FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2024
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During Black History Month, Governor Whitmer Announces Number of Black Appointees in 2023 Outpaces Census
Eighteen percent of appointees are Black Michiganders, outpacing the total population of Black Michiganders statewide
LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that from January 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023, her office made 617 total appointments to boards, commissions, and task forces. Out of the 617 appointments, 18% of those appointees are Black Michiganders, roughly 4% higher than the census data for Black Michiganders in Michigan.
“Every Michigander should see a reflection of themselves within our leadership and administration,” said Governor Whitmer. “The contributions of Black Michiganders to our great state cannot be overstated, and the contributions of our Black appointees are no different. They are integral to building a brighter, more equitable future for Michiganders, helping us to lower costs, get students a better and more affordable education, and ensure every vote can be cast and counted. They make history every day and I am proud to honor each of them during Black History Month.”
“Representation is a conscious decision we make to bring more voices to the table and change outcomes,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “The Black Michiganders who serve on our boards, commissions, and task forces are making a difference every day for their fellow citizens, laying a path for health and wealth across Michigan, and providing an example that invites others to lead. As we celebrate their contributions during this Black History Month, Governor Whitmer and I further recommit to do everything in our power to deliver an equitable, good government that reflects our residents and works to build a Michigan where everyone can be all that they imagine.”
Governor Whitmer has been committed to building boards, commissions, a cabinet, and an executive office that represent Michigan. More than 60% of Whitmer appointees are women or people of color. Twenty-eight of Governor Whitmer’s judicial appointees are Black, nearly one-third of all her judicial appointees, and the cabinet is the most diverse in Michigan’s history.
Governor Whitmer has made a number of historic appointments of Black Michiganders in 2023, including the first Black woman on the Michigan Supreme Court. A few notable examples include:
- Kyra Harris Bolden (Michigan Supreme Court),
- Justice Kyra Harris Bolden was appointed as an Associate Justice on the Michigan Supreme Court, the first Black woman in Michigan history to hold that seat. First elected as a State Representative for Michigan’s 35th House District, Justice Harris Bolden has a history of service to the State of Michigan. While in office, she served as the assistant Democratic leader and as a member of the House Judiciary and Insurance Committees. She has focused her work on criminal justice reform, crafting and passing bipartisan legislation to protect survivors of sexual violence.
- Kellen Dotson (61st District Court Judge, Grand Rapids),
- Judge Kellen Dotson was appointed to the 61st District Court bench in Grand Rapids, where he became only the second Black man in Michigan history to hold that seat. Prior to his appointment, Judge Dotson served as an attorney in the Kent County Office of the Public Defender, an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Thomas M Cooley Law School, a trial skills trainer for the Michigan Indigent Defense Trial Skills Training Program, and a mediator with the Kent County Friend of the Court. While in practice, Judge Dotson was managing attorney with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office in Minneapolis, MN in the years immediately following the murder of George Floyd.
- Monique Sharpe (36th District Court, Detroit)
- Judge Monique Sharpe was appointed to the 36th District Court in Detroit. Prior to her appointment, Judge Sharpe served as the deputy general counsel to the 36th District Court, as legislative council and policy advisor for the City of Pontiac, and as chief of staff to Representative David Nathan in the Michigan House of Representatives. She is a former member of the Voyageur Academy board of directors and has served as an advocate for voter rights protection.
- Col. James F. Grady II (Michigan State Police),
- As the 20th person to hold the title, Col. James F. Grady II is the third Black director of the Michigan State Police. Colonel Grady began his career with the MSP in 1998, serving as a trooper at the former Adrian and Detroit posts. Twenty-two years later, he rose through the ranks to captain and commander of the Training Division, where he was responsible for the development of all future troopers. In September 2023, Governor Whitmer selected him to lead the department. As Director, he also serves as State Director of Emergency Management and as Michigan’s Homeland Security Director.
- Director Brian Love (Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency)
- Director Brian L. Love is a Marine Corps veteran with extensive experience in veteran advocacy, education reform and political strategy who was recently appointed to lead the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. Director Love has a long history of public service. Prior to his appointment, Director Love worked as the director of community engagement for The Education Trust – Midwest, as project management director for the Greater Detroit Area Health Council State Outreach, and as director at Students First Michigan. He has previously served as an appointee to the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Board of Directors, and as chair of the Black Leadership Advisory Council Education Committee. He has also served on numerous non-profit boards and committees.
- Shirley Stancato (Growing Michigan Together Council)
- Shirley Stancato was appointed as co-chair of the Growing Michigan Together Council, a bipartisan initiative aimed at growing the state population by targeting certain key issue areas facing Michiganders. She also serves as chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors. For almost 20 years, Stancato was president and chief executive officer of New Detroit Inc., a metropolitan Detroit-based leadership coalition serving as an essential forum for discussion and advocacy for racial equity. Prior to joining New Detroit, Stancato enjoyed a long career at what is now Chase Bank, where she rose in the ranks to become Senior Vice President. Stancato currently serves on the boards of Fifth Third Bank of Eastern Michigan, Teach for America Detroit, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Zoological Commission, among others.
- Dr. Bill Pink (MEDC Executive Committee)
- Dr. Bill Pink is a member of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Executive Committee. Pink is the 19th president of Ferris State University and is the first African American president in the university’s nearly 140-year history. Pink was selected to serve in conjunction with the Growing Michigan Together Council as chair of the higher education workgroup and serves on boards of the Higher Learning Commission, American Council on Education, and Corewell Health West Michigan. Pink served as president of Grand Rapids Community College and vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City Campus.
- Portia Roberson (Civil Rights Commission)
- Portia Roberson is the chief executive officer of Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-based non-profit with a focus on workforce development and education. She previously served the City of Detroit as the Group Executive for Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity. Throughout her career she has been actively involved in human and civil rights issues. She was also selected by to serve in conjunction with the Growing Michigan Together Council as a co-chair of the “Jobs, Talent, People” workgroup.
These individuals make up only a small fraction of the appointees working to further push Michigan ahead. To learn more about the diverse members of our more than 250 boards and commissions, visit here.
The governor’s Appointments Division is responsible for seeking qualified candidates to fill more than 2,300 appointments spanning across numerous state agencies. Representation across all demographics, including age, gender, race, and disability-status, reflects a commitment to diversity across all types of appointment.
“The diversity among Governor Whitmer's appointees is the product of outreach efforts in communities around the state to inform, engage, and encourage new applicants," said Director Alex Thibodeau of the Governor’s Appointments Division. "The more perspectives represented among our applicants, the more opportunities the Governor has to make our boards and commissions reflect the residents of Michigan. Representation across all interest areas at the state level is crucial to addressing and improving racial equity in our state.”
The Appointments Division is responsible for recruitment and appointment to over 250 boards and commissions related to a variety of causes, mandates, and interest areas, including economic development, healthcare, climate, infrastructure, education, and ethnic and social representation.
If you are interested in becoming an appointee and being a part of the pivotal change in Michigan, learn about Governor Whitmer’s current Appointments opportunities and the array of boards/commissions by visiting www.michigan.gov/appointments.
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