Cheryl Pehkonen, CBIS; Vice President of Client Services
Cheryl has worked in health care for over 30 years and she has been with Feinberg Consulting supporting catastrophically injured clients since 1996. She is also a member of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan. Cheryl holds a certification as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. In her spare time, Cheryl enjoys serving her community as a Soccer Coach for girls and holds a USSF “D” License for Soccer. Cheryl is also a Michigan Master Gardener trained through MSU Extension. When not at work, Cheryl enjoys spending her time with family, reading, gardening, and of course SOCCER! Cheryl is dedicated to working with the clients and families of Feinberg Consulting because “being in a position to assist others is very important to me.”
Jackie Katz; Vice President of Operations
Jackie holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Education K-9 Provisional with a major in Social Sciences, and a minor in Math and English. Her experience includes owning and operating a licensed childcare, teaching SAT/ACT workshops to college bound students, working as the Director of the printing Department for David’s Office Supply, Inc., and as a teacher for Berkley Public Schools with a focus on teaching current events for Senior Citizens. Jackie has won an award as Farmington Families in Action School Representative of the Year and she supports children in her community as a PTA Past President and Board Member and Room Parent, including as a leader for WordMasters and Jr Great Books. She also supports her community as a member of Temple Israel and as a Book Fair Volunteer. Jackie is also an avid cheerleader to her husband, Steve’s and daughter, Rachel’s marathon running. In her spare time, Jackie enjoys hiking, reading, travel and spending time with her husband and four children. “It is important to me to be a part of an organization that positively impacts society. Feinberg Consulting provides advocates for people when they are in a time of stress and helps them reach their potential to provide them with the best outcomes with so much dignity and respect. I am proud to be a part of this team of strong, intelligent individuals who are always looking for creative solutions and new ideas to help others.”
John Cotcher; Director of Marketing
John graduated from Oakland University with a B.S. in General Management and minors in Marketing, Management Information Systems, Production Operations Management, and a concentration in Finance. He is a licensed Property and Casualty Producer and is pursuing a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. He found his passion for marketing after working in his family’s insurance agency as their Marketing Representative and IT Consultant. Through an illness in John’s family, he learned of Feinberg Consulting and the unique services. He said, “I found out how valuable Feinberg Consulting was to people who were not as fortunate as I was – those who didn’t have the tremendous support system which was available to me.” John started a small volleyball club in Milford which has grown to over 86 players in the past year. He enjoys golfing, reading, writing (specifically novels and flash-fiction), skiing, weight-lifting, gardening, boating, traveling, physics, running, baseball, triathlons, and is always looking for something new to challenge himself with. “Feinberg Consulting is the perfect fit for me. When I realized the type of quality individuals working here I knew that my marketing efforts would be simple; all I needed to do was show people the value, expertise, and genuine empathy that I saw in this company. I’m proud to be a member of a team who places the emphasis of their business on improving their clients’ quality of life.”
Susan Schram Steinberg; Director of Community and Public Relations
Susie graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She has experience in advertising, public relations, gallery installations, and office administration. Susie worked as a graphic designer and calligrapher while raising her family, allowing her to be a stay at home and a working mom at the same time! She has been very active in the schools, is a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of Jewish Senior Living, and a life member of the University of Michigan Alumnae Association. Susie has volunteered her time for the American Heart Association, JARC and the American Cancer Society; and supports the IDF, DIA, and the Friendship Circle. Susie enjoys spending time with her family and friends. When asked why she chose the care management field as her profession, she said, “I didn’t choose it… we found each other and it is a very good fit. I have great respect for our Care Managers and what they do for their clients. It is a privilege to go out into our community and educate people about the options that are available to them as they age or experience challenges and changes in their health status. Feinberg Consulting’s care management is about creativity, collaboration, compassion, health, relationships and constant learning. I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Annette Rubinstein; Internal Revenue Manager
Annette holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, and dedicated her early career to teaching math. After retirement from education, she came to work as an accounting liaison with Feinberg Consulting. Annette spends her time away from the office tutoring students in math, working out, boating, traveling, cooking and baking.
Melissa Letwinski; Lead Case Coordinator
Melissa has worked in the automotive industry for fourteen years. Prior to that, she spent ten years as a floral designer. She is currently attending Oakland Community College in pursuit of an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies and has achieved placement on the Dean’s List. Attention to detail, strong organizational skills and an ability to easily adapt to varying projects are the valuable strengths Melissa brings to her work at Feinberg Consulting. She is an active participant in her community through Walks for Autism and volunteering at her children’s school. She is a PTA Member and is active with The Arc of Oakland Country, which supports advocacy for people of every age who have cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. Melissa has been married for thirteen years and has a son who has autism; is caring for her nephew; and has recently adopted a beagle puppy. When not at work, Melissa enjoys travel, visiting local museums, and sharing teenage excitement with her family. Melissa chose to work with Feinberg Consulting because she says, “having a son with autism opens my heart to advocacy and I enjoy the idea of being part of a team that shares that goal.”
