Suzanna Shkreli’s journey from working in her parents’ restaurant and playing competitive ice hockey to running for Michigan Secretary of State represents a powerful Albanian-American success story. Her prosecutorial background fighting for victims, combined with state government leadership experience, positions her to protect Michigan’s elections while making government services more accessible to all residents.
Key Takeaways:
- Daughter of Albanian immigrants who fled authoritarianism in former Yugoslavia, Suzanna Shkreli embodies the American Dream through public service
- Nearly a decade as Macomb County prosecutor, specializing in crimes against children, plus experience in Governor Whitmer’s administration
- Served as Deputy Legal Counsel, Director of Juvenile Justice Reform, and Michigan Lottery Commissioner
- Played a key role protecting Michigan’s 2020 electoral certification from fake electors
- Campaign focuses on election protection, customer service accessibility, and restoring public trust in government
The daughter of Albanian immigrants who risked everything to escape authoritarianism stands ready to protect democracy in Michigan. Growing up playing ice hockey between shifts serving customers, she learned early what her father always told her siblings: “be the best you can be.” Today, that childhood lesson drives her campaign for Michigan Secretary of State, where she promises to defend voting rights while ensuring the government truly serves the people. For the Albanian diaspora watching one of their own rise to prominence in state politics, Shkreli represents both the fulfillment of immigrant dreams and a new generation’s commitment to public service.
Quick Profile:
Who: Suzanna Shkreli, former prosecutor and Michigan Lottery Commissioner
What: Candidate for Michigan Secretary of State
Experience: Nearly a decade as prosecutor (focusing on crimes against children), Deputy Legal Counsel to Governor Whitmer, Director of Juvenile Justice, Michigan Lottery Commissioner
Heritage: Albanian immigrant family, raised in Michigan
From Albania to the American Dream in Michigan
Suzanna Shkreli’s story begins with her parents’ courageous flight from authoritarianism in former Yugoslavia. “I am the daughter of Albanian immigrants who fled authoritarianism in former Yugoslavia in search of the American Dream,” she explains. Like countless Albanian families who sought freedom and opportunity in America, the Shkrelis arrived with determination and work ethic as their greatest assets.
Her childhood in Michigan was split between two formative experiences: competitive ice hockey and the family restaurant. “I grew up playing competitive ice hockey and working alongside my parents and siblings at our family restaurant,” Shkreli recalls. “Between my years on the ice and years in my parents’ restaurant, my childhood taught me so much about hard work, determination, and what it means to serve others.”
The restaurant became more than a family business, it was a classroom in service and sacrifice. Her parents demonstrated what it meant to be grateful “for the opportunities that Michigan and America offered, from the ability to become educated and pursue a profession to becoming your own business owner.” This immigrant work ethic, watching parents build something from nothing while supporting their children’s education, shaped Shkreli’s understanding of the American Dream.
Her father’s influence proved particularly profound. “My dad never got the opportunity to go to school,” she shares. “Once his family came to the U.S., he had to work to provide for his parents and his siblings, so he is proud that his kids got the opportunity to pursue education.” That pride, and sacrifice, became Shkreli’s motivation. “As the daughter of immigrants, I will always be grateful for the opportunities my parents did not have access to, and I have always wanted to make something out of their sacrifices.”
Building a Career on Justice
Shkreli’s focus on education paid off as she moved quickly through school and into law. That focus wasn’t accidental, it was cultivated by her father’s encouragement and her own internalized sense of responsibility to honor her parents’ sacrifices.
Her nearly decade-long career as a prosecutor in Macomb County put her on the front lines of some of Michigan’s most difficult cases. Half that time was dedicated to crimes against children, work she describes as “some of the proudest work of my career.” The intensity of prosecuting child abuse cases shaped her fundamentally. “I saw some of the most heinous crimes and stood up to some of the worst offenders in the courtroom, and they were often the people who were supposed to love and care for the victims,” she explains. “This work strengthened my sense of justice and showed me how important it is to advocate for people, regardless of who they are, where they come from, and what they have.”
That courtroom experience fighting for the vulnerable translated into broader public service roles. Joining Governor Whitmer’s administration, she served as Deputy Legal Counsel, Director of Juvenile Justice Reform, and eventually Michigan Lottery Commissioner. Each role expanded her understanding of how state government works, and how it should serve citizens better.
Why Secretary of State: Protecting Democracy and Serving Michiganders
The decision to run for Secretary of State emerged from Shkreli’s front-row seat to threats against Michigan’s elections. “The more I saw how the federal government has been positioning itself to interfere with our elections here in Michigan, the more I felt driven to stand up to fight for Michiganders, our vote, and our voice,” she states.
