A hearty EEB welcome to Branden Bufford, graduate program assistant/recruiter, Katie Davis, executive secretary, and Carol Solomon, senior secretary.

“I look forward to ushering in a consistently strong cohort for the Frontiers Master’s Program and contributing to the Diversity Committee,” said Bufford.

Bufford joined EEB on June 1, 2015 from the Wayne County Community College District where he assisted the athletics department with student services administration and communications. He is currently involved with Challenge Detroit, as part of an urban revitalization fellowship. Previously, he was a physical education/health teacher in Detroit.


He has his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Howard University, and is currently working on a master’s degree in educational leadership from Wayne State University (expected 2016).

His wife, Casey, works in the Ross School of Business’ Sanger Leadership Center. His brother, Blake, is in his second year of dental school at U-M. He and his wife enjoy traveling and going to nice restaurants (especially during Restaurant Week) and he has fun biking with his brother.

Bufford will support the Frontiers and traditional master’s programs, as well as the Diversity Committee. He works Monday - Thursday through July as he completes his Challenge Detroit fellowship, and will begin a full-time schedule in August.

Davis provides administrative support to the department chair and the administrative manager, as well as staff support during Faculty and Executive Committee meetings. She coordinates dossiers for faculty reviews, promotions and hires, and compiles department submissions of faculty and student awards. She started her new role in April 2015.

Davis has a master’s degree in conservation ecology from UM's School of Natural Resources and Environment and a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology from the University of California, San Diego. Her EEB roots include appointments as a biology graduate student instructor and a temporary position in the Herbarium. Recently, Davis taught Biology 101 at Washtenaw Community College.

Prior to graduate school, Davis spent about eight years as an expedition leader, naturalist, first mate and captain on whale watching and sightseeing boats in Alaska and Hawaii.

Her husband, Eric Bronson, is a photographer for Michigan Photography. She has an Icelandic sheepdog named Elska and a cat named Kendall. “We are expecting a new family member at the end of September," Davis said, “a baby this time, not a furry family member.”
Davis spends some of her free time kayaking, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing and taking long walks in the woods with her dog.

Prior to joining EEB, Solomon took a seven-year maternity leave from U-M. During that time, she was active in Growing Greens, Milford's community garden club, and served on the board of directors at the Milford Cooperative Preschool as the parent liaison and green school coordinator. She is the friendly face at the front desk who provides general departmental support for faculty, students and staff. Solomon coordinates the faculty recruitment process, the Thursday Seminar Series, special events, updates the department directory and coordinates donor thank you letters.

Her most recent position within the university was in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts’ Dean's Office as a member of Outreach Staffing Services, where she had the opportunity to assist many departments through staff transition and vacancies.

Previously, she worked in the LSA International Institute, coordinating logistics for the Fulbright Program. Solomon spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana as an eco-tourism advisor, where she worked closely with the local government, and local and international non-governmental organizations to manage USAID-funded projects.

Solomon has her bachelor of business administration degree in international marketing and communication studies from Eastern Michigan University. Her summer work schedule is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Solomon joined EEB in late March 2015.

She and her husband, Keith, live in the Village of Milford with their “two independent and nature-loving girls,” June, 7, and Claire, 5.

In her free time, you will find Solomon backpacking, canoeing, gardening, on a lake, and talking about food – from growing or raising it to cooking, fermenting, canning or otherwise storing it for the season. “We aim to grow and preserve at least 50 percent of our family's annual produce intake.”  

If you haven’t met them yet, stop by the administrative offices in 2019 Natural Science Building to say hello.