Rebecca O’Connell

Rebecca O’Connell has twenty-five years of experience in coordinating policy projects to solve community and private sector problems at the local, state, and federal levels of government.   Prior to joining Consumers Energy she led Government Affairs at Lake Trust Credit Union for 7 years where she also served as the Vice Chairwoman of America’s Credit Unions’ Legislative Committee.  Her work has earned many awards and recognition including the 2021 NAFCU National Paul Revere Award and the 2023 Habitat for Humanity of Michigan Advocate of the Year Award.

She has served on numerous policy advisory boards and committees including the Coalition for Responsible Lending, Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, Inclusiv, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Good Food Fund, the National Association of Federally Insured Credit Unions, and the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan.

Rebecca served as a Chief of Staff in the Michigan Senate for eight years after working as a Legislative Director in the Michigan House of Representatives and a Legislative Aide in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Most recently her work has included partnering on the establishment of a Michigan CDFI fund that disbursed nearly 100 million dollars to CDFI credit unions effectuating a billion-dollar financial impact to low and moderate-income individuals.   Additionally, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, she helped create a mortgage product that uses nontraditional forms of credit to qualify 80% AMI or below borrowers for lending. In 2023 this effort won the attention of lawmakers in Michigan with a 10-million-dollar one-time appropriation for Habitat for Humanity to build more attainable housing.

One of her proudest accomplishments is the establishment of Michigan’s Cottage Kitchen Law. This law eliminated barriers to entry for food entrepreneurs and small businesses in Michigan, creating thousands of jobs and the farmer’s market boom Michigan enjoys today!