"What's the next step? What can I do to help?"

That's the most common inquiry we're receiving this week on Mackinac after releasing "Michigan's Defining Moment: A Common Ground Agenda for Michigan's Transformation," the summary report after one-year of intense, statewide citizens dialogue about the state's future.

Here's the answer…

Join in as Michigan's Defining Moment participants get involved in their local legislative races and work to hold hundreds more community meetings to spread dialogue about Michigan's economic challenges and the complex and difficult policy decisions facing elected leaders over the next several years.

To facilitate that work, we're thrilled to introduce three new full-time outreach coordinators who, beginning June 9, will spur additional MDM action across the state…

ANNETTE GUILFOYLE will serve as our West Michigan Outreach Coordinator. Annette comes to us after nearly a decade of hard work as the City of Grand Rapids public information officer and lobbyist. She seems to know just about everybody in and near Kent County. She has worked on various forms of public engagement in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Michigan. She’s gotten her feet wet with MDM by already attending community conversations in Grand Rapids and one of our occasional legislative dinners this week in Lansing. You can reach her at 616-459-0901 or annette.guilfoyle@gmail.com.

KIM JOHNSON has worked with the Center as a consultant for nearly a year, but she’ll expand that relationship by becoming our Southeast Michigan Outreach Coordinator. Kim has served as a state government appointee under both Republican and Democratic administrations. She’s had a long and accomplished career in non-profit fundraising, consulting and capital expansion projects. Her clients have included the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the Skillman Foundation, Metro Detroit YMCA and she was on the management team for construction of the Detroit Opera House in the 1990s. You can reach Kim at 248-321-8635 or kimsjohn@comcast.net.

NANCY SHORT will serve as our Central Michigan Outreach Coordinator. Nancy comes to us from the Michigan Credit Union League where she has served as the political affairs manager responsible for a wide range of fundraising and other political activities. Nancy has the rare distinction of actually having studied the kind of political/public engagement work we’re doing. She holds a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. She has also worked for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington and on the 2002 campaign for John Dingell. By all accounts, she has an addiction for volunteer work and is deeply involved in Girls’ State. Oh, she’s also a graduate of the Michigan Political Leadership Program. You can reach Nancy at 202-390-5766 or shortn@umich.edu.