Winnie Brinks

Winnie Brinks
Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate
Assumed office
January 1, 2023
Preceded byMike Shirkey
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 29th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byDave Hildenbrand
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 76th district
In office
January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2018
Preceded byRoy Schmidt
Succeeded byRachel Hood
Personal details
Born
Winnie De Vries[1]

(1968-02-17) February 17, 1968 (age 56)
Mount Vernon, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Steve Brinks
(m. 1992)
[2]
Children3
EducationCalvin College (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Winnie Brinks (born February 17, 1968)[3] is an American politician who has served as a member of the Michigan Senate since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Brinks assumed office as Majority Leader of the Senate on January 1, 2023; she is the first woman to ever hold the office, and the first Democrat to do so since William Faust left office in 1984. Brinks previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, worked as an executive at a non-profit before seeking office.[4] In the House, she served on the Workforce and Talent Development, Education, Health Policy, and Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committees.[3] She also serves as chair of the Progressive Women's Caucus, a non-profit organization that addresses concerns about women's health, pay equity, economic security and gender violence.[5]

  1. ^ "Owen Marten De Vries July 29, 2021". www.hawthornefh.com.
  2. ^ "Today marks 31 years with Steven M. Brinks! 💖💖💖". facebook.com.
  3. ^ a b "Michigan Manual 2015-2016" (PDF). State of Michigan. p. 178. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  4. ^ "Michigan's Newest Legislative Members". Michigan Capitol Confidential. January 14, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Legislative members of the Progressive Women's Caucus". 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2016.