The Michigan Lottery has a new commissioner.
Late last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer named Suzanna Shkreli to the position as part of Whitmer’s cabinet, beginning on March 1.
Shkreli has a history working in juvenile systems and is eager to transition into this position with the Michigan Lottery where she can help fund children’s education around the state.
Shkreli coming to lottery from MDHHS
Suzanna Shkreli will be replacing Jessica Weare, the current acting commissioner that has accepted a new position within the state government.
“It is a tremendous honor to continue the longstanding work of the Michigan Lottery,” said Shkreli in a press release. “I look forward to working closely with local vendors and retailers who are vital to the success of the program. Under Governor Whitmer’s leadership, Michigan Lottery continues to deliver record results for our children’s education across the state – with more than $1.3 billion from the Lottery going to schools last year. I’m thankful to Governor Whitmer for the opportunity to serve in this new role and I look forward to working with the entire Lottery team to continue this success.”
Shkreli currently serves as the Director of Juvenile Justice Reform at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
In that role, Shkreli focuses on addressing the systemic and persistent issues with the juvenile justice system and implementation of recommendations made by the Juvenile Justice Task Force.
Through her efforts, nearly 100 additional placements were secured over the past year for juvenile justice youth. The State of Michigan is set to receive $850,000 in federal grant funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice Detention and Prevention (OJJDP) to help Michigan move forward in reform efforts.
Shkreli also currently serves as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect where she chairs the training subcommittee on child fatality protocol development.
Prior to joining MDHHS, Shkreli served as Michigan’s Children’s Ombudsman and worked as deputy legal counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor.
The appointment of Shkreli is still subject to advice and consent of the state Senate.
Lottery contributed $1.3 billion to School Aid Fund in 2023
In 2023, the state lottery continued its streak of donating at least $1 billion to the School Aid Fund for the fifth consecutive year.
Last year, the lottery contributed $1.3 billion to the fund.
In Fiscal Year 2023, each dollar spent on a Michigan Lottery ticket had 27 cents go to the fund to support public education.
Over the last five years, the Michigan Lottery has given over $6.2 billion to the School Aid Fund. That included a record $1.419 billion in 2021.
Altogether, since 1972, the Michigan Lottery has given more than $28 billion to the fund.
