The League in the 1960s: Building momentum as “Keeper of the Public Conscience”
The 1960s marked a period of great energy and change, both for the Michigan Welfare League (the precursor to the Michigan League for Human Services) and at the state and national level.
The League marked its 50th anniversary in 1962, and its annual conference that year focused on past accomplishments and a new direction that would eventually include a greater focus on research, advocacy, and collaboration with newly elected Gov. George W. Romney to help vulnerable individuals and families.
Robert H. MacRae, a speaker at the 50th anniversary conference, referred to the League as “Keeper of the Public Conscience,” which applied just as much to the League’s work in the ’60s as it does today.
This decade brought the auto industry back to prosperity after a nationwide recession in the late ’50s and a period of high unemployment. Labor unions grew strong, Motown put Detroit on the map, and the Civil Rights Movement had many Michiganders heading south to register black voters, participating in nonviolent protests, and attending the March on Washington in support of President Kennedy’s Civil Rights Bill.
This period included a constitutional convention in Michigan from 1961-1962, the establishment of Head Start in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, and the planting of the American flag on the moon in 1969.
The ’60s were also a time of great turmoil, as many Americans lost their lives in the Vietnam War and the assassinations of both President John F. Kennedy, Jr. in 1963 and then Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 rocked the nation. A riot that broke out in Detroit in 1967 lasted five days and killed 43 people, bringing to light social and racial tensions in Michigan. That same year a flat-rate income tax was enacted to help pay for the state’s increasing public needs.
The League held its first legislative forum in 1961. It was so well-received that it became an annual event, growing in attendance and attracting the governor and civic leaders from around the state to discuss how Michigan should best handle human services.
The forums helped build a relationship with Gov. Romney and his administration, to which the League served as a resource for policy decisions regarding children, families, and those affected by poverty. In fact, Romney indicated his thanks for “valuable assistance for which the Michigan Welfare League has extended to state government and to me as Governor.” Lt. Gov. William G. Milliken cited the League as an example of an organization that has been willing to “take on the tough public problems.”
The League participated in many important policy initiatives under the Romney administration. In 1963, it led the creation of the Citizens Council on Agricultural Labor, which addressed the conditions of migrant workers. It helped staff the governor’s Migrant Commission and an anti-poverty program for migrant workers.
In working with the governor and other social welfare agencies across the country, the League pushed for the establishment of the federal Aid to Dependent Children with an Unemployed Father (ADC-U) program. In 1964, Gov. Romney authorized the formation of a State Human Resources Council, previously recommended by a League study, to address anti-poverty efforts and reorganization of state agencies under the new constitution.
In the same year, the League organized a Public Assistance Study Committee to address persistent problems in the welfare system. In 1968, the Fair Housing Act, which prevents discrimination and helps provide fair and equal housing to all Michigan residents, was signed after the League played a strong role in its creation.
In addition to taking on a greater advocacy role at the state level, the League received national recognition for a statewide welfare visitation project it created. Local leaders and citizens joined welfare caseworkers on visits to public assistance clients in their homes, learning not only about the job of the caseworker but about the individuals and families who rely on government help to survive. The United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was so impressed that it distributed publications on Michigan’s program as guides to agencies in other states wishing to start their own visitation projects.
The League gained a lot of momentum as a nonpartisan advocate for human services in the ’60s, and set the stage for the type of accomplishments that would be made over the next 50 years. McRae understood this when he closed his 50th anniversary speech with these remarks:
“It is the League which must be the voice of the voiceless in Michigan. It is to this task it is called by its charter and, I hope, by its conscience as well. It must not falter. Neither must it fail in the task to which it has set its hand.
It will be caught up in controversy and turmoil, but it must learn how to make constructive use of controversy. It must remember the injunction Justice (Oliver Wendell) Holmes has given in these words: ‘As life in action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being judged not to have lived.’”
— 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.
