Sam Singh, former Democratic Leader in the Michigan House of Representatives and an expert in building consensus and shaping public policy, is the new chief executive officer at Public Policy Associates, Inc.
Mr. Singh has been a senior policy consultant at PPA since February. In his new role, key responsibilities will include strategic planning and helping the company grow.
“Sam is a dynamic and well-known leader with an impressive background in organizational development as well as proven skills developing effective policies,” said PPA owner Virginia M. Orabone. “He is a perfect fit for PPA, and I know he will contribute in many ways to our future success.”
Mr. Singh said he is excited for the opportunity to lead a company with a reputation for providing independent, high-value research, evaluation, and strategic guidance services to clients in Michigan and across the country.
“I have a deep respect for PPA’s talented research staff and their work to support intentional, data-driven policy, helping clients figure out how well programs work and how they can be improved,” Mr. Singh said. “This is a time of dramatic change for Michigan and the country, and I think I can deepen the work here at PPA through both my network and experiences.”
Colleen Graber is the chief operating officer, in charge of the firm’s processes and approaches that support quality project delivery and communications. She will continue as a leader in PPA’s education and workforce policy areas.
“I am excited about PPA’s reorganization, which allows me to focus on the things I do best—working with our talented staff to provide high-value insights to our clients,” said Ms. Graber.
Mr. Singh was previously president and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, a membership and advocacy organization serving the nonprofit sector in the state. During his six years in the Michigan House, he was elected by his peers to be Democratic Leader and Democratic Floor Leader.
He also worked as a senior consultant at PPA from 2009-2012, during which he consulted with the New Economy Initiative, a philanthropy-led project to create an inclusive regional network of support for entrepreneurship and workforce development in southeast Michigan.
Founded in 1991, Public Policy Associates is a Lansing-based company offering services to public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations. It specializes in education, workforce development, criminal and juvenile justice, and healthy communities. PPA recently created a Center for Local Solutions to help local governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations achieve public policy goals.
You can read more about Mr. Singh here. You can reach him at ssingh@publicpolicy.com or 517-485-4477.