We’re pleased to feature this blog co-written by Dr. Shayla Young, Vice President of KConnect, and Jayme Vosovic, Community Engagement Director at the Michigan League for Public Policy. A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
Dr. Shayla Young
Jayme Vosovic
Big life events — whether it’s welcoming a child into the family, providing care for an aging parent, or caring for our own health — do not necessarily abide by a timeline of preparedness or convenience. Sometimes we can prepare as much as possible and still be met with an unexpected turn of events.
Without paid family leave, Michiganders could be one emergency away from losing their stability, livelihood or home.
This is one of the reasons that KConnect added Access to Paid Family and Medical Leave to its co-created Shared Policy Agenda, the first of its kind in Kent County dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families. This agenda, affirmed by the KConnect network, highlights six other priorities, such as Equity in Teacher Compensation and Increased Access to Postsecondary Opportunities, to name a few. It was developed with significant input from those most impacted by the disparities the agenda aims to address.
Rooted in equity and developed to be responsive to emergent community needs, the Shared Policy Agenda supports three focus areas that align with the KConnect prenatal-to-career workplan: Home and Family Stability, Postsecondary Completion and K-12 Academic Success. Our ultimate goal is to improve economic mobility and achieve thriving family income for all residents of Kent County, regardless of race, ethnicity or economic background.
With the support of the KConnect network behind us, we hosted our inaugural Advocacy Day at the Capitol on November 12.
KConnect and the Michigan League for Public Policy partnered with Mothering Justice for coalition and subject matter expertise and then took our experiences and knowledge to Lansing to speak with Senators and staffers. For many people, this was their first exposure to advocacy. To prepare them, we worked to ensure they entered the day with as much confidence as possible. We told them what to expect, how policy and advocacy is central to KConnect’s work, and reviewed talking points derived from data analysis. We also created a custom guidebook for each participant, including one-pagers, individualized meeting schedules and more.
We were 21 strong, representing various sectors, including education, nonprofit, business, community, and parent voices. Everyone had a story about the necessity of paid family and medical leave, whether personal, professional or both.
That is where the real strength rests: within people and their stories.
When it came time to meet with legislators, participants provided information on KConnect and the need for a paid family and medical leave program, which is currently in the Legislature in the Michigan Family Leave Optimal Coverage (MI-FLOC) bills. These bills, which are supported by 71% of Michiganders, are also endorsed by a multitude of other organizations, such as People First Economy, which works with small businesses around the state of Michigan.
Carlos Martinez, President of People First Economy, spoke about the importance of these bills for small businesses. “We believe that (MI-FLOC) makes small businesses more competitive. If you’re a small business with less than 20 employees, you actually can implement these programs at no cost to you.”
In addition, legislation similar to this has passed around the country, ultimately making the economy stronger, with data showing that small businesses are seeing minimal impact on their profit margin.
In total, we interacted with 31 Senate offices to advocate for a vital program that impacts home and family stability as well as economic mobility for all residents in Michigan. It was remarkable to see our fellow advocates go from anxious and uncertain to empowered and excited by the end of the day. Policy and advocacy may sound complex, but it’s simply about developing relationships. The more we make our voices heard through writing letters, calling offices, attending coffee hours, and more, the more we build these valuable connections with our lawmakers.
The League has placed MI-FLOC at the top of our priorities for the Michigan Legislature to move across the finish line before the end of this year. Stay tuned to mlpp.org for updates.
For those interested in KConnect, as well as the next Advocacy Day focusing on education, visit k-connect.org/PACE.
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.
