Mackinac Center Promotes David Guenthner to Lead Workers for Opportunity Initiative

LANSING — The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is pleased to announce the promotion of David Guenthner to executive director of Workers for Opportunity, the Center’s initiative focused on advancing labor policy reforms that protect workers' rights and freedoms. In his new role, Guenthner will lead the organization’s strategic vision, outreach, and advocacy efforts to expand employee freedom in Michigan and across the country.

“Michigan’s experience with government unions and labor law has long prompted policy advocates to seek our recommendations for improving worker freedom,” said Michael Reitz, executive vice president of the Mackinac Center. “David has been at the forefront of shaping our labor reform agenda since he joined the Mackinac Center. His strategic vision, policy expertise, and unwavering commitment to worker freedom make him the ideal leader to take this initiative to the next level.”

Guenthner was previously vice president of government affairs, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the center’s first satellite office in Lansing, building the organization’s government affairs capabilities and expanding its policy portfolio. He has also led the Center’s work in criminal justice reform and elections policy and continues to serve as a respected voice on legislative strategy, workforce policy and public sector labor issues.

Prior to his work in Michigan, Guenthner spent more than a decade at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where he held senior communications and public affairs roles and was widely recognized for his deep understanding of policy and political process. He was a member of the project team that conceived Right On Crime, the groundbreaking campaign that reframed how conservatives approach criminal justice reform and applied Texas Public Policy Foundation’s expertise to enact successful policies in most of the 50 states.

"I am excited that the next phase of my career is to lead Workers for Opportunity,” Guenthner said. “This role allows me to take all the lessons I’ve learned over the course of my career and apply them creatively to help state policymakers advance worker freedom.”

About Workers for Opportunity:
Workers for Opportunity believes that every person deserves to experience the dignity of work in pursuit of the American Dream. Since 2018, we have worked with partners across the country to secure policy reforms that uphold workers’ rights to associate freely, control their own paychecks and be rewarded based on merit. The initiative builds on the landmark Janus v. AFSCME decision and continues the effort to restore workplace liberty to all employees. These efforts have helped tens of thousands of workers exercise their rights to opt out of union membership.