Elizabeth Santer

Secretary

Elizabeth (Beth) Santer is an education professional with a 32-year career dedicated to enriching the lives of students and advancing the field of education. She is a proud graduate of Wayne State University, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and she received her Administration degree with Director Approval from Grand Valley State University.

Beth has a strong passion for ensuring inclusive and effective education, including a deep commitment to student mental health and well-being. She previously served as the Executive Director of Special Services for Northville Public Schools, where she led districtwide social-emotional learning, mental health, and well-being initiatives, including SEL curriculum implementation (PreK–12), universal screening, risk assessments, and partnerships with community agencies.

Beth is currently the Executive Director of Special Education and Early Intervention Services at Wayne RESA, where she provides regional leadership to support districts in building inclusive, compliant, and student-centered systems of special education and early intervention.

She is the former co-founder of Northville CARES (Connecting to Advance Resources, Engagement, and Support) with Amy Prevo, Director of the Northville Youth Network, a collaborative partnership between community agencies and Northville Public Schools focused on supporting the mental health and well-being of Northville youth. Beth has extensive experience with Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, ACT 18 center programming, Section 504 plans, and Title IX coordination.

Beth serves on the NAMI Michigan State Board and is an active member of both the Hope Empowerment Coalition (formerly the Suicide Prevention Coalition) in Wayne County and the state-level suicide prevention coalition. She also provides support to Students Versus Stigma, a student-led suicide prevention coalition, ensuring youth voice remains central to prevention and advocacy efforts.

Beth serves on the boards of the New Hope Center for Grief Support and the Northville Youth Network (NYN) and is a past board member of the Michigan Transition Services Association (MTSA). She has presented and co-presented on a wide range of topics within her areas of expertise at both in-state and out-of-state conferences. Beth was a NAMI award recipient in 2022 and a Wayne County Parent Advisory Committee award recipient in 2018.