Meet Our Team

Molly R. Manley, MPP, Outreach and Engagement Specialist

Molly R. Manley

Email: [email protected]

As OCEL's Outreach and Engagement Manager, Ms. Manley oversees the office’s day-to-day operations and programming. This includes implementation of the strategic plan, collaborating with campus and community partners, and general supervision of office staff. In addition, she is responsible for incorporating restorative practices within the office’s policies and procedures while also providing training, when necessary, in accordance with industry best practices.

A graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Ms. Manley completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science prior to graduating with a Master of Public Policy with a focus in Justice Reform in 2018. During her time as an undergraduate, Ms. Manley was recognized as a Campus Difference Maker. Prior to her role as Assistant Director, Ms. Manley worked as a Program Coordinator at OMI [OCEL], having first joined the office in 2011 as a VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America), serving for two years in that role. As one of four authors that resulted in successfully earning the campus Carnegie Community Engagement Classification in 2015, she truly has helped develop OCEL into what it is today.

Ms. Manley was elected to the board of the Youth Justice Fund in 2020. She is very active in her community with a variety of safety initiatives, the local block club, and community center. One of her passions is advancing Restorative Practices throughout the region- a passion in both her personal and professional life.

Elspeth Muzzin, LLMSW, Engagement Strategist

elspeth in a white shirt and blue pants smiling outdoors on campus

Email: [email protected]

Elspeth joined us in August 2022 and supports the programmatic and administrative needs of OCEL. Ms. Muzzin currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and Policy with a focus on Peace and Justice Studies. She also received her macro Master of Social Work degree from Wayne State University.

Currently pursuing licensure, Ms. Muzzin will eventually expand OCEL’s capacity to host and supervise social work students, deepening the office's field placement partnership with the UM-School of Social Work.

Racial justice and dialogue are some of Ms. Muzzin’s biggest passions. University of Michigan’s Summer Youth Dialogues and the International Baccalaureate Dialogues on Diversity were particularly formative for her. She has been a volunteer facilitator for Bridge Builders anti-racism camp in New Era, Michigan since 2019. Ms. Muzzin was a student participant in the program herself in 2013 and is eager to help the program grow and evolve.

As a proud third-generation Detroiter, you’ll find Ms. Muzzin at Eastern Market, Pure Barre, or Dyno Detroit. When she is not at the office, Ms. Muzzin loves to cook, read, and care for her numerous plants at home. Ms. Muzzin is excited to incorporate her deep beliefs in grassroots, abundance, and strengths-based mindsets into the amazing work that OCEL does.

 

Megan Mueller, Graduate Social Work Field Placement

headshot of megan with blonde hair and black turtleneck

Megan Mueller is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor and serves as a social work intern for the Office of Community-Engaged Learning. Megan is studying with a concentration in Policy and Political Social Work and is eager to work alongside the OCEL team as she completes her degree!

Megan earned her Bachelor of Public Affairs from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. At Wayne State, she was a member of the honors college, served on the executive boards for two student organizations and was active in several political organizing spaces. After graduation, Ms. Mueller served as a campaigns consultant with a startup company in Detroit, where she had the opportunity to work on several political campaigns ranging from local offices to congressional races across Michigan and Indiana. Megan also currently serves as the Education Program Director for Metro Detroit Youth Clubs, a nonprofit organization based in Royal Oak, Michigan.  

Outside of her studies, Megan is an avid musician; she sings in the Detroit Concert Choir and serves as a soloist and section leader at the historic Central United Methodist Church in Downtown Detroit. Megan also enjoys being active, spending time with her friends and family, and her two dogs, Zoey and Ellie. Ms. Mueller is passionate about community organizing and advocacy as well as social-emotional development in youth. Megan is guided by the belief that community organizing rooted in mutual understanding is the key to building a better world for ourselves and everyone around us; she is eager to apply her skills to her work at OCEL and excited to experience on-the-job learning during her time at OCEL. 

Praneeth Kruthiventi, Research Data Assistant

Photo of Praneeth

Praneeth Kruthiventi is currently pursuing his MS in Business Analytics with a Finance Concentration and operates as a Research Data Assistant for the Office of Community-Engaged Learning. He also received his Master of Technology degree in Computer Science and Engineering with Specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Vellore Institute of Technology. After finishing his undergraduate studies in Computer Science at Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Mr. Kruthiventi spent two years as a Software Development Engineer with Amazon, Bangalore, India.

As OCEL’s Research Data Assistant, Mr. Kruthiventi assists the team to fulfill their mission by setting up and managing database systems with Collaboratory, a database software that is built to assist institutions align university’s efforts to address key community priorities. This includes collecting engagement data across campus and community, setting up efficient data pipelines to store the collected data on Collaboratory, and discovering interesting patterns in the data. In addition, he is responsible for maintaining health of the data systems in line with industry standards.

In his free time, you’ll find Mr. Kruthiventi reading books, photographing people and places, and nerd-talking about screenwriting, movies, and art. On most weekends he’s cooking pasta and analyzing F1 races. He loves travelling, and he collects maps and ticket stubs from the places he visits.

Office of Community-Engaged Learning

Suite 1100, First Floor - Ford Collaboratory - Mardigian Library
4901 Evergreen Rd
Dearborn, MI 48128
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