In an organization like ours, math matters most. The data and reports our policy analysts use are the backbone of the work we do. Without math, without numbers, we would lack the tools to make a difference in Michigan.
But it’s no secret that I’m not a math major. The numbers that are crunched around the office are certainly the backbone of our work, but the heart of what we do can be found in the words we use. That’s why the League’s blog is so important to me.
Factually Speaking is designed to expose that heart of our work … to share the stories that personalize and humanize our policy issues. Last year, posts from our staff, board members, interns and national partners explored issues that matter to all Michiganders. Sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching, always moving. And you helped prove the power of these posts by reading and sharing them.
Here are our most shared blogs of 2017:
- Investing in infrastructure … just words until you make the human connection: Real people are impacted by the lack of investment in Michigan’s infrastructure. President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs addresses the fact that a state income tax cut would exacerbate those impacts even further, and that roads, water systems, and buildings must be a priority for our state.
- Help protect the Affordable Care Act: League analyst Emily Schwarzkopf, a self-proclaimed “health policy nerd,” shares the top reasons the Affordable Care Act is good for Michigan. This was in January 2017 at the onset of a year-long battle to protect the ACA–one that will continue in 2018.
- Philosophy, career changes and granola bars: How kids can inspire our choices: Our communications associate Laura Ross made a big leap from teaching high school to working with the League. Here, she explores why it was a leap in the right direction.
- Personal tragedies, political failures: Our CEO and President Gilda Z. Jacobs shares how the pain of losing a loved one is compounded when it is caused by bad public policy or inaction by our elected officials.
- Why I have zero tolerance for “zero tolerance”: For this post, I celebrated the end of Michigan’s zero tolerance school discipline policy by taking a walk down memory lane and thinking about some of the less-than-angelic (and thankfully “tolerated”) exploits of my youth.
- Facing the rhetoric about working families and child care: Senior policy analyst Pat Sorenson knows firsthand the struggle of being a working mom, and in this post she writes about how that struggle has only become more difficult in the last two decades.
- 130,000 Michigan workers have had wages stolen by employers: Senior policy analyst Peter Ruark breaks down the many ways in which workers in our state have experienced wage violations. And over 60% of those workers are women.
- Stop and listen: As a community engagement specialist, Jenny Kinne has worked one-on-one with Michigan residents who rely on the policies we support. Here, she shares the ways in which she is humbled by their stories … and how she has learned to put listening first.
- Michigan considering replicating Kansas’ failed tax cut “experiment” (Guest Blog by Michael Mazerov): A major concern in the early months of 2017 was the Michigan Legislature’s consideration of phasing out the state income tax. Because our national partners have seen the disastrous effects of tax cuts like this in other states, several of them were able to weigh in on the ramifications. Michael Mazerov is a Senior Fellow at the national Center on Budget and Policy priorities and explains just how harmful an income tax cut would be for all
- I know it’s cheating in terms of a true “Top Ten” list, but I already said I wasn’t great at math. These blogs were within a few shares of each other, so I decided to include them all:
- CB…oh no?! by policy analyst Emily Schwarzkopf (insights on one of many damning Congressional Budget Office scores of the many ACA repeals);
- Michigan continues to lag behind nationally in outcomes for kids by Kids Count Director Alicia Guevara Warren;
- Unemployed workers falsely accused of fraud need more than just repayment by senior policy analyst Peter Ruark;
- This Thanksgiving, Republicans in Congress offer a recipe for disaster–legislative coordinator Rachel Richards’ warning of the impending and unfortunately successful push to pass an unfair tax plan.
- Weaving a wider safety net is good for all kids AND Help Wanted: Michigan lacks teacher diversity by League communications associate and resident teacher Laura Millard Ross;
In 2017, the League tackled a lot of important issues and did a lot of good work. Our blog is one way we try to capture and communicate that, with backbone and with heart. Thanks for reading and sharing all of these this past year. You are the ones who truly bring these blogs to life.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to subscribe to our blog via email or RSS feed so you can stay up to date on everything we’re working on. And please continue to share them on social media so we can reach a wider audience and generate greater support for the issues we all care so deeply about.
–Alex Rossman, Communications Director
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
