100% of our future
Our Kids Count in Michigan Project Director Kelsey Perdue has a saying that has been running through my head repeatedly these days: “Kids make up 20% of Michigan’s population and 100% of our [...]
Wins and recommendations for kids in 2020
This column originally appeared in The Alpena News on April 29, 2020 When my colleagues and I began discussing updates to the Kids Count data profiles last fall, I was looking forward to [...]
Taste this: Food access for state’s kids
This column originally appeared in The Alpena News on April 15, 2020 This week is the annual Week of the Young Child, a celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of [...]
Improving narratives and policies to empower moms
This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on February 28, 2020 In about one month, I will give birth for the first time. I’m at the stage of pregnancy when getting in and out of my car [...]
When it comes to federal regulations, your 2¢ are priceless
This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on January 27, 2020 Over the last three years, President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed a spate of harmful administrative rules in [...]
Help us with this ’10-year challenge’ and #CountAllKids in the 2020 census
This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on January 18, 2020 A lot can change in a decade — as anyone who has seen the “10-year challenge” on social media knows. Children grow from [...]
The game changing winning strategy
How do we secure more policy wins and long-lasting change? This was the question posed at a national convening for advocacy and grassroots organizing groups concerned about child care reform. The [...]
More than empty desks
A version of this column appeared in the Alpena News on October 16, 2019 Teachers don’t like empty desks. Occasionally, an empty desk means a student is off doing something fun — a family [...]
Life’s full circle moments
All through college and up until recently I was known as “the girl with the afro who loves the kids.” I cut my hair this spring so that part of my reputation is gone, but the other part couldn’t [...]
What will we do to make Michigan more welcoming?
This week is Welcoming Week, an important time to reflect on how we can make our country, state and communities more welcoming to people seeking safety and opportunity. We need to face [...]
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Kelsey Perdue joined the League in 2019 as the Kids Count Project Director. She oversees data and advocacy work to increase economic security and racial equity for children across Michigan.
Brandon Betz joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in September 2019. He is the League’s tax policy analyst. In his work, Brandon analyzes and researches tax and other revenue generating policies to actively advocate for an equitable and progressive tax system that supports communities of color and people with low and moderate incomes.
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.
Christina Alexander joined the League in February 2019 as the League’s Bookkeeper and loves to streamline all aspects of the accounting system.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as Communications Assistant 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.
