Policy Matters welcomes three new board members

Melissa Cropper, Chris Mabe and Indigo Bishop to help guide public policy institute.

For immediate release

Contact: Amy Hanauer, 216-361-9801

  Policy Matters Ohio is pleased to welcome extraordinary new board members Melissa Cropper, Chris Mabe and Indigo Bishop. Melissa Cropper is president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, which represents 20,000 educators and support staff across Ohio. Melissa was a librarian in Georgetown, Ohio, is a leader at state and national levels, and is particularly concerned about children in poverty. “Melissa is at the forefront of making sure that Ohio’s lowest-income students receive top quality teaching in an environment that respects the whole child,” said Amy Hanauer, executive director of Policy Matters. “We’re extremely grateful that she is willing to lend her valuable time to our organization.” Chris Mabe is president of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, a graduate of the Harvard University Trade Union Program and worked as a corrections sergeant at the Lorain Correctional Institution. From Grafton, Mabe is an international vice president of AFSCME international and occupies the prestigious labor seat on the Ohio Department of Veterans’ Services Committee. “Chris is an innovative worker-leader who works to reduce over-incarceration, make Ohio’s correctional institutions safer and more effective, and improve the prospects for successful re-entry of formerly incarcerated adults into society,” Hanauer said. Indigo Bishop is Cleveland action strategist for IOBY (In Our Back Yard), and a rising neighborhood and civic leader. A lifelong Cleveland resident, Indigo mobilizes neighbors who have good ideas to become powerful citizen leaders, making change in their own backyards. “Indigo brings a special understanding of how neighbors come together to revitalize their communities, and we are eager to work with her to create policies that help generate that kind of action,” Hanauer said.

“Chris, Indigo and Melissa are three phenomenal leaders from across Ohio who will bring insight, energy, and commitment to our board of directors,” said Kamla Lewis, chair of the Policy Matters nominating committee. “We are happy to welcome them to Policy Matters.”

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Policy Matters Ohio is a nonprofit, nonpartisan state policy research institute

with offices in Cleveland and Columbus.