Ann Zubeck; Case Coordinator
Ann graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology from Central Michigan University. Throughout college, she worked on various research projects involving Parkinsons Disease and different anxiety disorders. These studies kindled a passion for advocating for those with neurological disorders. “It was so powerful watching people struggle with day to day activities (that used to be so easy for them) and yet consistently see their drive to never give up. These patients changed how I view my life and made me want to find a way to improve their quality of life.” Ann wanted to join a team that shared her same belief of putting the clients’ needs above all else. “Feinberg Consulting allows me to be involved in picking up the pieces of someone’s life after a catastrophic injury or debilitating disease. It’s a great feeling to work for a company whose purpose is helping those in need.” When she’s not working, Ann loves to go running with her dog, Zoey, play golf, cook, and spend time with her family and friends.
Denise Wilson; Case Coordinator
Over the past 15 years, Denise has worked in the legal and insurance fields. She was an English major at Eastern Michigan University and obtained a Paralegal Certificate from Daytona State College. After her own son was diagnosed as a special needs child, Denise was overwhelmed with the process of securing all of the needs associated with his condition. This experience gave her a new outlook and understanding of the needs of her clients. Becoming a part of Feinberg Consulting gave her the opportunity to put this new passion into action while assisting our clients to improve their overall quality of life. Outside of work, Denise is a “Football mom” through and through. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, cooking, traveling and writing fiction short stories and poetry.
Jessica Smithling; Case Coordinator
Jessica has a Paralegal Certificate from Boston University and has worked in the Insurance and Automotive industries for 20 years. She was drawn to working with Feinberg Consulting due to losing several close family members to long, drawn out illnesses. After first-hand experience with the strain it puts on families dealing with mountains of paperwork, Insurance companies and doctors, she appreciates what a gift it is to have a qualified Case Manager. Jessica spends her time away from the office with her husband, her precious puppy Schatzie, and two cats. Her hobbies include; cooking, baking, antiquing, photography, and travel. She has been to 5 continents, approximately 30 countries and 36 states.
Susan Yvonne Szerlag; Case Coordinator
Over the past 15 years, Susan has worked as a medical transcriptionist with a group of university-affiliated psychiatrists, where she amassed tremendous understanding of both mental illnesses in general and traumatic brain injury in particular, studying their effect on families and recovery following a catastrophe. She has extensive experience with independent medical examinations for workers compensation, Social Security disability, auto accident insurance claims and veteran’s disability law. Prior, she worked as a technical editor in the automotive industry, ensuring accuracy and adherence to specification of product service information. Throughout her career, Susan has been instrumental in supporting her employers in their quests for quality certification and organizational accreditation, developing processes for performance improvements. Susan shares her life with her husband, two teenagers, and three cats. She enjoys classical music, fine art, and new recipes. She is an avid supporter of her son’s ice hockey team. She derives immense personal satisfaction from providing support for providers in the caring profession.
Lindsay Foon; Administrative Assistant to CEO and Marketing Team
Lindsay Foon is a graduate of Central Michigan University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Human Development, cum laude. She also holds a post baccalaureate Paralegal Certificate from Oakland Community College’s ABA approved Paralegal Program. Lindsay’s passion for helping others stems from her previous experience in the legal field working in law firms focusing on estate planning and elder law, including long term care coordination, veterans benefits, medicaid planning and asset preservation. She also worked closely with clients, insurance agents, financial advisors and the County Recorders Office. Lindsay’s primary role is to assist the CEO and Marketing/Public Relations Department with a focus on SEO, E-marketing, EDDM, CRM database support, and Social Media. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading true crime dramas and spending time with her family.
Jessalyn Seramur; Human Resources Coordinator
Jessalyn graduated with a B.A. in Communication and Advertising from Michigan State University in 2008. Since graduation, Jessalyn has worked for Best Buy and The Hershey Company where she held several unique positions. The majority of her career has been in sales management where she was responsible for hiring, training, sales strategies, and ultimately growing the business. Through working in many different positions Jessalyn found her passion for human resources, and marketing, and she diligently searched to find the perfect company and position to elevate her career. “My goal was to find a company dedicated to helping people, and where I could utilize my previous experience to the fullest potential.” In her free time Jessalyn loves going to the gym, running, cycling, camping, and playing games with her friends and family.
