Meet the Team
Bryan Benham
Director of Learning
Bryan draws on 25+ years experience creating innovative experiences in education and online learning for higher education, corporate, and non-profit organizations. He joined the circus in early 2022, attracted to the mission of Grand Circus to make a tech career available to everyone. He really enjoys working with the rest of the circus finding new and better ways to deliver quality technical education and create career opportunities for everyone. He is a lifelong fan of science fiction and nature documentaries. He is passionate about the ocean even though he lives in a land-locked state. And he absolutely loves adventures with his two kids and wife, and now a new puppy.
Elizabeth Heaton (She/Her/Hers)
Director of Career Services and Alumni Relations
Elizabeth is a Chicago native who has spent time in Detroit to pursue her love of helping others reach their highest potential, and now resides back in Chicago. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling from Adler University. With 10 years experience in education, Elizabeth transitioned to Detroit to help adults achieve their career goals. Elizabeth brings a diverse background of experiences and insights to help individuals regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Elizabeth is a Mom of three, an avid Peloton rider, and an activist for the LGBT+ community.
Shauna Strickler
Career Services Specialist
Shauna joined the Grand Circus family in January of 2022 as a Career Services Specialist, focusing on the After-Hour cohorts. She comes to Grand Circus with over 12 years of Career Services experience in higher education. She received her Masters in Student Affairs in Higher Education in 2009 and has worked at a variety of institutions along the east coast, such as University of Central Florida and University of North Georgia. She moved to the Chicagoland area in 2019, where she became a stay at home mom to her 3 boys before re-entering the workforce. When she is not working, you will find her reading, visiting her home state of PA and cheering on her sports teams, Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Braves.
Frank Urso
Vice President of Business Development
Frank works with our enterprise partners in helping them grow and acquire the talent they need to tackle today’s IT challenges. He is passionate about Grand Circus’ mission to directly connect learning to careers, with a focus on creating talent that reflects the community we live in. Born and raised as a Detroit Tigers fan, a seismic shift has occurred as he supports his new hometown team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ian Washington (He/Him/His)
Director of Social and Community Impact
Ian joined Grand Circus in December 2014 after a few years in the beverage industry where he was a partner with a local brewery. Why Grand Circus? As a native Detroiter and lifelong learner, the idea of tech education was exciting and challenging. “Nothing like Grand Circus existed while I was growing up” – So with that said, Ian decided that he wanted to be a part of growing this business and industry in the Detroit area and beyond. Ian is married with 2 kids and lives a quiet life in the woods with mediocre wifi access and deer that eat his prized hosta garden.
April Watkins (She/Her/Hers)
Director of Operations
April leads operations, managing processes, systems, and OKR development, and people operations & culture. She has held leadership roles at established companies and startups ranging from early-stage Internet companies to personal healthcare. At Dolby Laboratories, she worked in creative services, real estate, finance, and operations, oversaw expansion into over 30 countries, and served as integration lead for multiple acquisitions. After many years in San Francisco, April is now back in Northern Michigan, and is thrilled to have found a home with the Grand Circus family!
William Westley
Lead Program Manager
Billy is the Lead Program Manager at Grand Circus and manages the team responsible for student success. He enjoys helping students make a transformative change in their lives as they develop their technical skills. Billy lives in Detroit with his husband, two cats and Blue Heeler. When not working you can find him making art, gardening, riding bikes, or reading.
