Mission Statement

Students for Life of Michigan (SFLM) is an organization of pro-life college students formed to promote a culture of life on college campuses in Michigan. We serve as a resource for pro-life college students, as we work to form new Students for Life groups on campus and build communication among existing groups in Michigan. We also aim to raise awareness about pregnancy, parenting, and adoption resources available to college students, as well as support for those suffering from an abortion experience.

Student Officers

President – David Denyer (University of Michigan)
E-mail: denyer@sflmichigan.org

David Denyer, a Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Science (pre-med) major, is currently in his junior year at the University of Michigan. Prior to his involvement in Students for Life of Michigan, he served as the Public Relations Chair for the Building Bridges to a Culture of Life Conference. He also served as President and Advertising Chair for the University of Michigan Students for Life club. He has attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. for the past four years.

David originally got involved in the pro-life movement when a friend encouraged him to go to the March for Life during his sophomore year of high school. He decided to go and to this day can remember the sights and sounds of the pro-life movement marching to the Supreme Court that year. The importance of the movement really struck him during that trip, and he committed himself to do all he could to further the cause.

Vice President - Erin Biermacher (Michigan State University)
E-mail: biermacher@sflmichigan.org

Erin Biermacher is an Elementary Education and Geography senior at Michigan State University. She has been pro-life her entire life, but recently became active in the pro-life movement during her junior year of college. Erin decided to get involved when her friend became pregnant and felt that her only option was abortion. Erin tried to convince her friend to talk to her parents and help her see that there are other options, but her friend decided to abort anyway. It was really hard on Erin, because she felt helpless in that situation. The next day she was walking to class and saw flyers advertising MSU Students for Life meetings. She instantly became active and says that it was the best decision of her life.

Today, Erin is very active on and off campus. She enjoys volunteering at crisis pregnancy centers and helping women facing unplanned pregnancies. She loves being involved in the pro-life movement and spreading the pro-life message, because life is the most important thing there is and it needs to be cherished.

Public Affairs Officer – Rachel Funk (Michigan State University)
E-mail: funk@sflmichigan.org

Rachel Funk is a junior majoring in International Relations and Psychology at Michigan State University. She has been a member of MSU Students for Life for two and a half years, and has attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C. twice. Rachel got involved in the pro-life movement because she felt compelled to do her part to speak for the voiceless and end the senseless destruction of innocent human life. Rachel believes that future generations will view abortion as we view slavery and the Holocaust today.

Publications Director – Thomas Covington (Michigan State University)
E-mail: covington@sflmichigan.org

Thomas Covington is a junior majoring in Civil Engineering at Michigan State University. He became involved in the pro-life movement when he joined Divine Child High School's Students for Life club. Thomas is actively pro-life because he feels that there is a lack of awareness about the seriousness of abortion in society and that it is generally accepted by society. In college, so many people think that abortion is the only option, and he wants to show them otherwise.

Board of Directors

Katie Wilcox - Chair

Katie Wilcox is currently a student at Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she serves as President of the Republican National Lawyers Association and Vice President of the Italian American Lawyers Society. In the recent elections, Katie served as Chair of Michigan Students for Brownback, then as member of the National Committees for Law Students for McCain and Catholic Students for McCain.

Katie began her involvement in the pro-life movement as a volunteer for Right to Life of Michigan during her junior year of high school. She subsequently founded the Students for Life club at Lansing Catholic High School. In college, Katie planned the first statewide pro-life rally at Michigan State University as a freshman and became Co-President of Michigan State University Students for Life (MSU SFL) that year. She then served as President of MSU SFL for two years, before founding Students for Life of Michigan (SFLM) as a senior in college and serving as President of SFLM during its first year of existence. Katie also held a position as an Outreach Director for Students for Life of America for two years. Throughout college, Katie held leadership positions in several political student organizations, participated in numerous campaigns for pro-life politicians, and interned for pro-life elected officials. Katie currently serves as Chair of the SFLM Board of Directors and is looking forward to working at a law firm in Lansing following graduation.

Joy Yearout - Vice Chair

Joy Yearout is the Political and Legislative Director for the Susan B. Anthony List. Joy is a 2004 graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University. She is responsible for tracking and maintaining relationships with pro-life candidates in Congressional and statewide races who receive SBA List Candidate Fund endorsements. Joy also assists with Congressional outreach by working with various Capitol Hill legislative offices and tracking pro-life legislation.

Prior to joining the Susan B. Anthony List, Joy served as Chief of Staff to State Representatives Robert Gosselin (R-Troy) and Rick Baxter (R-Concord) in the Michigan State Legislature. Joy is past Co-President of Michigan State University Students for Life.

Kelly Harrigan - Secretary

Kelly Harrigan holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Social Sciences from Elmira College and a Juris Doctorate with a concentration in Business Transactions from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She is passionate about the life issue having worked as the Assistant Director of a pro-life women's center in Lansing where she balanced administrative tasks with counseling and empowering clients. Kelly currently serves as Project Manager for the Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative with the Attorney General's Office. Before that, she spent a year traveling the state as Coalitions Director for the DeVos for Governor campaign. Kelly's greatest accomplishment is her nine-year-old son, Ryan.

Joanie Barrett - Treasurer

Joanie Barrett is a student in the Physician Assistant Program at Wayne State University. She has been involved in pro-life activities since childhood with her family, was President of Students for Life at Wayne State during the 2005-2006 school year and President of Students for Life of Michigan during the 2006-2007 school year. She also worked as an intern for Students for Life of America from January-May 2007 and volunteered as a peer-counselor at Imago Dei Crisis Pregnancy Cener from 2004-2006.

Josh Mercer - Member

Josh Mercer was one of the co-founders of Students for Life of Michigan and currently serves on its Board of Directors. For four years, Josh served as Chairman of Students for Life of America (SFLA), and has been involved with SFLA since 2001. Having reported for the National Catholic Register, and worked at the Leadership Institute, Josh has spent many years working in the campus pro-life movement.

One its co-founders, Josh is Communications Director for Fidelis. He also is Director of the Marian Center in Petoskey, Michigan, where he lives with his wife Lori, their daughter Anne, and a second baby due in February. Josh is an alumus of Hillsdale College.