The holiday season is officially upon us and soon we’ll be ushering in a new year full of opportunities to lift up Michiganders who have been left out of prosperity. Before the legislative session wraps up this year, we’re making a final push for important bills that prioritize Michiganders. The work never stops, but neither do we. When working at an organization such as ours where persistence is key and every win is hard-fought with an incredible amount of effort behind it (actually, the same can be said for our losses as well), it’s important to stop for a moment, take a breath, and reflect on gratitude. Today we continue our Thanksgiving tradition sharing what is making us feel grateful this year:
Monique Stanton, President and CEO
Time — I am so thankful for the gift of time. Time spent with the League team and partners working to make Michigan a better place. Time spent with my family and friends enjoying a good meal and having good conversations. Time spent making crafts and playing outside with my spouse and son. And last but not least, time spent curled up on the couch reading a good book.
Karen Holcomb-Merrill, Chief Operating Officer
This has been a tough month, but I am grateful to be working alongside a great team of folks who are forward-thinking, even in tough times, and who remain committed to making Michigan the best place for ALL who live here. I look forward to some relaxation and time with family this week, grateful for those times when we all gather together.
Amber Bellazaire, Senior Policy Analyst
This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to be back with the League, an organization deeply respected for its work advancing public policy that supports Michigan’s most vulnerable. As a mom of two young children, I’m especially thankful that my day job focuses on improving the well-being of kids and families across Michigan.
Megan Farnsworth, Executive Assistant
Mikell Frey, Writing and Messaging Specialist
The past year has been tough, but I’m thankful for the support system that has gotten me through it, which includes my family, my pets, my close friends and my colleagues here at the League. I’m also thankful to have welcomed my first nephew this year. Baby snuggles are truly the best! Lastly, I’m thankful to work for an organization that is already leading the way in offering paid family and medical leave to its employees and is advocating for a state program so that all working Michiganders have access to paid leave.
Amari Fuller, Grand Rapids Area Community Engagement Specialist
This year I am extra thankful for my family! My teeny family unit (me, my husband and my pup) and my entire extended (and chosen) family. We have had so many milestones this year including stepping into homeownership, my little brother graduating college, celebrating my first year of marriage, first birthdays, new jobs, new family traditions, and so much more to be thankful for. My family is a source of strength, laughter and light for me and I am grateful to go through life with them!
Nicholas Hess, Fiscal Policy Analyst
I am grateful that in September of this year, I got to join the League and work among wonderful people who advocate for a more equitable society. I am also thankful for my friends and family for the love and joy they bring to my life. In my graduate program, I am thankful for my instructors and classmates who challenge me. I am thankful for our community partners that work tirelessly for a better Michigan. Moreover, I am thankful to the Detroit Lions for helping all of us through a tumultuous year. Finally, I am thankful for my cats; their insatiable appetites and warm snuggles.
Emily Jorgensen, Lead Communications Coordinator
I am so thankful for my family and friends and the joy we share. I am thankful for my home and my dogter, who is a champion cuddle bug and makes me laugh every day. I am thankful for the mobilization of people who are fighting for goodness and justice, particularly in this political landscape. And I am thankful and proud to work with such an amazing team of individuals who remain passionate and persistent right to the very end of one legislative session and directly into the next.
Anne Kuhnen, Kids Count Policy Director
I’m thankful for the time I have to read, cook, do art, drink coffee, run on trails, knit and crochet for little ones, attempt the crossword, connect with my far-off family and fight to improve the lives of the children and families who call Michigan home. Moreover, I feel lucky to work with so many people who share my values and put kindness first.
Audrey Matusz, Visual Communications Specialist
This year I am thankful to be an auntie to all my great-cousins! Spending time with my youngest relatives and witnessing their amazing parents foster their curiosity gives me so much hope and motivation for the next generation of makers and shakers.
Rachel Richards, Fiscal Policy and Government Relations Director
2024 was brought to me by the letter H – for healthcare. Early this year, I received two tough, but thankfully stable and manageable, diagnoses, which will require ongoing monitoring and care. However, I am incredibly privileged to have affordable health coverage, medical professionals that explain everything in understandable ways and with compassion, and mental health services to help me through the “It’s not fair” moments. Throughout it all, I’ve been thankful to have the support of my amazing family, friends and colleagues. (And navigating the healthcare system has only grown my appreciation for the work the League and our partners do to help break down barriers to accessing affordable, quality healthcare for everyone.)
Laura Ross, Communications Director
I’m thankful that during dark days of late fall and winter, there are so many bright, caring people around Michigan working to make things better. The League has incredible partners in every corner of the state who are doing so much to provide hope and help. We’re part of dozens of coalitions made up of Michiganders who are fighting for economic and social justice, addressing housing, food and healthcare access and more. We’re setting a table together to create a future where every Michigander has what they need.
Patrick Schaefer, Economic Security Policy Analyst
Alexandra Stamm, Education Policy Analyst
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to travel with friends and family throughout 2024. Experiencing new places and cultures is one of my favorite things to do, especially when we get to share the experience with our 5-year-old son. As much as I love exploring, I am always thankful to call Michigan home. We’re a state full of kind, welcoming people who take care of one another. I’m proud and thankful to be a Michigander.
Donald Stuckey II, Metro Detroit Area Community Engagement Specialist
Jayme Vosovic, Community Engagement Director
This year I am especially thankful for my son who turns 16 on Thanksgiving. Happy Sweet 16th, Ben!
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.
