Stephanie Leiser, an expert in public finance and local government fiscal health, has been appointed the next director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Her appointment comes as CLOSUP prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, marking a quarter-century of advancing evidence-based policy solutions for Michigan communities and beyond.
“I am honored to step into this role and guide CLOSUP's next chapter of research, engagement, and public service to Michigan's communities. In this fraught moment, CLOSUP's work is an essential part of the Ford School and the University's commitment to the public good, especially in our home state. One of the things that makes CLOSUP so special is its statewide reach - from the smallest townships in the UP to our largest city of Detroit—we work with local leaders and our other partners to understand policy challenges and ensure their voices are heard in larger policy conversations on tax policy, energy policy, public health, and everything in between.”
Leiser, who has been with the Ford School since 2016 and has led CLOSUP’s Fiscal Health Project since its launch in 2019, brings extensive experience in state and local fiscal policy, tax systems, public budgeting, and financial management. Under her leadership, the Fiscal Health Project has deepened understanding of the complex fiscal challenges facing Michigan’s local governments and has promoted greater transparency and proactive responses to fiscal stress—fundamental for ensuring vital community services such as economic development, public safety, social welfare, and clean water.
Throughout her tenure at CLOSUP, Leiser has forged strong partnerships with local governments, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and academic peers to develop tools and strategies that help Michigan communities strengthen their fiscal health. She recently led the development of a free, open-source tool released earlier this year to help municipalities throughout the U.S. modernize their financial reporting, part of a nationwide effort to promote fiscal transparency and data-driven policy. Leiser was recently appointed to advise the Government Accounting Standards Board on digitizing financial reporting.
CLOSUP is also home to the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS)—the nation’s only ongoing, census-style survey of every general-purpose local government in a state. In 2019, CLOSUP launched its Michigan Redistricting Project to assist the State of Michigan and the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) with a new approach that took into account ‘Communities of Interest’. Through these and other efforts, CLOSUP continues to serve as a key information resource for policymakers, practitioners, academics, students, the media, and the public.
In addition to her research, Leiser is a lecturer at the Ford School, where she teaches courses on public budgeting, financial management, and microeconomics.
Leiser received her BA from the University of Michigan, her Master of Public Policy from the Ford School, and holds a PhD in public policy and management from the University of Washington. She previously served on the faculty of the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and has worked as a tax policy analyst for the Michigan legislature.
