Senator Erika Geiss

Senator Erika Geiss is a Democratic state senator from Michigan who represents Senate District 1, which includes Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge, and portions of Allen Park, Detroit, and Taylor.

Senator Geiss is the granddaughter of Panamanian immigrants and has spent most of her adult life in Michigan. She resides in Taylor with her husband, Doug, and their two children. Born on October 10, 1970, she works as a small business owner running an editing and publishing service, and also serves as an adjunct professor and author.

Geiss is deeply committed to advocating for Michigan families and underrepresented communities, with a particular focus on policies that uplift communities of color and low-income families. Her legislative accomplishments include improving standards of care for pregnant and nursing prisoners at Michigan's only facility for female inmates, improving communication with the Federal Railroad Administration to decrease blocked crossings in her community, and developing implicit bias training standards for healthcare professionals across the state to reduce racial disparities in health outcomes.

Education and Political Experience

Geiss earned her bachelor's degree in developmental psychology from Brandeis University and her master's degree in art and architectural history from Tufts University .

She began her political career in the Michigan House of Representatives, serving two terms from 2015 to 2018 representing House District 12. She then transitioned to the Michigan Senate in 2019, where she is currently serving her second term. During her first Senate term, she served as Democratic Caucus Chair, and she was subsequently elected by her peers to serve as Assistant President Pro Tempore in her current term.

In the Senate, Geiss serves on several committees, including Education , Economic and Community Development, Health Policy, and Housing and Human Services.