Mimi O’Grady
Policy Integration Manager
Marilyn (Mimi) O’Grady is the Policy Integration Manager at Commonwealth Foundation. Mimi schedules, plans, prioritizes, and oversees special projects for the Chief Policy Officer in executing Commonwealth Foundation’s policy agenda to ensure all Pennsylvanians can flourish.
Prior to joining Commonwealth Foundation, Mimi worked for Americans for Fair Treatment and scheduled for several U.S. Representatives and a U.S. Senator. Mimi graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in public relations and cultivated her passion for and experience in logistics while working on Capitol Hill. A Pittsburgh native, Mimi currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and sons and enjoys cooking, historical fiction, and spending time outside.
Don Kirkland Society: Call
Please give me a call to discuss ensuring a legacy of freedom: Give me a call Topics on this page Liberty…
Media
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Fiscal Earmarks Reduce State Budget Transparency
The 2021–2022 Fiscal Code contains at least $5.5 billion in federal and state funds earmarked for special projects across the state, up from $120 million last year. Most of this…
Backgrounder
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Op-Ed: Teacher Sues Union That Demands He Pay Dues For Almost A Year After He Resigned
A Pennsylvania teachers union argues that a teacher who resigned his union membership should pay 'fair-share fees' for the entire year, even though he resigned only a few months in.
Commentary
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Op-Ed: Young Pennsylvanians want to fight climate change. Our leaders want to pretend they are.
Governor Wolf’s push to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is more about appearances than real change. It’s time for Pennsylvania to instate policy that helps the environment, boosts revenue,…
Commentary
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Op-Ed: Pennsylvanians deserve maximum wages, not harmful minimum wage mandates
Instead of making workers dependent upon politics for a raise, the government should clear the path for our local economies to grow. This approach to prosperity is real and long-lasting—and…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Pennsylvanians deserve maximum wages, not harmful minimum wage mandatesEnergy
Op-Ed: Wolf climate change plan will kill Pa. jobs
Joining RGGI will hurt our economy. States that participate in the RGGI have seen major decreases in goods manufacturing (down 8.6% from 2007 to 2019) thanks to rising energy costs.
Commentary
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Op-Ed: Lawsuit claiming Pennsylvania has unequal school funding is misguided
If Pennsylvania’s education system prioritized families over bureaucracy, we’d never have to worry about “wealthy” and “poor” districts — or baseless lawsuits — again.
Commentary
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Op-Ed: Limited Government Can Make a Comeback in Pandemic Era
States like Pennsylvania are also pushing against unbridled gubernatorial powers. In the past, Republicans and Democrats criticized executive overreach when the opposing party was in power. Both parties, however, rarely…
Commentary
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Op-Ed: In Pennsylvania, Scientific and Economic Realities Unsettle Climate Change Morality Plays
As the economic, legal, and scientific arguments against RGGI continue to gain traction, the fallback position for Wolf is to posture as an advocate for children who will supposedly be…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: In Pennsylvania, Scientific and Economic Realities Unsettle Climate Change Morality PlaysEducation
Concentrating Resources on Failing Systems Instead of Students
The 2021-22 budget has the largest state education funding increase in Pennsylvania history despite public schools receiving over $6.2 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The funding increase includes a…
Fact Sheet
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Webinar Questions
Do you have a question about election integrity for Rep. Seth Grove or the Commonwealth Foundation team? Submit it using the form below. Webinar Questions…
Media
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Fox News: Ideology Vs Education in America’s Schools
Jennifer Stefano’s latest piece in The Federalist—I Might Pull My Kids From Public School This Fall For Teaching Them Racism—spurred national news coverage about curriculum taught in public schools.
Media
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Education Landscape in PA: 2021
Overview There are approximately 1.9 million school-age children in Pennsylvania. Around 75% attend their assigned district school. Nearly 9% attend a charter school and close to 12% attend a private…
Fact Sheet
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New Research Shows Pathway to Fiscal Stability for States
July 13, 2021, Harrisburg, Pa. — A new Commonwealth Foundation study investigating the impacts of Taxpayer and Expenditure Limits (TELs) has found that the policies can ward off tax increases…
Press Release
Read More: New Research Shows Pathway to Fiscal Stability for StatesTaxes & Economy
TEL-Tale Heart: Crafting Effective Policies to Reduce Spending
Executive Summary Increases in state spending do not result in greater prosperity for state residents, across an array of measures. In fact, increased state spending can reduce economic growth. Reducing…
Report
Read More: TEL-Tale Heart: Crafting Effective Policies to Reduce SpendingHealth Care
How Pennsylvania Is Progressing in the Race to Rebuild
The 2021 state budget includes some policy changes to spur recovery and better governance, but much more needs to occur.
Fact Sheet
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My Child Was Saved by School Choice
In April, Sharon Sedlar testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, sharing her families’ story of school choice, and how cyber charter schools changed her daughter’s educational trajectory. This is…
Commentary
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My Child Was Saved by School Choice
In April, Sharon Sedlar testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, sharing her families’ story of school choice, and how cyber charter schools changed her daughter’s educational trajectory. This is…
Commentary
Read More: My Child Was Saved by School Choice
Standing Up for Students: Jamie Walker
Jamie Walker didn’t mean to become an activist, but now that she’s gotten a taste of what an informed and involved citizen can do, she isn’t ready to stop. Her…
Commentary
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Standing Up for Students: Jamie Walker
Jamie Walker didn’t mean to become an activist, but now that she’s gotten a taste of what an informed and involved citizen can do, she isn’t ready to stop. Her…
Commentary
Read More: Standing Up for Students: Jamie Walker
Op-Ed: I Might Pull My Kids From Public School This Fall For Teaching Them Racism
My kids attend one of the highest-rated public school systems in Pennsylvania. I may not be sending them back because of critical race theory.
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: I Might Pull My Kids From Public School This Fall For Teaching Them Racism