In September of 1977, a young high school graduate cranked out 78 words per minute in a typing test. Little did she know, a 40-year career had just been born.
Phyllis Killips, assistant to the president, just celebrated her 40th anniversary of working with the League, and she sat down to answer a few questions about the changes she’s seen since the 1970s.
Q: How did you come to work at the League (then the Michigan League for Human Services)?
A: I had just graduated high school and a friend and I decided we needed jobs. We went to an employment service to take some tests. When the service reported my typing score to the Michigan League for Human Services, they called and said, “Get her over here!” I had several interviews—one with our very serious director at the time, Maury Beck—and they hired me. I couldn’t believe it. It was my very first job offer and I took it.
Q: What are some of your first memories of the League?
A: My second day of work was our big regional meeting. They gave me a nametag marked “staff” and had me sit at the publications table. I was 17 years old and had no idea what the League was all about. I was terrified! People kept asking me questions and I really didn’t know the answers. A few days later, I was asked to take minutes at a board meeting. For whatever reason, they thought I could do these things. And eventually I did!
Q: The League’s board of directors recently presented you with a cake that featured a typewriter. How has technology changed your job over the years?
A: Well, our typewriters weren’t that ancient. We had memory typewriters when I started, so you’d program the typewriter with up to 50 different settings. It was great to be able to save the information, but since you had no visual, you had no idea whether or not you had made a mistake, and you had to keep lists of all the programs. Computers came to the office in ’81 or ’82, and that changed everything. It made our jobs so much easier because we could actually see what we were typing.
Our donor and member database is something I really love. I was nervous about learning it at first, but it has made my work so much more efficient. That’s one thing…I tend to want to stick to what I know, but that taught me that sometimes it’s better to try something new.
Q: You’ve invested 40 years here. What made you decide that the League was more than just a temporary job?
A: Oh, the people. Even though a lot of people have come and gone in the time I’ve been here, they’ve all been really wonderful. Everyone is helpful and it’s been a great place. It’s like family*. And the fact that everyone here is working to help families and children in Michigan, well, that’s just something so special.
*In Phyllis’s case, it’s not just “like” family. Mary Logan, who also works in the office, is Phyllis’s sister-in-law. Phyllis’s brother was looking for a date back in 1979, so Phyllis offered to set him up with the “new girl” at work. He needed to see a picture before he’d commit, so Phyllis awkwardly asked Mary to give her one of her senior pictures. A double date was set, and the rest is family history.
Q: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in your time here?
A: Well, we’ve changed our name and moved to four different offices! When I first started, we were on Mill Street, where Impression 5 is now. Then we moved downtown to Washington, then the Penn Building. I love our office today in Old Town. It’s great to be near the river trail and be able to take walks.
Q: What fun memories do you have of your time here?
A: Oh, boy! There are too many to say. And some I probably shouldn’t say! I vividly remember a fundraiser we did—it was called the “Corned Beef Fundraiser.” I have no idea why that was the theme, but it was a big deal—an event we did one year in the 80s with the help of the UAW. Lynn Jondahl, who has been on the board since I’ve been here, was the emcee. He’s a really funny guy and had us all laughing so hard. Everyone really enjoyed the night so much, and afterward we all went to the Boom Boom Room in Lansing…a crazy place! So that’s maybe a good place to stop that story!
Obviously the 100th Anniversary Gala was a special event. Lots of former employees came back for that in 2012 and we put a lot of work into making it a good celebration.
And I think the most heartwarming memory is when Sharon Parks, the previous director, retired. It was really sweet. Mary, Tillie, Jackie and I all put on hats and sang a song that Mary wrote. It was a great send-off to Sharon, and a great way to welcome Gilda to the office.
I’m just glad to be here. I had an opportunity to leave once, and I’d probably be retired by now if I’d taken it. But being here, working with such supportive people, it’s good. I’m glad I stayed.
— Phyllis Killips
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.
