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The Skillman Foundation’s 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference Session
This year’s Skillman Foundation Mackinac Policy Conference session unveiled findings from a poll issued by The Skillman Foundation and Michigan’s Children. The poll finds that Michigan residents expect more investment in children. Across all geographies and demographics, voters expect their dollars to be put to work to help children lead healthy, productive lives.
Angelique Power, The Skillman Foundation’s incoming president & CEO; Matt Gillard, president & CEO of Michigan’s Children; and Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, discussed findings from a statewide poll and what it indicates for policymakers and child advocates.
View the poll results here.
About the speakers
Matt Gillard is a strategic leader with extensive experience in high-level negotiation and policy development, Matt Gillard is dedicated to supporting the implementation of relevant and innovative public policy. As a former State Representative for the 106th District, Matt served six years in the Michigan House of Representatives, concluding his service in 2008 due to term limits. Formerly an attorney from Alpena, Matt graduated from Albion College with a B.A. in Political Science, from Wayne State University Law School, and is a member of the Michigan State Bar. Matt also built a successful advocacy and consulting business, providing guidance to various organizations, constituencies, and decision-makers relative to education policy issues. Matt joined Michigan’s Children in 2014 as President and CEO. In this role, Matt oversees all of Michigan’s Children’s programs and operations. He lives in Okemos with his wife, Jessica, and their four children: Gracie, Joel, Gus, and Pearl.
Celinda Lake is one of two main pollsters and a senior advisor to President Biden. She currently serves as president of Lake Research Partners. Lake’s polling and strategic advice has helped candidates such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Jon Tester, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Mark Begich, and former Governor Bob Wise to groundbreaking wins. She co-authored the book What Women Really Want with Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, which examines the way women are changing the political landscape in America. Lake works with innovative messaging projects that help redefine language on the economy, inequality, big money in politics, climate change, public schools, teachers, criminal justice reform, and race & class.
Angelique Power serves as president & CEO of The Skillman Foundation as of September 13, 2021. She previously served as president of the Field Foundation in Chicago. Power has a storied track record of building across constituencies locally, regionally, and nationally to achieve massive, community-led change. Born and raised on the southside of Chicago by a white, Jewish mother who was a Chicago Public School teacher and an African American father who rose to be Sergeant in the Chicago Police force, Power has an intense passion for catalyzing new ways of driving systemic change.
The Skillman Foundation
The Skillman Foundation is a grantmaking organization established in 1960 by Rose Skillman. We have granted out more than $730 million and have served as a vocal advocate to strengthen K-12 education, afterschool programming, child-centered neighborhoods, youth and community leadership, and racial equity and justice.
We are in the process of developing a new strategic framework, co-designed with Detroit youth and their champions.