Mint Co-Founders & Board

Alexis Bagley

This 27-year-old artist was born and raised in Detroit. She has created art from a very young age and used her talent in Mint’s Learn and Earn program during her senior year at Cass Tech. She served as a team leader for the Mint Creative Summer Jobs program for the last two virtual years. She loves to travel and creating Afro-futurism in her creative work. Alexis is currently attending college full-time and has served as Mint’s board vice president and president.

Kelly O’Neill, Board President

A retired General Motors marketing professional, Kelly O’Neill is an artist and sculptor whose work is sold at galleries and art fairs. She had a booth across from Mint Artists at the Funky Ferndale Art Fair in 2017 and soon after became a Mint Ambassador. O’Neill has created many Mint videos on our YouTube channel. She has served as Mint’s marketing director, a volunteer role before becoming board president in 2024. Photo credit: Emma Burchusel

Vickie Elmer, Executive Director

Elmer has accelerated Mint’s growth during the pandemic by hiring more youth and engaging more funders. A freelance writer and editor who focuses on careers and business, she co-founded the organization and leads it day to day. She also started the Magic of Art in Palmer Park in 2015 and is an active volunteer with People for Palmer Park, SHARE Detroit‘s Leadership group and more. (Photo credit: Nick Hagen)

Hubert Massey, Co-founder

Massey is a revered Detroit artist and muralist.  He is the creator of major mosaics, frescos and murals in Detroit, Flint, and elsewhere. He loves working with young people. Hhs son Matthew participated in our 2015 program and his daughter Lia participated with Mint in 2018-2019. Mint Artists helped with his first street mural downtown; see more in this video.

Santana Malnaik

 Santana Malnaik is a graduate of the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. She served on the President’s Advisory Committee on Public Art (PAConPA), assisting in curating the University’s collection of public arts. An artist herself and passionate about accessibility to the arts, she worked with Integrity Shows for three years, where she was introduced to Mint. Now based in New York, Santana works in the fashion industry. 

Brian Moore is the director of business development and diversity for Flex Automotive. An engineer by training and management consultant who often works in supplier diversity received the 2020 Corp! Magazine “Diversity Business Leader” Award. He also serves on the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directors and is co-owner of Massey & Moore Art, with Mint co-founder Hubert Massey.  He is leading our corporate sponsorship development initiative.

Toni Topp

Toni Topp is a full-time student currently studying marketing at Queens University of Charlotte. She joined Mint as a summer marketing intern through the University of Michigan’s Wolverine Pathways program and returned during her senior year of high school. She also became a part of the Learn & Earn program the summer before she began her freshman year of college.

Charlene Uresy

Charlene Uresy is an artist known for her colorful clothing and jewelry, her vibrant smile, and her ample use of ancient African symbols on repurposed furniture. She sells her beautiful work, furniture and photographs, in fine art fairs and a few galleries. Charlene often takes photos at art and cultural events around Detroit and shares them on Facebook.

Linda Whitaker

A retired Detroit Public Schools principal, Linda Whitaker, has a leadership role in the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club. She loves youth and art and she and her husband, David, have one of the best private collections of art in the Detroit. Linda helped Mint create its signature fundraiser Mint Masterpieces, held in a major collector’s home.