Amelia Albanelli is a strategic communications and media professional with a strong background in brand partnerships, event coordination, and nonprofit engagement. She has served on the First Tee – Greater Detroit Emerging Leaders Committee for three years, bringing her passion for youth development and community impact to support the organization’s mission of building confidence and life skills through the game of golf.

Amelia’s career spans roles in client services and partnerships, including experience with the Rocket Classic (Rocket Mortgage Classic), where she contributed to sponsorship strategy and event activation. She has also worked across marketing, brand alliance, and communications roles in sports, lifestyle, and media sectors, developing meaningful stakeholder relationships and delivering impactful experiences.

A graduate of Miami University, Amelia studied Sports Management and Leadership, equipping her with a foundation in strategic thinking, teamwork, and community-focused leadership.

In her free time, Amelia enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and exploring new restaurants across Metro Detroit. She is committed to cultivating opportunities for youth and engaging diverse partners to expand First Tee’s reach across the region.

Josh is a Risk Advisor at Gibson Insurance whose practice is tailored to helping leaders in adoption, foster care, and long-term care address the operational and financial challenges of property and casualty insurance, especially around complex liability, limited carrier appetite, and alternative risk or captive strategies.

Golf has been a big part of his recreational and professional life for over 25 years, after being introduced to the game by a family friend in middle school. Josh and his wife, Colleen, played golf almost weekly during the season until welcoming their first child in early 2025.

In addition to his volunteering with the First Tee of Greater Detroit, Josh serves as Treasurer of the Michigan State University Executive MBA Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a member of the reigning 2025 DAC Men’s Bowling Championship Team.

Michael Dery is the executive VP of sales with Pocketnest, whose mission is to end financial illiteracy and provide everyone a path to financial wellness via technology. He has spent my career helping clients solve business challenges and bridge the
gaps in their organizations with solutions that leverage data to answer critical questions.

He has spent the past years supporting the FTGD via the Emerging Leaders Committee by sourcing sponsorships for the Masters Watch Party & First Tee Golf Outing. Outside of the FTGD, He serves on the Executive Committee for the ACS Detroit Select Golf Outing – the largest fundraiser in Southeast Michigan for the American Cancer Society.

Stephen Girard is a sports and entertainment executive with 10+ years of experience leading revenue and partnership initiatives for iconic venues, global events, and professional sports franchises, including One World Trade Center, SoFi Stadium, Super Bowl LVI, and Detroit’s premier professional teams.

Stephen currently serves as Manager of Partnership Sales at Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, where he leads monetization and strategic partnership efforts across the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, several iconic music venues, and the Los Angeles Golf Club in the TGL, among other properties.

Blake Kiefer is an account manager at Trace3, an IT solutions provider, supporting organizations through emerging technology and also serves on the board of the Kiefer Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ending distracted driving. 

He is an avid golfer and active participant in the DAC hockey and bowling leagues, and is proud to support youth development and safer communities through the First Tee of Greater Detroit.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Tom McInerney is the Vice President of Partnerships for the Motor City Golf Club. Tom focuses on leading corporate partnerships, hospitality sales, and brand activation. In addition to First Tee – Greater Detroit, Tom currently sits on boards for BuildUp STEAM & Chicago Reach.

Jason Pearsall grew up in a golf operations family in West Michigan and has worked every job at a club. After founding and selling an e-commerce company in 2010, he invested in and became a managing partner of Flushing Valley Golf & Country Club near Flint, Michigan.

He later founded Golfler, a mobile ordering and tee sheet platform acquired by Supreme Golf, and co-founded Club Caddie, a leading golf course management SaaS platform acquired by Jonas Software in 2020, where he remains CEO.

In 2022, Pearsall took over the restoration and management of Warren Valley Golf Course, a Donald Ross design in metro Detroit, which reopened to the public in Spring 2023 after a two-year closure.

Lauren Pulte is the president and owner of Lauren Pulte Communications, LLC, a strategic communications consultancy helping mission-driven brands, sports organizations, and nonprofits communicate with clarity and confidence. A trusted communications advisor, PR strategist, and award-winning video producer, Lauren brings more than 15 years of experience in the sports, media, and tech industries. She began her career in Washington, DC as a producer for C-SPAN and POLITICO and went on to lead corporate communications and PR for notable media companies including Tribune Publishing and “America’s Finest News Source”, The Onion.

Lauren has worked across youth, collegiate, and professional sports, serving as Director of PR and Communications for the world’s largest college recruiting platform, NCSA College Recruiting, and as a communications consultant for premier sports organizations including NFL FLAG and Rivals.com. She was integral in the success of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, helping lead all strategic and crisis communications for the Detroit Local Organizing Committee. Working on behalf of the Detroit Sports Commission, Lauren helped gain media exposure for the city of Detroit as a premier sports destination.

Lauren is involved in several Detroit-area non-profits including Christ Child Society of Detroit and the Pope Francis Center. She is passionate about volunteering with children and is a proud adaptive ski instructor for the Adaptive Ski Association of Western Michigan (ASAWM).

Lee is an Avid golfer and contributing member of the golf community through my work as IT Manager of Orange Tree Golf Club in Orlando Florida. Recently joined the Greens Committee at Plum Hollow Country Club here in Michigan where I have been a member for the past five years. First tee has given me the opportunity to help grow the game by raising support and awareness in the community.

Hannah Wolf is a medical device sales professional with over 10 years of experience leading with integrity and building strong relationships in high-performance environments. She is passionate about making the life lessons learned through sports accessible to young people and is thankful to serve the community on the FTGD Emerging Leaders Committee. She also volunteers with SOS Outreach through Detroit Public Schools, and the Heart of Christ Clinic. In her personal time she enjoys spending it with friends and family, skiing, learning the game of golf, and adventuring with her Bernedoodle, Dolly.