The Review Magazine Spring 2025

By Emily Landau Linking Local Futures

In January, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Jose W. Fernandez, and the Michigan Municipal League Foundation announced the launch of Michigan’s new Subnational Diplomacy Working Group, the first in the nation. This nonpartisan group will develop a subnational diplomacy strategy for Michigan, exploring how communities can leverage international economic partnerships. Prior to the creation of the Working Group, Julie Egan, Senior Fellow at the MML Foundation and a former U.S. diplomat, had facilitated trips for Michigan leaders to Armenia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, intended to spark dialogue on economic collaboration. We spoke with several participants in this nonpartisan initiative to learn more about it.

From left to right: Helen Johnson, Pat Lockwood, Ben Marchionna, Emilie LaGrow, Amy Shamroe, Gregory Dill, Andrew DeLeeuw, Christina Anderson, Khalfani Stephens, Julie Egan, Mark Washington, Jeanette Pierce, and Hassan Sheikh at the State Department in Washington, D.C.

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| Spring 2025