About Us
We’re Here To Help
The MARK Advocacy Group is a non-profit organization that provides resources, information, education, and support to those with kidney disease, chronic illnesses, and the caretakers of those with the illness.
Better Care, Better Life
We strive to be the true, full source for a better understanding of your condition, educational assets, and a supportive community for you and your family’s healthcare journey.
Finding Your Voice
Our focus is on empowering you by providing the tools necessary to create a life of wellness with dignity and making sure that YOU control your healthcare decisions.
Our Values
Compassion
We have walked in the shoes of the people we serve and will walk beside those with whom we work. We respond in service and support for each individual, each group, and our community as a whole.
Honesty & Integrity
We are committed to strong and lasting relationships by being truthful and authentic in all interactions. We always strive for mindful and consistent actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes.
TRANSPARENCY
We will build trust through honest business practices and transparent communication.
ETHICS
INNOVATIVE
Our Mission
To guide people who are lost in the healthcare system; where they don’t feel they are advocated for. Whether it be their own personal experience or that of a loved one.
Giving back options and resources to help them feel empowered.
To know that the end result should be fair and equitable regardless of age, race, ethnicity, lifestyle, or financial status.
Our Vision
Our Board Members & Advocates
Marcy Rzepka
FOUNDER & Executive Director
Marcy Rzpeka, Founder of The MARK Advocacy Group, struggles with kidney disease and is currently on the transplant list. After watching her brother suffer and feel betrayed by the traditional healthcare system, Marcy wanted to help others through education, finding their voice, and building a community where others with chronic illnesses, their friends, family members, and caregivers have the support and resources they deserve.
Dylan Smith
CO-CHAIR
Consultant/Engineer/Designer with over 25 years of experience, Dylan joins The MARK Advocacy Group as a Board Member. He is passionate about creating human-centered experiences and finding new ways to make his designs impactful. Dylan has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology from Walden University.
Jayme Taylor
CO-CHAIR
Jayme has always been committed to making a difference in the community and serves as a Board of Trustee for the Okemos Public Schools and also as a member of the Board of Directors for the Capital Area United Way. She is eager and honored to serve as the CO-Chair of The MARK Advocacy Group.
Karen Mesko
BOARD SECRETARY
Karen was a caregiver for her partner of 20 years before she passed away from cancer in 2017. She is familiar with the healthcare system and the frustration and stress people go through not only dealing with a debilitating disease but also managing their health and all that goes along with it. Her partner had many health issues, including several heart attacks, heart and femoral bypass surgeries, and bladder cancer.
Dr. Edin Basic, DO
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ADVISOR, BOARD MEMBER
A nephrologist in Lansing, Michigan, who is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Henry Ford Allegiance Health-Jackson, joins the board for The MARK Advocacy Group. He received his medical degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and has been in practice for over 20 years.
Leslie Miles
HEALTH CONSULTANT
Meet Leslie Miles, the visionary trailblazer behind Wellness Re-Invented. As the Founder and Nurse Practitioner, Leslie has dedicated herself to transforming the local community’s approach to health. With her dedication to well-being, Leslie has ignited a movement in IV hydration and vitamin therapy.
As Founder, Leslie’s mission is clear: to harness the power of IV Therapy to invigorate mind, body, and spirit. Through Wellness Re-Invented, she brings forth a new era of health- one that empowers individuals to rewrite their wellness journeys by revitalizing from the inside out.
Leslie’s keen insight into holistic living and her hands-on approach have propelled Wellness Re-Invented to the forefront of the industry. Guided by her belief in the transformative power of PURE HUMAN CONNECTION, she ensures that every aspect of the wellness journey is personalized to inspire lasting change in the lives of her clients.
Dave Hodges
BOARD MEMBER
Dave is currently the owner of Clear Ad Group, and has been involved in Advertising & Marketing for over 25 years. Dave is originally from Lansing and currently resides in Holt with his wife and daughter. When Marcy grows up, she dreams of being just like Dave!
Katrina N. Hofstetter
BOARD MEMBER
Katrina is a virtual practicing attorney in the 517 community who specializes in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Administration, Business Formation, and Business Succession Planning.
Her firm, Cornerstone Legal, was established in 2021 after Katrina spent over 13 years working as a legal assistant and running a small firm in East Lansing. Her mission is to bring her wealth of knowledge and experience to individuals, couples, families, and businesses, and provide them with access to Estate and Business Planning solutions that meet their needs and budget.
Katrina also strives to educate other professionals and her community about myths, misconceptions, and mistakes in her industry by being active on social media and within her community. In 2023, Katrina was nominated to the Best Attorney category for the City Pulse Top of the Town contest and ultimately won first place. Also in 2023, Cornerstone Legal was nominated to the Lansing State Journal’s Community Choice Awards as the Best Law Firm and took first place. Finally, Katrina was nominated in 2023 to the Super Lawyers Michigan Rising Stars list, which is a nomination-based and peer evaluated process reserved for only 2.5% of attorneys in the state.
Katrina is a member of the Lansing Regional and Grand Ledge Chambers of Commerce, the National Association of Career Women, and serves as a board member for local area nonprofits T.W.I.G.S. and The Mark Advocacy Group. Katrina and her husband Ryan live in Lansing with their three boys and are active in leading the kids kingdom ministry at the Lansing Area Church of Christ.
Our Health Consultants
Jill Marlin
Consultant
Jill is the Founder and CEO of Peak Performance Physical Therapy, a company that has been revolutionizing the way that rehabilitation is delivered since 2011. Her passion for serving people shows through the quality of care that you can expect to receive at any one of her four clinics in the Greater Lansing Area. Jill also serves on several boards and governing bodies in the area supporting small businesses’ to grow and scale their organizations.
Michael Kowalczyk, D.O., F.A.C.O.I.
CONSULTANT, INTERNAL MEDICINE
Vicki
CONSULTANT
Coming Soon