Dayna Polehanki

Dayna Polehanki
Member of the Michigan Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
Preceded byPatrick Colbeck
Constituency7th district (2019–2022)
5th district (2023– )
Personal details
BornDayna Lynn Polehanki
(1969-12-03) December 3, 1969
Flint, Michigan, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseJim Walkup
Alma materCentral Michigan University
Alma College
Marygrove College
WebsiteDayna for Senate

Dayna Lynn Polehanki[1] (born December 3, 1969)[2] is an American politician who is a member of the Michigan Senate and has represented the 5th district since 2023. She previously represented the 7th district, from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Democratic party, she is the chair of the Education Standing Committee in the Michigan Senate[3] and is the first former teacher who is a Democrat to be the chair.[4]

Early life and education

Polehanki was born in Flint, Michigan, on December 3, 1969.[2] Her father Frank Polehanki was a teacher. She graduated from Flushing High School in Flushing, Michigan, in 1988.[5] She received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Central Michigan University, a Michigan Professional Educator Certification from Alma College, and a master's degree from Marygrove College.[2]

Career

She worked as a manager for Features Casting for Paramount Pictures from 1995 to 1998 and was the owner of Detroit Casting Company from 2009 to 2018.[2] She previously taught English at New Haven High School for grades 11–12 in the New Haven Community Schools public school district. She had 17 years of experience as a teacher[6] and was named Teacher of the Year in 2018.[7][8]

Polehanki defeated Laura Cox in the 2018 Michigan Senate election for the 7th district and succeeded the previous incumbent, Patrick Colbeck.[9]

Polehanki defeated Emily Bauman in the 2022 Michigan Senate election for the 5th district.[10]

Personal life

Her husband Joseph James "Jim" Walkup is a manager at Ford Motor Company. They live in Livonia, Michigan,[11] and have a dog named Frankie.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Michigan Committee Statement of Organization". Michigan Secretary of State. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 2023-2024 Michigan Manual (PDF). Michigan Legislature. 2024. p. 172.
  3. ↑ "Education Standing Committee". Michigan Senate.
  4. ↑ "From Classrooms to Committee Chairs: Educators in Position to Shape Education Agenda". Michigan Education Association. February 9, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Flushing alum wins state senate seat". Genessee County View. November 15, 2018.
  6. ↑ Levin, Koby (March 1, 2019). "The Michigan senate is Dayna Polehanki's new teachers' lounge". Chalkbeat.
  7. ↑ "Michigan teacher elected to State Senate in 7th District race". WDIV-TV. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Dayna Polehanki State Senator". Michigan Senate Democrats. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  9. ↑ Haddad, Ken (November 7, 2018). "Michigan teacher elected to State Senate in 7th District race". WDIV-TV.
  10. ↑ "Election results for Michigan State Senate races on Nov. 8, 2022". WDIV-TV. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Meet Dayna". Dayna Polehanki for State Senate. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Sen. Polehanki Statement on Being Sworn Into 102nd Michigan Legislature". Michigan Senate Democrats. January 11, 2023.
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