Founding Director & President

For Michael Davis, the work of The Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation, Inc. is deeply personal. After losing his nephew, Matthew, to suicide, Michael felt called to turn heartbreak into purpose — to create something that could help others find hope during life’s most difficult moments. Through the Foundation, he leads efforts to raise awareness, promote education, and build compassionate support networks for those affected by suicide and mental health challenges.

The Foundation’s message of love and hope first began with Michael’s small business, Made with Love and Hope, LLC, where baking served as a way to spark connection and conversation around mental health. What started in the kitchen has since evolved into a mission of The Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation - carried forward through programs, outreach, and acts of hope that continue to honor Matthew’s memory.

Outside of his work with the Foundation, Michael is the owner of Davis Consulting, LLC, where he works as a JD Edwards Software Professional and Consultant. He also serves on the St. Joseph County Suicide Prevention Taskforce and is an active member of Centreville United Methodist Church, where he finds strength, purpose, and community.

At his core, Michael is a husband, son, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend — roles that continually remind him of the importance of connection, compassion, and community. He and his wife, Karin, have been married since June 23, 2007, and together they live out the belief that one small act of kindness can change someone’s life. For Michael, leading The Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation isn’t just about building programs — it’s about keeping a promise to Matthew and to everyone who has ever felt hopeless: that their life matters, and that hope is always worth holding onto.

Make Life Happen!

Founding Director & Secretary

A retired professional chef and food safety specialist, Karin Davis has a passion for making others feel “loved and lifted” to see themselves in the best possible light.  She has supported her husband, Michael, while he grew The Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation from baking cheesecakes in a small kitchen in Chicago to full professional kitchen operations in Michigan.

A Chicago native, Karin started working in the restaurant industry as a young teen.  She spent many years with Darden Restaurants as New Store Trainer and General Manager.  After attending The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago, she became a Culinary Arts and Licensed Sanitation Instructor in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and an Adjunct Instructor at College of Lake County and Kendall College.

An active member of the Centreville United Methodist Church, Karin’s faith drives all of her decisions and actions.  She enjoys needlework, bird watching, and the art of Sourdough baking.  (Fun fact - Karin is administrator of a Facebook sourdough group with 12K+ members!)

Karin will never forget the feeling in her stomach when she and Michael received the call that their nephew, Matthew Lane, had died by suicide.  Her work within the Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation is in hopes and prayer that one day no more families feel the helpless, lingering pain of losing a loved one to suicide.

Karin and Michael live in Sturgis, MI with their senior cat Tinks and their puppy Charlee.

Director & Treasurer

Dawn Griffith has lived in St. Joseph County for most of her life and has built a 30+ year career in public accounting and finance. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 30 years, and together they have two children: Payton, a senior at the University of Michigan, and Bailey, a freshman at Southwestern Michigan College.

Dawn’s passion for mental health advocacy comes from deeply personal experience. Her family has endured the heartbreaking loss of a loved one to suicide, shaping her commitment to supporting those who struggle with mental health and feelings of hopelessness. She believes organizations like The Matthew Lane Hobby Foundation, combined with the healing power of God’s love, can help individuals find hope, worth, and the strength to keep going. Dawn also believes we do not cross paths with others by accident—every connection is purposeful.

She met the Founder of the MLH Foundation through her professional work, but quickly discovered his genuine passion for the mission. Dawn knew immediately this was an organization she wanted to be part of, and she is honored to support its efforts to save lives and bring hope to those who need it most.

Director

Patrick McConnell grew up and attended school in Edwardsburg, Michigan, before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 2007. He served honorably for eight years, completing three combat tours—one in Iraq from 2008 to 2009 and two in Afghanistan in 2010 and again from 2011 to 2012. During his service, he operated in some of the most active and deadly battlegrounds of the Afghanistan war and survived being struck by improvised explosive devices eleven times. He also completed three tours as a U.S. embassy guard in Warsaw, Poland; Istanbul, Turkey; and Baghdad, Iraq. He separated from military service in December of 2015.

Following his military career, he began his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering at Western Michigan University in 2016, graduating in 2020. He launched his professional career as an electrical engineer at Morgan Olson, where he met Michael Davis. Although Michael left the company shortly after Patrick’s arrival, he shared the mission and vision of an organization he and Karin had created and their hopes of growing it into a nonprofit. That mission resonated deeply with him, and the two remained in contact.

His involvement in suicide awareness and prevention is profoundly personal. He is a survivor of suicide and has faced his own darkest moments, having been “in the hole” twice himself. Because of this lived experience, he felt a strong calling to help serve the community through this mission and to support others who may be struggling in silence.

Today, he continues to volunteer whenever possible and when priorities allow. Service has always been central to who he is, and he remains committed to giving back, standing with those in need, and helping ensure that no one must face their struggles alone.  

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill

Director

Aimee Mastny has been married to her best friend and partner in life, Jeremiah, for nearly 24 years, and together they are raising two remarkable teenage daughters, Rylee and Adyson.

Aimee’s passion for the Foundation’s mission is rooted in a deeply held belief: no one should face life’s darkest moments in isolation. Through the power of God’s light and unconditional love, she strives to remind others that even when challenges feel overwhelming, hope remains — and every person is always seen, valued, and deeply loved.

Aimee believes that lasting change happens through faith, community, and courageous conversation. By breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and intentionally extending compassion, she seeks to bring light to those who feel lost or alone.

Her commitment to the Foundation is simple yet profound: to spread hope, save lives, and make a lasting difference — one heart at a time.