Pavel M. Payano is a Democratic state senator representing the First Essex district in the Massachusetts Senate, which includes the communities of Methuen, Lawrence, and parts of Haverhill. Elected in November 2022 after winning the Democratic primary, he assumed office on January 4, 2023, and was reelected in 2024. The son of immigrant parents from Lawrence who worked in the local public school system, Payano emphasizes hard work, quality education, strong unions, and communal success. Prior to the Senate, he served on the Lawrence School Committee and as a City Councilor At-Large from 2018 to 2022. He is committed to advancing policies on education reform, public health, and community development, and has cosponsored 13 progressive bills as of the 2025-2026 session while earning an 85% progressive voting score in the 193rd Session .

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UMass Amherst; Master’s in Public Affairs from UMass Boston; J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. He also served as an adjunct professor at Merrimack College, teaching graduate classes.
• Political Experience: Massachusetts outreach director for the Democratic National Committee ; special assistant and immigration specialist for Congresswoman Niki Tsongas ; benefits eligibility social worker in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services ; project manager at University of Massachusetts Lowell; manager for Juana Matias's 2016 Massachusetts House campaign; chair of the Boston chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals For America. Lives in Lawrence with his dog, Teja.