Earlier this month, The Kresge Foundation welcomed Jan Delatorre and Demetrius L. Starling as its newest program officers, each bringing deep experience serving diverse communities.

Delatorre has joined Kresge as a program officer supporting the Health Program. He comes to the foundation from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, where he worked to expand access to healthy food and wellness opportunities for children, families and communities. He has also worked with the Michigan Public Health Institute as an affiliate to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on nutrition, chronic disease and HIV prevention.

According to Delatorre, his background as a Filipino immigrant and experience studying the traditional concept of “kapwa” (a shared identify or self in others) have given him a different perspective when approaching his work.

“Applying the concept to health philanthropy means leading with reflection not reaction, spending time with communities without an agenda, helping build cultures of care, rethinking accountability to include trust, connection and reciprocity, and modeling shared humanity through shared learning and experience,” he said. “I hope that by listening more, dictating less, and considering relationships as both process and outcome, I can meaningfully contribute to Kresge’s mission.”

Delatorre earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and master’s in public health, both from Michigan State University. In addition, he earned a master’s in European politics from Lunds Universitet in Sweden, where he studied the role of advocacy networks in protecting the rights of political minorities. He currently serves on the board of Communities in Schools Michigan.

Starling is the foundation’s newest program officer in the Human Services Program, previously serving as the senior deputy director of children services for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, he led Michigan’s statewide child welfare system, including Children’s Protective Services, foster care, adoption, licensing, guardianship, family preservation, prevention and juvenile justice programs.

Also a 2024 Aspen Ascend Fellow, Starling brings nearly 30 years of experience in public and private child welfare. Nationally, he is a steering committee member on the American Bar Association’s National Advisory Board, addressing overreporting and overrepresentation of children of color in child welfare. He also serves on the National Partnership for Child Safety Executive Advisory Group.

He explained that the way he works relative to equity positions himself uniquely for this new role at Kresge.

“Providing resources and supports for disenfranchised communities, and exploring innovative ways to reshape how we assist with community sustainability, will inform my work at Kresge going forward,” he said. “I’m extremely energized and excited about meeting team members across the foundation and seeing how their work intersects with the human services program area.”

A native of Flint, Michigan, Starling earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University. He is also a graduate of the Sankofa Institute for African American Executive & Emerging Child Welfare Leaders’ first cohort.