Summer e-News – COTY

Summer e-News – Clerk of the Year

At the summer conference, three members were named Clerk of the Year. Cortney Hanson, of the City of Novi, was named City Clerk of the Year; Rachelle Enbody, of Pere Marquette Charter Township, was named Township Clerk of the Year; and D’Sjonaun Hockenhull, of the City of Romulus, was named Deputy Clerk of the Year. See bios below.

Cortney Hanson
Cortney began her municipal clerk as a junior in high school working part-time in 2003. In 2006, she moved into a full-time position in the City Clerk’s Office and in 2010 she was promoted to Deputy Clerk and finally Clerk in 2016.

Training and mentoring others is a priority of Cortney’s, and throughout the changes implemented by Proposals 18-3 and 22-2, she has worked to create a team-oriented office where they support one another and look for ways to improve.

Cortney regularly conducts outreach in her city to educate residents and voters about laws, processes and accessibility. She has participated in media interviews and podcasts and implemented voter education initiatives to increase awareness of elections. She ensures her team is equipped with knowledge and confidence by encouraging attendance at MAMC and state training opportunities. Training and mentoring others is a priority of Cortney’s, and throughout the changes implemented by Proposals 18-3 and 22-2, she has worked to create a team-oriented office where they support one another and look for ways to improve

Rachelle Enbody
Rachelle has served as the Clerk of Pere Marquette Charter Township since 2010, a role she has excelled in for over 15 years. Prior to assuming her current position, she gained 14 years of valuable experience as an Internal Services Clerk in the City of Ludington Clerk’s Office.

Rachelle has been an active and influential member of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks (MAMC) since 2019, currently serving on its Board of Directors as Vice Chair for Education. From 2013 to 2022, she held the position of Secretary/Treasurer for the Mason County Clerks Association, further establishing her leadership within the clerking community.

Known for her dedication to education and mentorship, Rachelle consistently supports her colleagues. As noted by her Deputy Clerk, Kara Jehl, Rachelle routinely makes time to assist newer clerks seeking guidance, whether in-person or remotely. She is widely respected for encouraging her peers to pursue educational opportunities, even in the face of the financial challenges rural communities often face in attending training sessions.

D’Sjonaun Hockenhull
D’Sjonaun was nominated by his Clerk, Ellen Craig-Bragg, and by Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight. Both nominations called out D’Sjonaun’s leadership, knowledge, and commitment to the profession. Clerk Craig-Bragg stated, “his ability to build strong relationships with colleagues, elected officials, and community leaders contributes to a positive work environment.”

D’Sjonaun started his career off in 2007 working at the 34^th District Court up until September of 2020. In September of 2020 he was appointed as the Deputy Clerk while in the midst of the 2020 Presidential Election. He was elected Treasurer of the Association of Wanye County Clerks in 2023. Along with all of this, he is the treasurer of the Juneteenth Planning Committee and member of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Planning Committee for the City of Romulus. D’Sjonaun currently sits on the MML Municipal Services Committee and the MML Municipal Services Subcommittee on Elections where he offers a Clerk’s perspective on bills introduced by the legislature. His goal in this is to elevate the voices of Clerks in other domains of government while using relevant connections to solve complex issues