Earlier this year, the League released its Owner’s Manual for Michigan. As we move toward 2020, we’re taking time to reflect and recalibrate.
The Owner’s Manual is a people-driven agenda that lays out a plan to improve the lives of Michiganders through better public policy. To put it together, the League’s team listened to hundreds of residents from all over the state and of different ages, races and ethnicities, backgrounds, economic statuses about what they and their communities need not just to survive but to thrive. Their ideas became part of a comprehensive plan to give Michigan a tune-up.
When we began working on the Owner’s Manual, the “people-driven” component was essential—our team knew that in this case, we weren’t the experts. We went directly into communities to hear from real Michiganders. And we listened. Aside from introducing ourselves, League staff did not speak. For the Owner’s Manual to be effective, it needs to truly be driven by the people, which means we needed to put our “expert” status aside and commit to that goal.
The folks in our listening sessions really opened up to us about what they saw in their neighborhoods, their schools, their workplaces. Their experiences—some heartbreaking, some uplifting—helped to make sure the project was designed with all Michiganders in mind.
In January, we delivered hard copies of the Owner’s Manual to policymakers and advocates around the state—including those working in the state Capitol.
But the process didn’t end there.
Since then, we’ve continued to fight for—and make progress on—the things that matter to you and your fellow Michiganders: Top Notch Education, Strong Workers, Healthy Communities and Thriving Families.
As we keep promoting these key goals and working to achieve them, we also keep listening. Our community engagement team is holding focus groups in the same communities this summer—this time to hear people reflect on the manual, evaluate how we did on capturing and outlining their suggestions, and share what they think our next steps should be. We’ve also expanded to hear from some new communities and voices that will better inform all of our work.
Have we heard from you? You can be part of the Owner’s Manual, too, by taking our survey and sharing your thoughts on the policies you think would help Michigan on the road ahead.
The League believes there’s strength in numbers. Often those numbers come from the data we use. But the true strength in our work comes from the big number of supporters and partners we have in our work, and that includes you!
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.
