TRAVERSE CITY — Karlene Kuhn of Traverse City is one of 33 Michiganders selected for a Governor’s Service Award in 2026.
Kuhn, a nonprofit administrator at the Public Health Institute Center for Health Leadership & Impact, will be honored for her commitment to service and volunteerism at the statewide ceremony Nov. 19 in Flint. She is one of five recipients of an Outstanding National Service Impact Award given to people or groups that that successfully support AmeriCorps members or veterans.
As AmeriCorps VISTA Hub program manager, Kuhn oversees program operations in recruiting AmeriCorps members across the country to serve their respective communities, including those locally at Traverse City’s Botanic Garden at Historic Park.
She also volunteers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, served on the Traverse City Out of the Darkness Walk Committee and Benzie Area Pride Network advisory committee, and is on the board for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Northern Michigan. Kuhn was a youth program specialist as a Peace Corps volunteer in the south African nation of Eswatini.
She called volunteering with AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA and Peace Corps “a powerful pathway” for both personal growth and stronger communities when announcing the award on social media.
“Today, I’m fortunate to help create those same opportunities for others, and I’m excited to continue exploring how service can open doors, develop leaders, and bring communities together,” she said.