Stephen Wooden

Stephen Wooden is an American Democratic Party|Democratic] politician from Michigan. He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from the Michigan's 81st [House of Representatives district|81st district] in the 2024 [Michigan House of Representatives election|2024 election].
Wooden was a Kent County Commissioner.

Early life and education

Stephen Wooden was born in Austin, Texas, on August 6, 1991. His family lived in New York City when he was a young child. Experiencing the attacks on September 11, 2001 as a child in New York was a pivotal experience for him, one that he believes put him on a path towards public service.
His family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2005. He graduated from Catholic [Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)|Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School] in 2009. He is an Eagle Scout from Troop 271 in East [Grand Rapids, Michigan|East Grand Rapids].
Stephen graduated from Michigan State University's James Madison College in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in political theory and constitutional democracy.

Career

Wooden began his career as a legislative aide in the Michigan House of Representatives. He left to work in the nonprofit sector. From 2017 to 2024, he worked for Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids, an affordable housing nonprofit.
In 2018, Wooden was elected to the Kent County Commission, unseating the Republican incumbent.
He served on the Kent County Commission from 2019 to 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as the minority vice-chair of the commission. There, he negotiated a $108 million spending plan for the county's share of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. Wooden played a pivotal role in establishing the Kent County Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund.
Wooden was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2024. He was appointed to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism and the House Committee on Election Integrity, serving as the Democratic vice-chair of the latter.