View the Full List of the 2010 Honorary & Host Committee
View the List of 2010 Spring Tribute Sponsors
Presented by
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Congratulations to the following 2010 Legacy Award Recipients
Community Service & Leadership Award
Steve Siporin, MBA, JD, CPA
Steve Siporin has been an active member of the health care industry for thirty-five years, and specifically, the brain injury community for more than seventeen years. He started his career as a hospital auditor, moving from a regional firm to a national public accounting firm in 1975. Over the years, Steve has held positions as a Chief Financial Officer and then a business owner in 1993. Since beginning Siporin & Associates, Inc. (SAI), his commitment has been unwavering to help those whose lives have been irrevocably changed by injuries. His visionary thinking in the fields of Care Management and Guardianship has positively impacted both Courts and head injury programs.
With Steve’s leadership, Siporin & Associates, Inc. has grown in scope, specializing in Guardianship and a unique Care Management program for disabled individuals. SAI provides a wide range of services. These include creating personal relationships with the clients, as well as advocating for their legal and financial needs. This brand of Care Management is expansive and diversified. It utilizes both Steve’s breadth of academic training and his special ability to communicate with people. He brings integrity to every situation and encourages collaboration on and communication among the wide spectrum of professionals and families.
The road to rehabilitation can be overwhelming. Steve is a well respected specialist in the advocacy of survivors of motor vehicle accidents who have suffered traumatic brain injury and physical disability. His Court appointments for guardianships and conservatorships range from Lenawee County to Otsego County and from Wayne County to Ingham County. While most of his clientele is within Michigan, his care extends out of State. Steve also provides care to veterans and other individuals who have sustained brain trauma unrelated to motor vehicle accidents, including prolonged substance abuse.
Throughout his career, Steve has volunteered as a member of numerous Boards of Directors and related brain injury committees. In addition, he is recognized as an expert in the fields of Guardianship and Care Management, and is approved as an instructor to provide continuing education for nurses and rehabilitation professionals. Brain injured individuals and their families benefit from his on-going participation in seminars and speaking, at the Court’s request, in mandated classes for Guardians and Conservators.
Steve received his Bachelor of Science in Management, from Oakland University, his Masters in Business Administration in Finance and Accounting, from Wayne State University and his law degree from the University of Detroit. In addition to his degrees, Steve is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
Steve and Karen have been married for thirty years, and have worked together for more than seventeen years. They have two children, Elizabeth (Liz) and Robert (Bobby).Professional Service Award
Deborah L. Newton
Deborah Newton is a dynamic leader who inspires her colleagues and her clients with her life because she practices what she preaches. She is a gifted encourager who inspires others to develop and utilize their own gifts and talents. Debbie is the owner of Newton Consulting Incorporated and co-owner of Community Links Incorporated. She is a highly respected leader in the community and in the field of case management. Debbie’s sphere of influence extends far beyond the borders of Michigan and she has touched countless lives across America with her winsome ways.
Debbie is the owner of Newton Consulting Incorporated and co-owner of Community Links Incorporated. Both of these companies reflect her standards of excellence and compassion for others.
Her compassion for others was kindled during the many years she worked in the auto insurance industry in the state of Michigan. She saw the pressing need to define medical case management in order to meet the needs of those who had sustained catastrophic injuries. In response to those needs, Debbie created Newton Consulting Incorporated in 1994 so she could provide quality care with compassion to these individuals and their families.
Debbie has expanded Newton Consulting in order to meet the ever increasing needs of the catastrophically injured and now offers vocational rehabilitation and educational support in addition to medical case management. Debbie consistently seeks to improve the quality of care to her clients and is willing to go to any lengths to do so. In fact, she even took Newton Consulting to Florida so she could provide case management services to her clients who go south for the winter.
Debbie’s keen eye for the needs of her clients led to the concept of Community Links. Colleague Julie Smith shared Debbie’s vision for supervised independent living for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. After months of hard work and collaboration, Community Links opened its doors in Traverse City in February of 2000. This site was chosen to launch this unique program because Debbie and Julie saw the great need and limited resources available to the brain injured in northern Michigan. Ten years later, there are four satellite offices providing services throughout the state.
Debbie’s life reflects her dedication and commitment to the advancement of the cause of those who have suffered brain injuries. She has been actively involved with the Brain Injury Association of Michigan for many years. She has held the office of Treasurer for two years and currently serves as Vice Chairman.
In her spare time Debbie enjoys traveling with her husband. She is also an accomplished golfer and competes in travel tennis leagues. Debbie’s special love for fishing has taken her to some of the world’s most exciting places. She cannot resist the thrill of deep sea fishing and has caught and released many trophy quality species.
Debbie owes her success to the love and support of her husband Kim and the dedication of her family.
