Public Affairs Council

John L. Kaczynski serves as the Executive Director of Governmental and Community Affairs at Saginaw Valley State University. In this role, he represents SVSU in Washington DC and Lansing, as well as in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Prior to his role in Governmental Affairs, he served as an Assistant Professor of Political Science, as well as the Director of the Center for Public Policy & Service. He been serving on the team at SVSU since 2005. Since serving in his current role, Mr. Kaczynski has been able to advocate for many programs and projects at SVSU. These include funding for the Carmona College of Business, Brown Hall and the Lake Huron Environmental Sciences Research Station. As well, he has been able to advocate for many financial aid programs including the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, MI Future Teachers Fellowship and funding to improve the transfer pipeline for nursing students between community colleges and universities. Outside of advocacy efforts in Lansing and Washington DC, John helps lead the SVSU Public Affairs Council, SVSU Board of Fellows and various other community functions with the Governmental and Community Affairs Team. Mr. Kaczynski currently serves as Chairperson for the Michigan Works Association Statewide Board of Directors and Vice-Chair for the Michigan Political History Society. He also serves on the Michigan College Access Network Board of Directors, as well as on the Michigan Political Leadership Program Advisory Board. In the Great Lakes Bay Region, he serves on the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce and the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Boards of Directors. He is also a member of Frankenmuth Rotary and serves on the Frankenmuth City Council. John is a current student in the Higher Education Administration Ph.D. program at the University of Toledo. He also holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University; and is a graduate of the Michigan Political Leadership Program. He resides in Frankenmuth with his spouse, Martha and their son, George.

Lex Hallberg serves as the Assistant Director of Community Affairs, where she is instrumental in connecting the university with the local community. Her work focuses on creating and strengthening partnerships that enhance engagement and collaboration. Outside of her professional role, Lex is an active community member with a strong passion for the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. She serves on the service unit and co-leads her daughter's troop, demonstrating her commitment to both youth development and community involvement. Lex’s efforts to build impactful relationships reflect her dedication to fostering a supportive and engaged community both on and off campus.

J.J. Boehm has served as the director of media and community relations at Saginaw Valley State University since 2003. Active in public relations, he chairs the public information officers committee for the Presidents Council State Universities of Michigan and is the immediate past president of the White Pine chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Boehm is a graduate of leadership programs in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region. He received the President's Award from the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce in 2010 for leading a successful campaign to renew support for the Dow Event Center. Boehm was also honored as one of the top young professionals in the region with a RUBY award. In the community, Boehm chairs the communications committee for the United Way of Bay County and serves on the board of the Peace Lutheran Church and School Foundation. Prior to SVSU, he had an award-winning broadcast journalism career at WSGW radio and continues to provide play-by-play for SVSU football. Boehm holds degrees from Valparaiso University and Saginaw Valley State University.