To say that 2025 was tough feels like an understatement. It has been a particularly heavy year, filled with attacks and threats. And while it may feel in these times that there is little to celebrate, all of us, from community members and advocates to educators and leaders, should take pride in the hard work we’ve put into the fight this year.
We here at the League want to thank you, and we hope you can find time to rest up and recharge before the new year begins.
As per tradition, we’re saying farewell to the past year with our top blogs from 2025. We hope you’ll take a moment to reflect with us, especially since many of these topics will continue to be central in our work together in 2026, as well.
Protect Michigan families’ health care not tax breaks for the wealthy, Oct. 15: League President & CEO Monique Stanton highlighted an issue that is currently ongoing: Pressing Congress to extend premium (enhanced) tax credits that have made health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act accessible and affordable.
Kids deserve a world free of political polarization, extremism, violence, Aug. 12: Kids Count Policy Director Anne Kuhnen shared data on Michigan kids’ increased exposure to political polarization, ideological extremism and political violence in our society. Anne included recommendations to address and counteract the hate, reduce tensions and build relationships so kids can grow up in communities free of threats, harassment and violence.
Immigration isn’t the crime story we’re being told, Oct. 7: Senior Policy Analyst Scott Preston opposed political rhetoric linking immigration and crime, pointing out how immigrant communities often contribute to neighborhood stability rather than undermining it. Scott shares data on immigrant communities, media coverage and crime to set the story straight.
School meals need to stay on the table, Aug. 26: Education Policy Analyst Alexandra Stamm summarized a day at the state Capitol where she and fellow advocates urged the Legislature to continue including free school meals in the fiscal year 2026 School Aid budget. Alexandra included stories that were shared that day, as well as data surrounding the importance of providing school meals in the 2026 state budget.
Protecting immigrants is a moral imperative and economic necessity for Michigan, July 30: The current administration’s campaign of mass deportation not only threatens people in our communities, but also the fiscal sustainability of our state. As Senior Policy Analyst Scott Preston wrote, “Protecting and welcoming immigrants is not just a moral imperative but an economic necessity.”
CRECfest 2025, Jan. 8: The Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) determines the anticipated General Fund and School Aid Fund revenues for the year. And since we at the League love a good budget party, Communications Coordinator Emily Jorgensen put together a CREC-inspired playlist to accompany our blog.
Jinkies! Uncovering the truth behind the Invest in MI Kids spooky tales, Oct.28: The Invest in MI Kids ballot initiative would be a major win for Michigan’s youngest and our schools, but some stories suggest otherwise. Tax Policy Analyst Nicholas Hess and Education Policy Analyst Alexandra Stamm teamed up for a Halloween blog centered on Invest in MI Kids: “Just like Scooby-Doo and the gang unmask the monsters, we’re here to peel back the layers of these scare tactics. When we remove the mask, what’s left is just treats and no tricks.”
Breaking down the new wave of unemployment-related collections, Oct. 30: The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) is seeking to recover $2.7 billion from workers who it says were overpaid in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. In this blog, Economic Security Policy Analyst Patrick Schaefer offered background and explained how these collections could leave thousands of Michiganders with massive debt through no fault of their own, and emphasized how our unemployment system needs to prepare to support working families instead of draining them dry.
Trump administration policies worsen housing crisis and criminalize those harmed by it, July 31: Senior Policy Analyst Julie Cassidy shared data to emphasize the consequences of the Trump administration’s actions in housing, including the very distressing Executive Order intended to make it easier to lock up people with mental health disabilities and treat people as criminals just for experiencing homelessness.
The fight is not over in wake of passage of harmful federal Republican Megabill, Aug. 7: League President and CEO Monique Stanton authored a blog sharing details from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” While it included (and still includes) plenty to be disappointed and disheartened about, Monique kept up the hope and positivity that we will continue to carry with us as we welcome 2026.
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.
