Elissa is a third-generation Michigander. She spent her early life on a working farm in Holly, Michigan, and she still lives there today. Her family story is one of hard work and sacrifice, starting with her great-grandfather. He arrived on Ellis Island and achieved the American Dream by founding the family meat business, Hygrade Foods, which established its headquarters in Detroit in 1949. Hygrade created a number of food staples beloved by Michiganders, including the famous Ballpark Frank, first sold at Tiger Stadium. The values of hard work, decency, and integrity that underpinned his success were passed down from generation to generation in my family, ultimately guiding me into a life of service. 

The 9/11 attacks occurred during her first week of graduate school in New York City, and following that terrible day, Elissa quickly decided that  she wanted to work in national security to prevent future attacks against the United States. She was recruited by the CIA to serve as a Middle East analyst, and I ended up serving three tours in Iraq alongside our nation’s military and diplomats.

Her tours in a combat zone led to national security roles at the White House under both President Bush and President Obama. She worked for President Bush as a member of his national security staff and was asked to stay on when President Obama took office. She took on a series of leadership roles at the Defense Department, and until January 2017, she oversaw defense policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Europe at the Pentagon as the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. There, she negotiated some of the Pentagon’s most sensitive national security matters from the fight against ISIS to the U.S. response to Russian aggression. 

In her first term, Elissa relied on her experience and her commitment to her oath of office to cast a politically difficult vote for the impeachment of President Trump. If re-elected, Elissa will continue to choose her country and her constituents over politics, doing the work that must be done to make people’s lives better.