New Hires
Photos ©2021 by Bennie White
WELCOME!
OVER THE LAST YEAR THE CITY OF OAK PARK HAS WELCOMED several new faces to the leadership team, including Human Resources & Labor Relations Director Megan Burke, Library Director Kimberly Schaaf & Communications and Public Information Director Courtney Flynn. These staffing updates will continue to ensure Oak Park remains in line with its commitment to excellence, innovation and high-quality service.
“I am proud of the team we have in Oak Park, as we all work to meet the needs of Oak Park residents and continuously look for ways to improve how we deliver our services,” said City Manager Erik Tungate. “The additions of Directors Burke, Schaaf and Flynn to our team have solidified our culture of excellence in this City and make me confident we are blazing a bright trail for the future.”
MEGAN “MEG” BURKE
MEGAN “MEG” BURKE IS AN EXPERIENCED HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) PROFESSIONAL, who came to the City of Oak Park with knowledge from both the private and public sectors.
She attended Wayne State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, and in 2020 she completed a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, with a concentration in Human Resources. She began working in the City of Oak Park in August 2020.
Burke’s philosophy on HR is that empathy, humility and relationships are the foundation of Human Resources, and that focusing on these principles creates a productive, safe, and comfortable working-environment. Some of her favorite aspects of the job include labor relations, compliance review, contract/proposal writing, and benefit administration. She holds various certifications, including:
• Certified Labor Relations Leader (CLRL): Michigan State University.
• Certified Professional in Public Sector Human Resources (IPMA-CP): International Public Management Association of Human Resources.
• Yellow Belt in Lean Six Sigma: Six Sigma Global Institute.
• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Adult & Youth: National Behavioral Council.
Burke serves on the Board of Directors for both Macomb County Community Mental Health (MCCMH) and the Michigan Public Employer Labor Relations Association (MPELRA) and is an active member of Woodside Bible Church in Troy.
She lives with her husband, Tim, an IBEW Local 58 electrician, in Chesterfield Township. She enjoys golfing, traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with family and friends.
KIMBERLY SCHAAF
KIMBERLY SCHAAF JOINED THE OAK PARK TEAM IN THE SPRING OF 2021, with a wealth of knowledge related to libraries and program. Prior to taking on the Director of Library role at the Oak Park Library, Schaaf served as the Head of Adult Services at Springfield Township Library.
Overall, she has 14 years of library experience. Schaaf is also professionally involved in the Library Network Committees Group and serves current chair of the Shared System Users Group.
In addition to her library experience, Schaaf also has several years of corporate business management experience and holds degrees and certifications in the following:
• Bachelor of Arts in English with a specialization in secondary education, University of Michigan.
• Master of Library Science: Wayne State University.
• Professional Level One Librarian Certificate: The Library of Michigan.
• Certificate in Library Community Assessment.
Schaaf is married with two teenage boys. In her free time she enjoys gardening, hiking, doing mixed media art projects and spending time with family.
COURTNEY FLYNN
COURTNEY FLYNN JOINS THE CITY OF OAK PARK’S MANAGEMENT TEAM as the Director of Communications. She formerly served as Public Relations Manager for the Macomb County Board of Commissioners.
She is well-versed in government communications with an emphasis on community engagement and programming, crisis communications, media relations and policy analysis. Prior to serving in the public sector, Courtney served as a local government and education journalist.
She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Print Journalism from Bowling Green State University. In addition to her extensive communications experience, Courtney woks with the Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies analyzing socioeconomic data and policies.
In her free time, Flynn enjoys walking her dog, road trips centered around hiking, live music and finding the best places to eat.
