction, WKAR deepened its investment in early childhood education and partnered with Michigan State University to launch the NextGen Media Innovation Lab, positioning the station at the forefront of emerging broadcast technologies.
Elkins’ 25-year career at WKAR began as a student employee and evolved through key leadership roles, including interim director, television station manager, content and community engagement manager and producer. Her hands-on experience across every facet of public media production and management has shaped her strategic, people-centered approach to leadership.
Before joining PBS, Elkins served as chief community impact officer for MSU Federal Credit Union, where she built strategic partnerships with businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations to drive innovation and deepen community impact. She also served as president of the Desk Drawer Fund Foundation, advancing philanthropic initiatives aligned with organizational mission and values.
Elkins has served on the PBS Board of Directors and as professional vice chair for America’s Public Television Stations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication and a master’s degree in educational technology from Michigan State University.
Senior Vice President of Station Services, PBS
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
B.A. 2001 Journalism
Suzette Hackney
Suzette Hackney is a national columnist for USA Today, where she elevates lesser-heard voices at the center of the country’s most important stories. She joined USA Today in 2020 and quickly became a driving force behind its landmark Women of the Year series. After the murder of George Floyd, she spent two months in Minneapolis reporting and writing commentary on how the trial in his killing was reshaping both the community and the nation.
Hackney’s career has long bridged news and opinion, with a consistent focus on amplifying the experiences of others. As an undergraduate at Michigan State University, she became the first Black woman to serve as editor in chief of The State News. She later worked as an editorial writer and columnist for The Toledo Blade; a reporter for The Detroit News, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Detroit Free Press; and a columnist for The Indianapolis Star, where she also became the first Black director of opinion and community engagement in the newspaper’s history.
Her work has been recognized with a National Headliner Award, two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, an Emmy Award, multiple honors from the National Association of Black Journalists’ Salute to Excellence Awards and the Association for Women in Communications’ Clarion Award. She was also a finalist for the Scripps Howard Walker Stone Award for opinion writing and has received numerous local and state journalism awards for reporting and column writing.
Hackney earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University and a Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction writing from Butler University. She was also a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan.
National Columnist, USA TODAY
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
B.A. 1982 Telecommunication
Ann Thomas
Ann Thomas Battersby, known on air as Ann Thomas, is program director at WJR Radio, a Cumulus Media station in Detroit. She began her career at WJR in 1982 as an intern and has spent more than four decades with the station. She was hired full time as a producer for The Other Side of the News, later becoming a reporter and anchor. Her reporting earned multiple Associated Press, United Press International and Detroit Press Club awards, particularly for breaking news and auto negotiations coverage.
While raising her four children, Thomas worked part time and helped establish the WJR Oakland County bureau in her home. She returned full time in 1999 as executive producer of The Paul W. Smith Show, which has received multiple Michigan Association of Broadcasters Best Morning Show awards, including in 2022 and 2023. From 2006 to 2021, she also produced the WJR–Michigan State University tailgate shows.
Thomas currently hosts several WJR programs, including Women Who Lead, Opportunity Detroit and the WJR Gardening Show. She launched Women Who Lead 15 years ago as an on-air and online platform highlighting women across Michigan who are making a difference in their communities.
Her honors include induction into the Michigan Business Women Hall of Fame in 2019; the Michigan Business and Professional Association’s Women and Leadership in the Workplace Award in 2014; the Association for Women in Communications’ Diamond Award; Toastmasters District 28’s Communications and Leadership Award in 2020; and the Doc Fenkell Excellence in Media Award from Sparky Anderson’s CATCH charity in 2023.
As program director, Thomas leads WJR’s longstanding partnerships with the Salvation Army Bed and Bread Club Radiothon and the Detroit Goodfellows Annual Tribute Breakfast. She developed the station’s permanent text-to-give campaign and has supported numerous philanthropic initiatives, including Hunger Free in the D and the Paul W. Smith Golf Classic.
Thomas has served on multiple school and nonprofit boards, including Loyola High School and Sacred Heart Major Seminary, and is a member of the International Women’s Forum and Impact100 Oakland County. She has been married to her husband, Ed Battersby, since 1987, and they live in the Detroit area near their four adult children.
Program Director, WJR Detroit / Cumulus Media
RISING STAR
B.A. 2015 Communication
Mario McLean
Mario McLean is a regional manager at DISH Network and the founder of SUITe Life, a custom menswear brand dedicated to helping men present their best selves through style, confidence and excellence. A proud Detroit native and Cass Technical High School alumnus, McLean earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Michigan State University in 2015, where he was selected as the student commencement speaker, and later completed an MBA from Northwood University in 2019.
With a decade of multiunit leadership experience across corporate America, McLean is known for developing high-performing teams, building culture and leading with purpose. His professional journey is matched by a deep commitment to community impact and youth mentorship.
McLean is the author of Every Day Is an Interview and the children’s book Suit Man, using his personal story, from foster care to corporate leadership and entrepreneurship, to inspire others to aim higher, think differently and show up prepared for every opportunity. He also serves in community leadership roles focused on mentoring underserved youth and equipping the next generation with life skills, confidence and vision.
Through his speaking, writing and brand, McLean’s mission is to help individuals understand that success is not defined by what you wear or the title you hold, but by mindset, character and consistent growth.
Regional Manager, DISH Network / Founder, SUITe Life