An Emerging Leader
Elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2008, Dan Scripps represents the people of Benzie, Leelanau, Manistee and Mason counties. Since becoming State Representative, Dan has quickly emerged as a statewide leader on capital formation, energy and conservation issues, and a passionate proponent of reform and transparency measures to make government more effective, efficient and accountable to Michigan taxpayers.
In the Legislature, Dan chairs the House Banking and Financial Services Committee, and serves on Energy and Technology; Ethics and Elections; Great Lakes and Environment; and Public Employee Health Care Reform committees. Dan also serves as Associate Speaker Pro Tempore for the 95th Legislature.
A leader on children’s issues, Dan chairs the Children’s Caucus, a bipartisan group that works to promote issues relating to children and families. Dan also founded the House School Equity Caucus, a group working to ensure fair funding for all Michigan students.
Working For Us
Before entering the Legislature, Dan worked as an environmental attorney with a leading global law firm, and was active with the firm’s venture capital practice. Dan also worked with the Leelanau Conservancy to develop what Michigan Farm Bureau hailed as “one of the most innovative privately funded farmland preservation programs in the nation.” (Michigan Farm News; “On the Road to Farmland Preservation; November 15, 2009).
As a high school student, Dan’s passion for improving the lives of others led him to work with members of his church to start a community meal and food pantry in the church basement. The Community Café is still serving the needs of Alma’s less fortunate today. As a law student at the University of Michigan, Dan helped start a statewide effort to counter voter intimidation.
In 1999 Dan helped run a successful campaign in the first-ever elections for the Scottish Parliament, and also worked with an Aberdeen, Scotland-based project management consulting firm. He also worked in the national headquarters for Bill Bradley’s presidential campaign, and helped run John Austin’s 1998 campaign for Michigan Secretary of State.
An active member of his community, Dan is a past vice-chair of the Board of Directors for the Leelanau Children’s Center and also chaired the Economic Development Committee for the Northport-Omena Chamber of Commerce. Dan is also active with the Center for Michigan, a bipartisan statewide effort to develop a common sense agenda for Michigan’s future.
Growing Up in Michigan
Dan is the son of Doug and Merilee Scripps and was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Because of his parents’ long love of Northwest Michigan, Dan has been spending time here in its beauty since before he was even born. Dan was raised in Mt. Pleasant and Alma, graduating from Alma High School in 1994. His parents also instilled in Dan and his brothers a responsibility to serve others, something that has played out in all three of their lives. Dan’s brother, Taylor, is a police officer downstate, while his brother, Adam, is a former Peace Corps Volunteer.
Dan is a 1998 graduate of Alma College, where his father taught music. In 2005, Dan graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Law School. Dan and his wife Jamie live in Leland with their golden retriever Nessie, and are members of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church near Beulah. The couple is expecting a new addition to the family with the birth of their first child this fall.
