Michigan Future Inc., a Michigan-focused nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank, today announced the addition of Rosalynn Bliss and Dan Kildee to its board of directors. Bliss is the assistant dean and chief external relations officer at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and Kildee is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rosalynn and Dan to the board,” said Michigan Future President Lou Glazer. “Their combined experience working at all levels of government will be critical to informing the development and implementation of policies that will raise the incomes of all Michigan households.”
Prior to her role at MSU, Rosalynn Bliss served the City of Grand Rapids as an elected official for 19 years – first as a City Commissioner and then as Mayor. During her tenure as Mayor, she also served as a professor in the School of Social Work and the Frederik Meijer Honors College at Grand Valley State University. She continues to serve on the boards of a number of organizations in the Grand Rapids region, including the Downtown Development Authority, the Kent County Convention/Area Authority, and the Grand Rapids Chamber Foundation Board. Some of her recognitions include the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, the Michigan Women Forward Women of Achievement and Courage Award, the National Leadership Award from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the Michigan Municipal League Honorary Life Membership Award.
“I’ve dedicated my career to improving the well-being of Michiganders, and joining Michigan Future’s board provides another way to continue this work,” said Bliss. “At the heart of Michigan Future’s agenda is a commitment to raising the incomes of all Michigan households, and I’m excited to contribute to those efforts.”
Before leading the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Dan Kildee served as a Member of the U.S. Congress from 2013-2025, representing Michigan’s 8th and previously Michigan’s 5th congressional district. In Congress he served on the Ways and Means Committee and the Budget Committee, and was the co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Prior to being elected to Congress, Kildee co-founded and served as President of the Center for Community Progress, a national nonprofit organization, where he was one of the nation’s leading voices on urban land reform and revitalization. He also founded Michigan’s first land bank – the Genesee County Land Bank – which is responsible for over $100 million in redevelopment in the city of Flint. He previously served as a Genesee County Commissioner and as County Treasurer, and began his career in public service when he was elected to the Flint Board of Education at age 18. In addition to leading the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Kildee also serves as the Griffin Endowed Chair of American Government at Central Michigan University.
“I’ve seen first-hand that you can’t get anything done in Lansing or in Washington without an agenda that attracts support from both sides of the aisle,” Kildee said. “Michigan Future is the rare organization whose mission is to develop policy ideas that confront Michigan’s greatest challenges through a non-ideological lens, and I’m eager to support the organization in continuing to lead on this work.”
“Rosalynn and Dan are perfect additions to MFI’s board,” said board chair Nick Khouri. “They’re smart, results-oriented, and both have long records of getting things done in government. I can’t wait to see what they contribute to Michigan Future.”
