Rosalynn Bliss

Mayor
City of Grand Rapids

CURRENT FOCUS

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss became the City of Grand Rapids’ first female Mayor when she took office on January 1, 2016. She was re-elected for a second term in November 2019. She previously served as a Second Ward City Commissioner for 10 years.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Mayor Bliss previously served as the Frederik Meijer Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Grand Valley's Frederik Meijer Honors College, where she taught a junior seminar. Mayor Bliss is past president of the Michigan Municipal League and currently serves on the boards of the Downtown Development Authority, Experience Grand Rapids, Convention Arena Authority, Grand Rapids Promise Zone Authority, Housing Kent, Urban Core Mayors, ArtPrize 2.0, City Business Collaborative, The Economic Club of Grand Rapids and the Interurban Transit Partnership.

EDUCATION/PERSONAL

Mayor Bliss earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of South Alabama and a master’s in social work from Michigan State University.