Senator Michelle Stennett has a B.A. in International Relations – Environmental Studies, a B.A. in Latin languages, and a minor in Business from the University of Oregon. She holds a Certificat d’Etudes from the Universite de Poitiers, France and a Legislative Energy Horizon Institute certificate from the University of Idaho.

Senator Stennett represents District 26 in the Idaho State Senate which encompasses Blaine, Camas, Gooding and Lincoln counties, and has been redistricted to Blaine, Lincoln, and Jerome counties. She is the Minority Leader in the Idaho Senate and was the Minority Caucus Chair before. She serves on the State Affairs, Resources & Environment, and Health & Welfare committees. She is appointed the Governor’s Workforce Development Council and to several interim committees focusing on natural resources, public lands access, fisheries, water issues, infrastructure, and ethics in politics. She is Co-Chair of the Tourism Committee for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.

Michelle worked in developing countries on disaster and famine relief and on water and sanitation projects. She worked in a hunting/fishing lodge in Alaska before moving to Idaho and worked several years managing community-based programs with philanthropic organizations, both in Idaho and abroad.

Living in the Wood River Valley for over 35 years, Michelle enjoys being surrounded by beautiful places to hike, bike, horseback ride, ski, fish, camp, and romp with her Golden Retriever, Teagan. She deeply values Idaho’s unparalleled quality of life and is committed to bringing respectful, collaborative, smart governing to the Idaho Legislature.