Clemens Named to Michigan Arts and Culture Council’s Rising Leaders Cohort

Randi Clemens, executive administrative assistant and adjunct assistant professor in Northern Michigan University's English Department and an NMU alumna, is one of 16 individuals statewide selected to join the Michigan Arts and Culture Council's 2025-2026 Rising Leaders cohort. Clemens is the only representative from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to be named to this year's group.

The Rising Leaders program, launched in 2018, supports early to mid-career professionals who are shaping the future of arts and culture across Michigan. Over six months, cohort members participate in three intensive sessions focused on self-awareness and self-management, mutual influence, and tools for building inclusive, creative communities.

"I'm most excited about connecting with the other members of the cohort," Clemens said. "The program provides a unique opportunity to become acquainted with other Michiganders who are doing new and exciting work in the arts all across the state. I hope that my participation not only makes me a stronger leader, but will further shape me into someone who passionately shares and encourages the arts on campus and in the greater Marquette community."

Clemens is a poet, editor and educator whose creative and professional work spans multiple disciplines. She holds a bachelor's in creative writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's in poetry from NMU.

Her editorial experience includes roles with Ninth Letter and Passages North, and she currently serves as associate editor for Lammergeier Magazine. Clemens is also the communications manager for the Upper Peninsula Poet Laureate Foundation, advisor to the NMU Creative Writing Club, a writing juror for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and a dancer with Queen City Ballet Company. Her debut chapbook, Conjuring a Ghost & Other Ways to Ruin Your Teeth, was published in 2022 by Harvard Square Press.

"I was absolutely elated when I found out that I was chosen for the 2025-2026 Michigan Arts and Culture's Rising Leaders Program," Clemens explained. "I'm always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow as both a creative and an arts advocate, so it is such an honor to be selected."

"The 2025-2026 Rising Leaders cohort reflects the depth of talent and passion found across Michigan's creative communities," said Alison Watson, director of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. "We are thrilled to support these 16 individuals as they develop their leadership skills, collaborate across sectors, and help shape the future of arts and culture in our state."