League in the ’70s: ‘A force to be reckoned with’
At the beginning of the 1970s, the Michigan Welfare League had firmly established itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit entity dedicated to advocating for individuals and families in the state that needed the most help.
Research, education, advocacy, legislative monitoring, and consensus building became a regular part of the League’s operation, and in 1971 it took on a new name: the Michigan League for Human Services.
A name change had been suggested on multiple occasions during the previous decade, and this new name would “encompass the wide range of services required to address basic and supplemental needs of the state’s vulnerable citizens.” The League had expanded its reach beyond just welfare, and the name reflected that growth.
During this time, many of the “radical” ideas from the ’60s became mainstream parts of American life and culture. Roe v. Wade made abortion legal, and the United States withdrew from Vietnam even as the war continued to polarize the country. Both a vice president and a president, facing impeachment, resigned from office. Immigration rates rose, disillusionment of government became widespread, and feminism grew as women expanded their involvement in politics. Women, minorities, and gays fought for equal rights and the city of Detroit elected its first African-American mayor.
The environmentalist movement increased during the ’70s and NASA, due to heavy budget cutbacks, stopped lunar missions in 1972 and focused on the building of the first space shuttle. That same year, a state lottery was established in Michigan to increase revenue for education, welfare, and other government services. Rising fuel costs drove American automakers to produce smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles and foreign cars came into play for the first time in a significant way.
The 1970s brought another nationwide recession. With an increase in international markets, the domestic automobile industry was flailing, and the federal government bailed out Chrysler in 1979, authorizing $1.5 billion in loan guarantees.
Inflation and high energy costs provided an example of both the widening range of issues and the flexibility of the League in addressing them. Energy and the Poor, researched by the League’s Public Affairs Committee, was published in 1979 and made a strong case for equity for those hardest hit by spiraling costs in this area of basic need. By the end of the decade, Michigan had the highest unemployment rate in the nation.
Lt. Gov. William G. Milliken became governor in 1969. The League already had established ties with Milliken under the Romney administration, and when the new governor created a Welfare Study Commission, he appointed a League past president as chairman and several past presidents and board members as members of the commission. The commission’s reports made recommendations on restructuring the state’s welfare system to “break the cycle of poverty, dependency, and social deprivation.” The League was also active with the Bureau of Social Services Citizens Advisory Committee, the Michigan Coalition on Nutrition, and the Task Force on Medicaid and Health Care Costs during this period.
The League continued to advocate for welfare reform, children’s health and well-being, minority issues, housing, health care, and worker’s rights through research and the publication of reports. It also urged state funding for civil rights activities. Annual legislative forums continued as a way of connecting citizens and legislators to discuss vital human service issues, and the League provided non-partisan opinions at the request of state lawmakers on specific human service legislation. Gov. Milliken did not overlook this important commitment, stating: “I want to commend you for your work as I have in the past. The League has been in the forefront of the fight for social justice, which is the most important struggle of our time.”
The League’s welfare visitation project from the ’60s continued, spreading across Michigan and into other states as a way to improve welfare programs and help recipients become “self-respecting, taxpaying citizens.” As part of a kit distributed to other human service agencies, the description of the project stated: “As a result of their (policymakers) participation in a visitation project, their future decisions on public welfare may become more ‘people-oriented’ and less purely ‘dollar-oriented.’” Despite the popularity of this project, public assistance was still a hot issue in Michigan as the government struggled with how to address increasing need with limited resources.
How to best address public need while balancing the state budget is a timeless debate, and the League continues to advocate for the same populations now as it did in the ’70s. Speaker of the House Bobby Crim was quoted in 1978: “The League’s distinguished tradition of citizen intervention in public policymaking, its active dedication to the principle that sound public policy can only emerge when voluntary commitments set the terms and the tenor of official public debate, have made it a force to be reckoned with here in Lansing.”
— Sara Metz
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.
