For Immediate Release
June 4, 2021
Contact:
Alex Rossman
517-775-9053
Michigan League for Public Policy CEO Gilda Jacobs retiring after 40-plus years of public service
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy announced today that President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs will retire by the end of 2021 after 11 years with the organization and four decades of public service.
“I’ve always looked for meaningful ways to contribute to my community, and as I reflect on my career as a special education teacher, an advocate for people with developmental disabilities, a county commissioner, a legislator and as a leader at the League, I’m so proud that I can say I’ve always done work that aligns with my values and beliefs,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “And now I’m excited for a new chapter, where I can spend more of my time making that same contribution as a volunteer, an advocate and a grandparent.”
Prior to starting at the League in 2011, Jacobs was a state Senator for eight years after serving two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, where she made history as the first woman floor leader in either chamber of the Legislature. Jacobs also held several positions in local government before heading to the Capitol. Jacobs was the first woman elected to the Huntington Woods City Commission, serving from 1981 to 1994, including one year as mayor pro tem. She also served as Oakland County Commissioner from 1995 to 1998. Throughout her career, Jacobs has mentored and encouraged other women to run for and hold office.
“Gilda Jacobs has dedicated her life to public service, from her first job as a special education teacher to her current job as a lead voice for public policy as CEO of the League, and the three decades as a local and state elected official in between. In her career, she notched several ‘firsts’ for women in elected office and blazed the trail for the many female leaders and policy advocates that have followed, recently landing her in the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“I had the honor of serving with and learning from Gilda in the Legislature, and the pleasure of working with her and the League on positive policy improvements over the last three years. In her 40-plus years of direct public service and public policy advocacy, Gilda has left an indelible impact on the League’s century-plus history and our state’s policy landscape as a whole. On behalf of all of my fellow Michiganders, I want to thank my friend Gilda for her service, and I look forward to working with the League’s next CEO to continue making our state a better place for everyone,” Whitmer said.
In her time at the League, Jacobs has been instrumental in growing the organization and enhancing its stature and impact. In her 11 years at the helm, the League helped achieve some remarkable and everlasting policy improvements for the people of Michigan, including:
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Establishing and protecting the Healthy Michigan Plan, the state’s Medicaid expansion effort under the Affordable Care Act;
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Successfully defending the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit;
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Developing a number of positive election reforms to improve voting access;
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Making improvements to the state’s safety net programs, including increasing the asset test limit for cash, food and heating assistance programs to $15,000 and eliminating the lifetime ban on food assistance for residents with certain drug felonies; and
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Being instrumental in founding the Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration and securing numerous juvenile and adult criminal justice policy reforms.
“Gilda is a force for good and keenly focused on ensuring equity for all in Michigan. She has championed systems-level policies and advocated for transformative change to support Michigan families. Both in her roles leading the Michigan League for Public Policy, elected official, and civic leader, Gilda has served as a thoughtful and critical partner to Michigan philanthropy unpacking and deepening the understanding of policy issues affecting the communities we serve. We are grateful for her countless contributions and look forward to continuing our collective work in advancing equitable solutions and opportunities for all in Michigan,” Kyle Caldwell, president and CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations said.
At the organizational level, Gilda’s leadership has been key in helping the League take on a stronger advocacy role—fighting more directly for policy changes that help families and workers with low incomes and improve racial equity. She also prioritized the organization’s engagement with people, neighborhoods and communities around the state, creating a community engagement position that is now a three-person department to help make sure community voices were heard and amplified in the League’s work. Under Jacobs’ leadership, the League also expanded its health policy work beyond traditional health services and programs by creating a position focused on the social determinants of health and added additional staff to the League’s Kids Count project to expand efforts to analyze and improve child well-being.
“Gilda Jacobs has that drive, that special something, and she has provided truly extraordinary leadership during her decade at the helm of the Michigan League for Public Policy,” said Dr. Charles Ballard, League Board Chair and an economist and professor at Michigan State University. “Under Gilda’s leadership, the League has grown in size, scope, and influence, and has cemented its status as the go-to organization for high-quality research and advocacy on behalf of Michiganders who are economically disadvantaged. The League, and the people of Michigan, are lucky to have had her. We wish her the best in retirement (although no one who knows Gilda could possibly expect that she will just take it easy).”
Jacobs has won numerous awards for her work and was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of fame in 2019. She was named as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Michigan by Crain’s Detroit Business in 2016 and received the Michigan Food Bank Council’s Hunger-Free Award in 2015. In 2012, she participated in the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in the Nonprofit Leadership Program. Jacobs received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, and started her professional life as a special education teacher in Madison District Public Schools.
The League has secured The Hunter Group to conduct its search for a new president and CEO.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
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.
