Margaret O'Brien is a former member of the Michigan Senate and former member of the Michigan House of Representatives. She is a Republican. Her district was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. O'Brien has a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University. Prior to her election to the state house in 2010, she served as a real estate agent at RE/MAX Advantage and served on the Portage City Council from 2003-2010. From 1995-2003, she worked as a social worker with Catholic Family Services. She lives in Portage with her husband and four children. While in the House of Representatives, O'Brien twice was unanimously elected as Associate Speaker Pro Tem. She often presided over sessions of the House. In the State Senate, O'Brien was unanimously elected as Assistant President Pro Tem where she again frequently presided over session. During her career, O'Brien tackled a wide variety of issues. In the House, she was active in representing private property rights, education reform and direct access to physical therapy. While in the Senate, O'Brien partnered with many colleagues to ensure the rights of those with service animals, to provide state ID's to the homeless, to protect victims of domestic violence, to enact safe passing distance of vulnerable roadway users, to train caregivers of seniors and those with disabilities along with many other issues. O'Brien was most known for her work to change sexual assault laws in the aftermath of the Larry Nassar scandal. She advocated for those who had been harmed and was able to improve the laws in Michigan. Partnering with her included many nationally known names including Rachael DenHollander, Aly Raisman, Amanda Thomashow, Sterling Reithman and Larissa Boyce. In 2014, O'Brien ran against and defeated Democratic Party nominee Sean McCann and Libertarian Party nominee Lorence Wenke for the 20th district seat in the Michigan Senate. In 2018, she lost to Democratic Party nominee Sean McCann for the 20th district in the Michigan Senate. In January of 2019, she was elected as Secretary of the Michigan State Senate, only the 2nd woman to have held that post. She is the 4th person from Kalamazoo County to hold this position.
