Gov. Rick Snyder is in the final weeks of his two terms in the top office in the state.
His first term was defined largely by business-oriented moves, shepherding Detroit through emergency management and bankruptcy, and making Michigan a Right-to-Work state. He ran for reelection largely maintaining his “relentless positive action” mission for the state.
He began his second term slamming into a veritable brick wall as Flint’s water crisis bubbled to the fore. Since then his time in office has been more defensive, and inundated with issues experienced at the ground level — water contamination, access to health care, and education.
What will Snyder’s legacy be on all of these issues, and as a whole?
Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson writes:
“Nine years ago, I first met Rick Snyder as a very early, dark horse candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and… I completely dismissed him. Too many other well known Republicans were expected to run, and Snyder’s message was too compromising for most GOP voters.
But I was wrong. Snyder won the primary the next year, and handily won the general election.
Eight years later we are about to say goodbye to Snyder, which is inspiring a lot of reflective analysis about his legacy.
A lot has happened in eight years, and one thing is for sure: Snyder will be remembered… for a long long time.
But will it be for accomplishments like the Detroit bankruptcy — or for spectacular failures like Flint?
Or will the state’s economic turnaround overshadow everything?”
To reflect on those questions, Henderson speaks with a number of people who have followed Snyder’s term in office closely. First, he speaks with Bill Ballenger of the Ballenger Report, who has covered state politics for decades. Then, he speaks with Sandy Baruah, President CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, as well as Gilda Jacobs, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. Dec 11, 2018 – WDET Radio (Detroit)
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.
Jacob Kaplan 
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. 
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.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
