Sen. Sylvia Santana is a dedicated wife, mother and public servant.

Santana has extensive professional experience working in the financial industry — more than 15 years. It is her passion to ensure small-business owners are equipped with the right tools to grow and create jobs. She worked to identify credit facilities and other sources of funding available to small businesses in efforts to achieve economic empowerment for local communities. She was a trusted resource to local business owners guiding them through the lending process and vetting of financial options to fund their business ideas.

Santana has been an active member in her community for more than a decade. She created and led the neighborhood block club. Additionally, she filled the role of finance director and, later, as president of the Warrendale Community Organization.

Before joining the state Senate, she served one term in the Michigan House of Representatives. As a member of the House of Representatives, Santana served as a member of the bi-partisan CARES Task Force which was formed to study mental health issues across Michigan. The CARES Task Force led her to focus on mental health issues and criminal justice issues in her time in the House and as she moved to the Senate.

Elected to the Senate in 2018, Santana is serving in her first term.  Immediately, upon entering the Senate, Santana led a bi-partisan effort to ‘Raise the Age’ in Michigan.  The first of many criminal justice policy issues she has spearheaded the effort on.  She has served on multiple task forces looking at how to make Michigan communities safer by reforming our criminal justice system.  Santana also serves as the minority vice chair of the Department of Health and Human Services appropriations subcommittee.  As the minority vice chair, she has advocated and funded programs that aim at reducing healthcare disparities and increasing access to mental health and substance abuse programs.

The senator has been a steadfast champion of policies that keep communities safe, provide children with a good education to compete globally, and grow local businesses supporting the community.

Santana graduated Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in business and has received her master’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University. She and her husband, Harvey, along with their three children reside in Warrendale.