Her 2020 experience proved pivotal. As Deputy Legal Counsel, emergency management fell within her responsibilities, everything from polar vortexes to COVID-19. But one day stands out: the meeting of the electors. “For months in advance, I worked with the Secretary of State’s office and Michigan State Police to ensure that the governor would be able to fulfill her constitutional responsibility,” Shkreli recalls. “That day is seared into my memory, seeing the capitol swarmed with MSP and not knowing what may happen. But our preparation thwarted the attempts by the fake electors to enter the capitol.”
That experience, protecting democracy from direct threats, combined with ongoing concerns about federal interference in state voter rolls and false claims about needing federal election oversight convinced her this race mattered. “Having been present on this day and then seeing the new attacks on Michigan’s elections, I know running for Secretary of State was how I should continue my service to Michiganders.”
A Vision for Accessible Government
For Shkreli, the Secretary of State role extends far beyond elections and licensing. “Like the district courts across Michigan are the people’s court, I call the Secretary of State the people’s office,” she explains. This perspective stems directly from her restaurant upbringing.
“Customer service is truly something that is ingrained in who I am,” she says. “Even when I’m back at my parents’ restaurant, if I see customers waiting, I get up to get them some water and a menu.” That instinct, to serve those waiting, drives her vision for the office.
Her primary concern: Michigan has lost sight of people-first service. She recalls a coffee shop experience where mobile orders took priority over customers standing at the counter. “We have lost our way with customer service,” she argues. While online appointments help many, they exclude others. “There are plenty of people who don’t know how to use a cell phone well enough to make an appointment online. Working Michiganders may not have a schedule that allows them to schedule an appointment in advance.”
Her solution: guaranteed walk-in hours for same-day service, expanded mobile offices reaching rural areas and college campuses, and digital driver’s licenses. “Government is a service, and I want to ensure it is accessible for Michiganders no matter where they live.”
Building public trust requires integrity across all functions. “We are currently living through a time where public trust in our government feels like it’s at an all time low,” she observes. Her approach includes “handling campaign finance violations equally regardless of party affiliation, building strong relationships with clerks, democrats and republicans alike, and using the office to educate the public on what is happening in our elections to increase transparency.”
Albanian-American Leadership: Representing the Diaspora Dream
For Shkreli, the significance of potentially serving in statewide office as an Albanian-American carries profound meaning. She remembers taking her oath as a prosecutor, “promising to work on behalf of the People of the State of Michigan as their advocate and representative in the courtroom. For someone who is the daughter of immigrants, it meant so much to me that I could do that important work representing my community.”
A statewide office would amplify that representation. “Albanian-Americans fled a communist regime that was trying to erase their language, history, and identity,” she reflects. “The fact that my parents could come to America and have a daughter who serves at the highest levels of state government is a beautiful thing, and I am so proud.”
Her potential election carries symbolism beyond personal achievement. “I stand as a testament to the American Dream, and nothing would make me prouder than to be the next Secretary of State and represent Albanian-Americans across Michigan.”
Prepared for Whatever Comes: Multi-Faceted Leadership
Shkreli’s diverse experience, prosecuting criminals, managing emergencies, directing agencies, running the state lottery, creates what she calls “a multi-faceted approach to leadership that maximizes efficiency and delivers results.”
“Having led an agency like the Michigan Lottery, I know the ins-and-outs of how agencies can work together and how we can utilize state resources,” she explains. “Having been a prosecutor, I know the legal levers that we can pull depending on the situation and how to create a litigation strategy for potential threats to our elections.”
This combination, legal expertise, administrative experience, and crisis management, positions her for the challenges facing Michigan’s chief elections officer. Whether thwarting election interference or improving driver’s license services, her background spans the office’s diverse responsibilities.
Most importantly, her immigrant parents’ sacrifice and her own journey from restaurant worker to public servant keep her grounded in service. That customer standing at the counter waiting for water? That’s every Michigander trying to renew their license, register to vote, or access their government. And Suzanna Shkreli is ready to serve them.
Conclusion
From the ice rinks and restaurant tables of her Michigan childhood to the courtrooms where she fought for justice, Suzanna Shkreli’s Albanian-American journey embodies the resilience and service her immigrant parents modeled. Her campaign for Michigan Secretary of State promises to protect elections with a prosecutor’s tenacity while making the government accessible with the customer service instincts learned in her family’s restaurant. For the Albanian diaspora and all Michiganders, her candidacy represents both heritage honored and democracy defended.
