A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced the workgroup members that will support the efforts of the new Growing Michigan Together Council and I am proud to be named among the talented and esteemed professionals from across our state selected to help do this important work.
The Growing Michigan Together Council was established by the governor this past June to build a brighter future for Michigan by developing a statewide strategy to grow our state’s population, improve educational outcomes for students, attract and retain talent and build long-term sustainable state infrastructure.
The work of the Council and the supporting workgroups comes at a crucial time as, earlier this year, a comprehensive data analysis by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRC) and Altarum brought to light that Michigan has been falling behind other states over the past five decades in a number of areas that are key to a prosperous future. These key areas include population growth, jobs, earnings, educational achievement, health, and the quality of public services at the state and local levels.
Among many of its findings, the CRC-Altarum analysis shows that Michigan’s population growth has lagged the nation for the past 50 years and the state’s population grew slower than all but one other state from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, the analysis reports a projected loss of an additional 270,000 people statewide on net to other states by 2050.
In the analysis, CRC and Altarum warn that, without policy changes and investments, the state’s current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in Michigan’s competitiveness and quality of life.
It is with that in mind, that I fully recognize how vitally important the work of the Growing Michigan Together team will be and I’m honored to be a part of the team’s efforts to change our state’s current path. I will be serving on the Jobs, Talent & People workgroup for the Council, which has been charged with proposing a specific population goal for Michigan by 2050 based on comprehensive economic development strategies.
Our workgroup will provide policy recommendations to advance solid, equitable investments that reflect the state’s growth in communities of color–which have historically been left out of prosperity and, according to the CRC-Altarum analysis, are projected to make up 40 percent of Michigan’s working population by 2050. We will also develop policy recommendations to ensure domestic and international migration to Michigan–which has become increasingly important for our state’s future population growth, especially given that the natural increase in the population here in Michigan is expected to turn negative–more deaths than births–by 2040.
Additionally, we will be giving direction on how to leverage our state’s natural resources as well as expected climate migration from other states, and we will be identifying potential future workforce shortages in Michigan and creating targeted programs to attract the talent to fill these gaps.
While many of the findings shared by CRC and Altarum are sobering, there are real opportunities for us to take action now to change our state’s current trajectory. Here at the Michigan League for Public Policy, we have long advocated for investing in what we value most: our people. We must continue to make this a top priority in our work, and this will most certainly be at the heart of my service on the Growing Michigan Together team.
To grow our population and build a brighter future for our state, we must make Michigan a more attractive place for people to live. We can do this by focusing on improving the well-being of all Michiganders through smart policy decisions and people-centered budget priorities.
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.
