Biography

Senator Mary Cavanagh is serving her first term in the Michigan Senate, representing the Sixth Senate District, which includes the communities of Northwest Detroit, Redford, Livonia, Farmington, and Farmington Hills. With over 20 years of civic engagement and public servant experience, Senator Cavanagh understands how to build vital relationships with communities while bringing about positive change.

In the senate, Senator Cavanagh is committed to supporting policies and budgets that focus on attainable housing, accessible & affordable healthcare, small business and community development supports, consumer protection, and workforce development initiatives.

She serves on nine committees, including as the chair of three – the Committee on Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection, Subcommittee on the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and Subcommittee on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs & the Department of Insurance and Financial Services. In addition, Cavanagh serves as Vice Chair to the Senate Committee on Community & Economic Development.

Cavanagh also chairs the Michigan Latino Caucus, serves as Deputy Whip of the Senate Democratic caucus, and participates as an active member of several others including the Progressive Women’s Caucus, Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, Firearms and Safety Caucus, Disability Caucus, and more.

Prior to serving in the Michigan Senate, Cavanagh was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020, where she served the communities of Redford Township and Northwest Detroit and was a vocal champion for small businesses, frontliners, and our most vulnerable populations. She has also worked as an AmeriCorps member, serving in Detroit Public Schools fighting the school to prison pipeline, as a direct care worker for those with behavioral and intellectual challenges, and as a director for a company dedicated to preserving home ownership and community revitalization.

Cavanagh holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Wayne State University and resides in her hometown of Redford Township. In her spare time, she serves as an Executive Board Member to the Democratic Women’s Caucus and enjoys attending community gatherings, hiking, and spending time with family.