To support Suzanna you must be registered with the Michigan Democratic Party by March 20th in order to come and vote for her at the Democratic Endorsement Convention on April 19th, at Huntington Place in Detroit. See links below for more details.
Find more inspiring Albanian diaspora stories at ALB Connection. Have your own journey to share? Submit your story and celebrate Albanian excellence worldwide.
FAQs
How did Suzanna Shkreli’s Albanian heritage influence her career path?
Shkreli’s Albanian immigrant parents instilled in her a deep appreciation for educational opportunities they never had. Her father, who couldn’t attend school because he had to work to support his family after arriving in the U.S., encouraged his children to “be the best you can be” and pursue education. This drove Shkreli through law school and into public service, always motivated by making something of her parents’ sacrifices and honoring the American Dream they sought when fleeing authoritarianism in former Yugoslavia.
What experience does Suzanna Shkreli bring to the Secretary of State race?
Shkreli served nearly a decade as a prosecutor in Macomb County, with half that time dedicated to crimes against children. She then joined Governor Whitmer’s administration, serving as Deputy Legal Counsel (where she managed emergency responses including the 2020 electoral certification), Director of Juvenile Justice, and Michigan Lottery Commissioner. This combination of legal expertise, crisis management, and agency leadership provides diverse skills for the Secretary of State office’s responsibilities ranging from elections to licensing to customer service.
Why did Suzanna Shkreli decide to run for Michigan Secretary of State?
Shkreli’s decision stemmed from witnessing threats to Michigan’s elections, including federal attempts to access voter rolls and false claims about needing federal election oversight. Her experience as Deputy Legal Counsel during the 2020 election proved pivotal—she worked for months to prepare security for the meeting of electors, helping thwart fake electors’ attempts to enter the capitol. Seeing continued attacks on Michigan’s elections convinced her that her prosecutorial and crisis management background made her uniquely qualified to protect democracy.
What changes does Suzanna Shkreli want to bring to Michigan’s Secretary of State office?
Shkreli proposes guaranteed walk-in hours for same-day service alongside existing appointments, expanded mobile offices to serve rural areas and college campuses, and digital driver’s licenses. Drawing on her customer service background from her family’s restaurant, she believes government should prioritize accessibility for all Michiganders, including those who can’t easily make online appointments or need emergency same-day service. She also emphasizes building public trust through transparent, nonpartisan handling of election administration and campaign finance enforcement.
What role did Suzanna Shkreli play in protecting Michigan’s 2020 election?
As Deputy Legal Counsel to Governor Whitmer, Shkreli spent months coordinating with the Secretary of State’s office and Michigan State Police to secure the 2020 meeting of electors. Her emergency management planning helped ensure the governor could fulfill constitutional responsibilities for certifying the election. When fake electors attempted to enter the capitol that day, the preparation Shkreli helped orchestrate successfully prevented their interference. She describes the day as “seared into my memory,” with the capitol surrounded by state police during a critical moment for democracy.
How does Suzanna Shkreli view the role of Secretary of State beyond elections?
Shkreli calls the Secretary of State “the people’s office”—an incredibly public-facing role that nearly every Michigander must interact with for licenses, registrations, and other services. Beyond protecting elections, she believes the office should restore public trust in government through integrity, accessibility, and transparency. This includes building strong relationships with local clerks regardless of party affiliation, educating the public about election processes, and treating government as a service that should work for people, not the other way around.
What does serving as an Albanian-American in statewide office mean to Suzanna Shkreli?
For Shkreli, representing Albanian-Americans in statewide office honors her parents’ journey from a communist regime that tried to erase Albanian language, history, and identity. She views her potential election as testament to the American Dream—that immigrants who fled authoritarianism could raise a daughter serving at the highest levels of state government. She felt similar pride taking her prosecutor’s oath to represent the People of Michigan, and statewide office would amplify that representation, making her “so proud” to stand for Albanian-Americans across Michigan.
What lessons from her family’s restaurant does Suzanna Shkreli bring to government service?
Customer service remains “ingrained in who I am,” Shkreli says, noting she still automatically gets water and menus for waiting customers at her parents’ restaurant. She prioritized responsiveness as Lottery Commissioner and plans to bring that same mentality to the Secretary of State office. Her restaurant upbringing taught her that service means being immediately present for people who need help, which translates to her vision of walk-in hours, mobile offices, and ensuring government accessibility—meeting Michiganders where they are rather than creating barriers to service.
Author: Dardane Halimi
Marketing Specialist
