As a leader in the operations department at the Mackinac Center, Christine Bowerson has the type of job where success can be defined as “nobody notices.” She supports the staff, works in financial and health benefits, and makes sure things run smoothly. A varied background makes her a great fit for the job.

“I’ve done two tours of duty here,” Christine says. “The first time was in 2011, just answering phones and working on a few short-term projects. But they asked me to stay on part-time, which was perfect for my family situation.”

That early stint led to several years in fundraising before she stepped away for family reasons. She later returned as office manager, and her role has steadily expanded from there. Today, she oversees everything from the daily operations to the intern program she proudly helped build.

Christine’s work ethic was shaped early by her life in Utica, Michigan. “My dad was a truck driver and a single parent. Neither of my parents finished high school. They dropped out to help their families. They were a little embarrassed about that and really pushed education.”

Christine became the first in her family to attend college, earning a business degree from Northern Michigan University, where she also met her husband, Ray.

The Bowersons became foster parents with the goal of adopting. “I felt blessed to be able to stay home with our children. I loved kids and we had the space,” she says. “We knew it was hard to place sibling groups, so we wanted to meet that need. In two and a half years, we adopted five children to add to our family of five.”

Christine worked as a substitute teacher and took odd jobs while raising their large family. Her husband served in the Michigan Department of Corrections for more than 30 years before starting his own handyman business. Christine’s greatest joy in life is traveling with her husband of 33 years and spending time with her kids and four grandkids.

Christine learned about the Mackinac Center through friends. “I really fell in love with our mission and our work,” she says. “But the best part is working with our operations team. A lot of what we do is behind the scenes, and that’s how it should be. When it runs smoothly, nobody notices. That’s the goal.”

A particular point of pride is the intern program. “We have one of the best intern programs in the liberty movement. We provide a robust program that gives students the full experience as staff of the Center. We also do fun outings such as visiting the state Capitol, the Russell Kirk Center, the Michigan Supreme Court and a Great Lakes Loons game. The interns give year-end presentations. It’s a full experience,” she says. Her family has even housed 15 interns. “I love the whole program: meeting them, placing them, housing them, staying in touch and following their careers. It’s incredibly rewarding.”