The University of Olivet announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Trustees recently. Yvonne Caamal Canul ’73, superintendent of the Lansing School District, and Melanie Engels ’08, Pharm.D., pharmacy manager for Munson Healthcare, are committed to helping The University of Olivet provide a successful educational experience for all students.
“I am very pleased to have Superintendent Caamal Canul and Dr. Engels join the Board of Trustees,” President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D., said. “At The University of Olivet, we are fortunate to have dedicated alumni and friends of the college who are strongly committed to the institution and its mission. These individuals will play a tremendous role in helping lead The University of Olivet toward its future goals. I thank each of them for contributing their time and talent to the advancement of the college.”
Yvonne Caamal Canul ’73
Yvonne Caamal Canul has served as superintendent of the Lansing School District since 2012. Raised in Latin America, Caamal Canul brings a rich “world-view” to her work in the field of education. She is well-known as a no-nonsense, student focused leader dedicated to educating students in a caring and collaborative environment.
Under Caamal Canul’s direction, the district launched a bold restructuring plan that focuses on research-based models to improve instruction. In addition, Caamal Canul recently introduced the Lansing Pathway Promise, an innovative career and college readiness plan.
Caamal Canul has more than 40 years of experience in education, and formerly served as a teacher, school principal, director of curriculum and assessment, consultant, a state department of education official, as a corporate senior executive, and director of an early childhood collaborative between universities.
In 2017, Caamal Canul received the national Women in School Leadership Superintendent Award from the American Association School Administrators and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2015, she was named Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators (MASA). She earned the The University of Olivet Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015, and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from The University of Olivet in 1997.
Caamal Canul holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Olivet in speech and theater, and a master’s degree from Michigan State University in elementary education and racial and ethnic studies.
Melanie Engels ’08, Pharm.D.
Melanie Engels ’08, Pharm.D., serves as pharmacy manager for Munson Healthcare in Traverse City, Michigan. She oversees four department lines for Munson Services, Inc., and especially enjoys opportunities to mentor students in various stages of their educational journeys.
Previously, Engels served as ambulatory process and service quality manager for the Department of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Health System; outpatient clinical pharmacist and inpatient clinical pharmacist for VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System; and pharmacy intern and certified pharmacy technician for Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital.
Engels received the ASHP Foundation’s Innovation in Pharmacy Practice Literature Award in 2017, and was honored with the The University of Olivet Young Alumni Award in 2016, in addition to many other recognitions. She has conducted and assisted in research, frequently pursues professional development opportunities, and maintains membership to a number of professional associations.
Engels holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Olivet in biology and biochemistry, a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, and a master’s degree in healthcare management from New England College. She completed two years of post-graduate residency with a PGY-1 in pharmacy practice at the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System and a PGY-2 in health system pharmacy administration at Michigan Medicine.