What first connected you to Global Detroit and its mission? And what motivates you to stay involved?

“I’ve known Steve Tobocman for a long time, so when he asked me to be a founding board member, I was genuinely honored and said yes without hesitation. I watched this organization take shape around a conviction I’d held for years through my own practice: that Michigan’s future is inseparable from its ability to welcome and retain global talent. What keeps me engaged is that the work has only become more urgent, especially with everything that has shifted around immigration policy in recent years.

 

Every year, the data gets stronger, and the stakes get higher. When I look at how the programming has evolved from the early days of Global EIR and Global Talent Retention Initiative, the depth of impact is remarkable. But what truly distinguishes Global Detroit is that it doesn’t just organize and convene; it has become one of the most credible research and advocacy voices on immigrant-inclusive economic development in the country.

 

Global Detroit has become part of the tapestry of Michigan’s economy, connecting talent, innovation, universities, and companies in ways that raise the stakes for all of us.“

Why do you believe Global Detroit’s work is important for Michigan (and the country) right now?

“Michigan should be the model the rest of the country looks to when making the case for smart, inclusive immigration initiatives. We have the research to prove it: nearly 100,000 international students filled critical jobs in our economy over a single decade, over 50,000 of them engineers, the vast majority holding advanced degrees. Michigan has actually retained a higher percentage of its engineering talent than almost every other state in the country. I don’t see this as an accident; it is the result of intentional investment in programs and infrastructure that Global Detroit helped build. But what we have built is now at a serious risk. We are watching student visas get revoked, proposals to eliminate OPT entirely, and a policy environment that is sending a chilling signal to talented people around the world that they are not welcome here. Decreasing foreign student enrollment alone could cost the country an estimated $7 billion and more than 60,000 jobs nationally.

 

I’ve done a lot of international travel this year and our global competitors are not waiting; they are actively recruiting the talent we are pushing away. Michigan has too much at stake and too much to offer to let that happen, and Global Detroit is one of the only organizations in this state with both the credibility and the urgency to fight for it.“

What impact of Global Detroit’s work stands out to you the most, and why?

“The Global Talent Retention Initiative stands out to me because it works on both sides of the equation. It helps international students understand that there is a real future for them here, and it helps universities and employers understand how to make that happen. That kind of two-way bridge is harder to build than it looks, and Global Detroit built it first. The OPT research we helped support is a direct extension of that same commitment; it’s the first statewide analysis of its kind and it puts hard numbers behind what many of us have known anecdotally for years. When you pair that research with the on-the-ground programming, that is how you actually move the needle.“

In your own words, what does “welcoming” mean for Michigan?

“Welcoming means having the systems that back up the invitation. Michigan recruits international students from every corner of the world to some of the best universities in our country, and then too often we make it harder for them to stay than to leave. A truly welcoming Michigan means employers who know how to navigate the hiring process, universities that link students to real career pathways, and organizations like Global Detroit that hold the whole ecosystem accountable to the outcome. But it also means we can’t leave it in the hands of policymakers alone. Every company, every university, and every community organization has a role to play. What I appreciate about Global Detroit is that this work touches all kinds of immigration, all kinds of people. Welcoming isn’t a program or a slogan; it’s embedded into Michigan’s culture. It means opening the door and making sure everyone who walks through it has a real shot at building something here. That’s the Michigan I believe in and want to see continue to grow.“

Why is it important to support organizations that help immigrant entrepreneurs and professionals succeed?

“Because the return is real and it’s visible. When I look at what immigrant founders have built through Global Detroit’s programs, or what international students are contributing inside our university research corridors doing some of the most important work happening anywhere in the country, it’s hard to argue against investing in the infrastructure that makes that possible. These are people who chose Michigan, who are building here, researching here, hiring here. Supporting the organizations that help them navigate that journey and put down roots is one of the most direct investments you can make in this state’s future. Michigan’s economic story has always been built by people who showed up and got to work. That hasn’t changed.“

For someone considering supporting Global Detroit for the first time, what would you want them to know about the impact their support makes?

“I’d want them to know that this is their Michigan too. I’ve built my practice here, I’ve watched this state grow, struggle, and rebuild, and I can tell you that what Global Detroit is doing is directly connected to all of it. When we lose talent, we don’t just lose a person; we lose the research that doesn’t get done, the company that doesn’t get built, the jobs that never materialize. That is the cost of inaction, and it compounds. Global Detroit is the organization working every day to make sure Michigan doesn’t find itself on the wrong side of that equation, and your support is what makes that possible.”

For ways to invest and engage in our work, consider sharing and donating to the annual Spring Giving campaign, and if you are an entity looking to uplift our work in a bigger way and would like greater exposure to likeminded audiences, consider becoming a sponsor of our fall fundraising dinner, Tapestry.