Metro Detroit families find joy in working together.
Photos by Robin Schwartz
As a child, Katie Young seemed more interested in flipping through psychiatry journals than reading children’s books. Her parents thought that might be a sign, and it was.
Today, Young, 26, of Ann Arbor, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Rochester Center for Behavioral Medicine (RCBM). The practice was founded by her father, Dr. Joel Young, and mother, Mindy Layne Young, who is a therapist and corporate counsel there.
Young earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan School of Nursing before moving to Chicago from 2015-2017. She then earned a master’s degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. She returned home in July 2019 to join the family practice.
“I’ve always been drawn to psychiatry,” Katie says. “I think there’s a lot of overlap between psychology and Judaism. There are a lot of shared values consistent with tikkun olam (repairing the world).”
In her new role, Katie assesses, diagnoses and treats patients of all ages who may have disorders or mental illness. She works at RCBM three days a week, alternating with her other job as a pediatric registered nurse in the child and adolescent psychiatry unit at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.
“It’s wonderful to be able to see [my parents] from a professional standpoint and to be able to ask them questions and collaborate with them,” she says. “Being in practice together is a unique and wonderful experience.”
The Rochester Center first opened in 1993. The practice employs 70 mental health professionals and provides child and family services and treatment for eating disorders, substance abuse, women’s mental health and wellness and a host of other conditions. The team also conducts clinical research trials and trains medical students pursuing careers in psychiatric medicine.
Dr. Young and his wife say having their daughter join the practice is a dream come true. They have two other children: Ben, 28, a medical student at Wayne State University, and Emily, 23, a nurse in Chicago.
“We had long envisioned collaborating together,” Mindy says. “This is the culmination of many years of planning and hoping things would come together, and we’re thrilled.”
“It’s a wonderful feeling for a father to watch his daughter become a professional,” adds Dr. Young. “Really, what more could a parent want?”
Katie, who is also a registered yoga instructor, is engaged to Marc Schlessel, a third-year medical student at the University of Michigan. They plan to marry in May.
Family and Finance
In Southfield, family and finance come together at Telemus, an independent, fee-based firm that offers financial advisory, investment management and asset management solutions to high-net-worth investors. Gary Ran, the company’s chairman and CEO, founded Telemus with his brother-in-law, Rob Stone, and former brother-in-law, Lyle Wolberg, in 2005. Now, his two sons, Michael, 31, and Matt, 34, are part of the team.
Michael and his wife, Arielle, moved back to Metro Detroit from Philadelphia about a year ago. He previously worked in the restaurant industry and is now a financial life adviser. He says he always admired his father’s passion for his work and wanted to follow in his footsteps.
“It’s always interesting to go into meetings — it’s cool to see how other people see him,” Michael says. “Detroit is thriving. Young people are moving to the city. It’s a fun place to be, which is an added draw to being back home.”
Matt serves as director of growth and development for Telemus and has been with the company since 2008. He has also taken an active role in the Jewish community as a member of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Board of Governors and vice president of Michigan ORT. In addition, he is a Detroit co-chair for the National Young Leadership Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America and serves on the boards of the Jewish Community Center and Yad Ezra. Matt and his wife, Jodie, live in Bloomfield Hills with their two young children.
“Every day at work is like going to a family dinner,” he jokes. “Metro Detroit is a great place to raise a family. If I had a choice between here and anywhere else, I would choose here.”
For Gary, having two of his three sons working alongside him is a feeling money can’t buy. His youngest son, Jeffrey, 30, lives in California and works in real estate.
“I told my wife the first day Mike started that it was such a happy moment for me, seeing my kids working with me and seeing the two of them go to lunch together,” Gary says. “I think there are a lot of positives to [working with family], trust, familiarity — at every family event, we end up talking business.”
