How/where are you celebrating your birthday and with whom? “As of now, I will be spending it with my husband Patrick and our kids Abigail and Nash. Because of my hectic travel schedule, this is the first time in three years that I’ll be with them on my birthday, so this is a great gift.”

How did you get your start in politics? “My mom has been a major influence for me. She was a fundraiser for Richard Headlee’s gubernatorial campaign in 1982. We would hop in our station wagon (back before cars had seatbelts) and go to his office. That campaign got me hooked on politics, because they always had doughnuts! Twelve years later, I volunteered as my mom’s driver when she ran for Senate.”


What’s an interesting book/article you’re reading now or you’ve recently finished? And why? “I’m currently reading ‘The Other Side of Sanctuary.’ It’s a Michigan-based thriller (thriller and Michigan, two things I love). This is the debut novel for the author, Cheryl Crabb, who also happens to be a good friend of mine!”