A panel of the people
These citizen representatives came from all walks of life and reflected the population (see below). They brought with them different values, beliefs, and lived experiences.
Citizens should have a voice,
especially in trying times.
Citizens should have a voice, especially in trying times.
The Citizens' Panel on COVID-19 brought together everyday Americans to find common ground and point a way forward. They weighed expert testimony and made policy recommendations to guide the response to the pandemic.
The Panel was convened in Michigan, one of the states that most reflects our country's makeup as well as its deep divide.
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In it panelists share their experience and present 12 policy recommendations directed toward municipal, county, and state government.
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- Age
- Gender
- Race
- Schooling
- Geography
- Politics
- Views
The Panel generally reflected the different ages in the population, although it was slightly more middle-aged than Michigan as a whole. More flexibility was afforded here than with gender, race, or people’s views on politics and coronavirus. This was based on the government’s 2019 census projections.
The Panel had an even gender balance of 15 men and 15 women, which accurately reflected the population. This was based on the government’s 2019 census projections.
The Panel closely reflected the proportions of different racial backgrounds of Michigan. This was based on the government’s 2019 census projections.
The Panel generally reflected the amount of schooling in the population, with a slight over-representation of those with some college or a degree. More flexibility was afforded here than with gender, race, or people’s views on politics and coronavirus. This was based on the government’s 2019 census projections.
The Panel generally reflected the geographic makeup of Michigan, with slight over-representation of regions with very small percentages of the population. These regions came from the government’s MI Safe Start Plan.
The Panel accurately reflected the political views of the population. This was based on Gallup’s State Ideological Identification data from 2018.
The Panel reflected the different levels of concern in Michigan regarding coronavirus, as well as people’s feelings about the Governor’s response to the outbreak. This was based on June 2020 Nationscape data from Democracy Fund’s Voter Study Group.
selected without
parties or campaigns
The Panel was selected through a democratic lottery (see video on right), to avoid the corruption, politicization, and disenfranchisement that characterize elections.
that weighed expert testimony
Oct 10th Hearing on COVID-19 and Masks
Speakers
- Dr. May Darwish-Yassine, Chief Program Officer
Michigan Public Health Institute – mphi.org
Masters in Epidemiology and Ph.D. in Epidemiologic Science
- Ebony Johnson
Public Health Awakened – publichealthawakened.org
Masters in Epidemiology
- Tammy Clark, Executive Director
Stand Up Michigan – standupmichigan.com
OSHA Certified Specialist at Tammy K. Clark Companies, LLC
- Dr. Sarah Lyon-Callo, Director and State Epidemiologist
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Bureau of Epidemiology and Population Health – michigan.gov/mdhhs
Masters in Epidemiology and Ph.D. in Epidemiologic Science
Oct 11th Hearing on COVID-19 and Health Inequities
Speakers
- Salli Pung, State Long Term Care Ombudsman
State Long Term Care Ombudsman – mltcop.org
Michigan Elder Justice Initiative – meji.org
- Michelle Roberts, Executive Director
Disability Rights Michigan – drmich.org
Co-chair of the National Disability Rights Network Advocacy Work Group
- Molly Green
Public Health Awakened – publichealthawakened.org
Masters in Public Health
Oct 13th Hearing on COVID-19 and a Vaccine
Speakers
- Dr. Paul E. Kilgore, Senior Investigator
Global Health Initiative of the Henry Ford Health System – henryford.co
Also the Associate Professor & Director of Research
Wayne State University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
- Dr. Nigel Paneth, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Pediatrics
Michigan State University – epi.msu.edu
Doctor of Medicine and Masters of Public Health
- Dr. Patricia Brown, Professor of Medicine
Wayne State University Medical School – med.wayne.edu
Also the Associate Chief of Staff for Medicine
John D. Dingell VA Medical Center – detroit.va.gov
Doctor of Medicine
Slides
Oct 15th Hearing on COVID-19 and Job Loss
Speakers
- Evan Anderson, Chief Strategist
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – michigan.gov/leo
- Keven Stotts, President
Talent 2025 – talent2025.org
- Michele Evermore, Senior Policy Analyst
National Employment Law Project – nelp.org
Slides
Oct 17th Hearing on COVID-19 and Small Business
Speakers
- Gabe Rodriguez-Garriga
Michigan Economic Recovery Council – detroitchamber.com
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Partnerships
Detroit Regional Partnership – detroitregionalpartnership.com
- Amanda Bright McClanahan – Chief Operating Officer
Michigan Economic Development Corporation – michiganbusiness.org
Slides
Other Institutions and Individuals who offered testimony
On Health
- Diane Goddeeris, RN and Interim Executive Director of the Michigan Nurses Association
- Melissa Boals, RN and Director at Large of the Michigan Nurses Association
- Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association
- Adam Eickmeyer, Expert on LGBTQ+ Health and Lecturer at the University of Michigan
- Jackie Prokop, Policy Program Director at MI Department of Health and Human Services
- Jo Murphy, Executive Director of the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program
- Stephen Kemp, Director of Kemp Funeral Home & Cremation Services
On the Economy
- Robert Scott III, Great Lakes Region Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration
- Justin Winslow, President and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
- Ryan Sebolt, Director of Government Affairs of the Michigan State AFL-CIO
- Kevin Moore, President at Teamsters Local 299, Trustee at Teamsters Joint Council 43
On Education
- Tanya Pitkin, Board of Directors of the Michigan Parent Teachers Association
- David Hecker, President of American Federation of Teachers of Michigan
- Daniel Hurley, CEO of the Michigan Association of State Universities
- Mike Hansen, President of the Michigan Community College Association
- Ben DeGrow, Director of Education Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
- Dave Tebo, Superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools in Hamilton, Michigan
- Mark Thomas, Principal of Northview High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan
On Public Policy
- Michael Van Beek, Director of Research at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
- Eric Lupher, President of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan
- Peter Ruark, Senior Policy Analyst at the Michigan League for Public Policy
- Ron Armstrong, Co-Founder of Stand Up Michigan, Co-Chair of Unlock Michigan
- Kelly Rose, Chief Housing Solutions Officer at MI State Housing Development Authority
and found
common ground.
They didn’t all agree on everything, but these Americans from across the political spectrum worked together. They reached 70-90% agreement on the policy recommendations they developed. And many were transformed in the process.
Watch the
public release
Watch the
public release
So if you're ready to feel inspired for a change,
sign up to see the documentary
coming in 2021
So if you're ready to feel inspired for a change, sign up to see the documentary coming in 2021
Who was behind this?
This was an independent
non-partisan
initiative
The Citizens’ Panel on COVID-19 was organized and funded by a grassroots, non-partisan, non-profit called of by for. The Panel’s facilitated process was designed and overseen by Robin Harkless, a professional moderator who has facilitated similar citizens’ bodies in Oregon, Minnesota, California, and Arizona.
The democratic lottery was conducted in partnership with Panelot, a team of computer scientists from Harvard and Carnegie Mellon University.
Adam Cronkright
Co-Coordinator
George Zisiadis
Co-Coordinator
Robin Harkless
Lead Moderator
Austin Talley
Lead Producer
Olivia Talley
Assistant Producer
Jeff Hayes
Moderator
Becca Kearl
Moderator
Tina Patterson
Moderator
Lauren Rauch
Moderator
Rahmin Sarabi
Moderator Support
Payton Silket
Moderator
Ben Whiting
Moderator
Click to see the full list