The Board

Bill Proctor

William N. (Bill) Proctor, founder of Proving Innocence, is an award-winning journalist, reporter, producer, and anchorperson whose career of nearly thirty-six years spans electronic media, radio, television, and documentaries. He currently holds the position of senior staff reporter for WXYZ-TV in Southfield, MI.

A graduate of the University of Maryland, Bill received his degree in Sociology and Corrections with a minor in Journalism. He has been married to his wife Miranda for more than twenty years. They have three children and three grandchildren.

In the mid-1990s, he produced a series of specials on the slaying of community-college student, Scott Macklem. Through his investigations, Bill became convinced that Frederick Freeman (Temujin Kensu), the man convicted of killing Macklem, was not guilty. His passion for redressing this injustice led Bill to found Proving Innocence in 2007.

You may email Bill by clicking here.

Kate Branham

Kate Branham is an Account Manager with Gale/Cengage Learning, an educational publishing firm.

A graduate of Wayne State University, Kate received her degree in Business Administration and Marketing. She is currently enrolled as a graduate student. (Some folks don’t know when to quit.)

Intimate understanding of crime victim’s rights and psychology, as well as strong family ties to the justice department, Kate has had a lifelong interest in U.S. justice and law.

Kate’s passion is to help improve systemic wrongs in America’s criminal justice and legal systems. Her studies since January 2007 when she attended a grad level course, Wrongful Convictions taught by Marvin Zalman, brought her to Proving Innocence.

You may contact Kate by email by clicking here.

Bill Branham

Bill is the Network Administrator at SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments), working in computer technology.

Growing up in the Chicago area, Bill received a B.A. from Northwestern University.

He has always had a heart for oppressed people, seeking to correct injustices, often one person at a time. When his wife, Kate, took the class Wrongful Convictions taught by Dr. Marvin Zalman at Wayne State University, he became keely interested and after a little exposure felt a calling. After connecting with Bill Proctor, he hasn't looked back.

Bill and Kate have been married for 8 years and have 7 children, ages 16 to 30. You may e-mail Bill by clicking here.

Michelle Jacobs

Michelle has had her own unfortunate experience with wrongful conviction. Her younger brother, Roy, currently is serving prison time in Pennsylvania for crimes he did not commit. After witnessing the devastation wrought by a justice system that too often fails the innocent, Michelle sought out Proving Innocence and offered her support. At present, she is living in the Detroit area while finishing her doctoral degree in sociology at Kent State University.

Michelle is assisting PI with its social networking efforts.

You may email Michelle by clicking here.

Jerry Rowe

Jerry is a retired Manager of Transportation Programs with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments with nearly 40 years of urban planning experience. He is a Detroit native, a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography, and of Wayne State University with a Master of Urban Planning.

Among his other involvements, he is a Certified Professional Community Planner (PCP) in the State of Michigan. He continues to serve as a member of the Sterling Heights (MI) Planning Commission with 21 years of service. He is a member of the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP), a chapter of the American Planning Association and serves as chair of the MAP Planning Law Committee. A long time member of Bethany Lutheran Church, he now serves as the congregation board chair. He is married to Pat. They have two children and six grandchildren.

When asked by a work colleague to participate with Proving Innocence in a planning capacity, he did not hesitate and enjoys working with committee members.

You may email Jerry by clicking here.

Pat Rowe

Pat has been an accountant and Office Manager for the Frederick S. Ford, Jr. family, including their Triford Foundation, for over 24 years, bringing tremendous experience in the financial workings of a 501(c)3.

She is a native of Detroit and attended Cleary College.

Her other interests include being a long time member of Bethany Lutheran Church, Detroit, serving on the Endowment Committee and the Christian Care Board.

She has been married to Jerry for 41 years. They have two children, a daughter and a son, and six grandchildren, ranging in ages from 3 to 16 years.

She and Jerry were asked by their good friends, Dave and Bonnie Sanders, to serve on the Proving Innocence Planning Committee. A lover of books and having read Actual Innocence, she quickly got on board with this growing problem of wrongful convictions.

You may email Pat by clicking here.

Bonnie Sanders

Bonnie Sanders is a retired educator who has more than 30 years experience teaching in public schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In addition to classroom experience in both the regular and special education setting, she worked as a Special Education Teacher Consultant and Title One Diagnostic/Prescriptive Teacher. She served as co-chair of the School Improvement team and was actively involved in developing and presenting professional development for educators as well as workshops with parents.

A native of Mattawan, Michigan, Ms. Sanders earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Western Michigan University and a Master of Teacher Education at Oakland University with a focus in learning disabilities. From Saginaw University she also earned an endorsement in Early Childhood Development.

You may e-mail Bonnie by clicking here.

Dave Sanders

David Sanders is retired Executive Vice President of Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC). MAC is a public/private partnership dedicated to improving Greater Detroit’s quality of life and creating economic opportunity through regional cooperation.

A native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Mr. Sanders received a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University and a Master of Urban Planning from Wayne State University. He is also a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mr. Sanders is a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners as well as a graduate of Leadership Detroit. He currently serves as a Board Member and Secretary of the Detroit Midtown Academy, a public charter school in Detroit.

You may e-mail Dave by clicking here.