Saunteel Jenkins
Saunteel Jenkins is a Detroit City Council member.
Background
Saunteel Jenkins is a lifelong Detroiter who has dedicated her life to the betterment of the city. Educated in Detroit Public Schools, she graduated from Cass Technical High School and went on to Wayne State University where she received her bachelors and masters degrees in Social Work.
Saunteel has spent her professional career serving the community. She is currently the Director of the residential treatment program at Mariners Inn, a shelter and treatment center for men who are homeless and drug addicted.
Prior to her current position, Saunteel was a National Business Development Director for Platform Learning, a private education company that provides free tutoring to low-income children in under performing school districts. While at Platform Learning, Saunteel worked with school districts in New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. In Detroit, Saunteel made free tutoring available to thousands of children in underserved communities and schools.
Saunteel’s long career of service to the community also includes working with the Boys and Girls Republic as an adolescent therapist, Detroit Edison as a community educator, Healthy Start, an infant mortality reduction program and Focus: HOPE Food Program.
Also an entrepreneur, Saunteel is the founder of Petite Sweets, a dessert catering company that she started in her home and grew to supply multiple companies, as well as five gourmet grocers and convenience stores.[1]
Mahaffey connection
Saunteel Jenkins, was former Chief of Staff for Democratic Socialists of America member Maryann Mahaffey. Both Mahaffey, and Jenkins started out as social workers. Jenkins recalled that Mahaffey once told her "social workers put band aids on the problems caused by public policy. We need to get in on the front end."[2]
During her six year tenure in Maryann’s office, Saunteel served as a liaison to the business community. She also worked on issues including affordable housing, predatory lending, the ethics ordinance and the casino agreements. Maryann was an "inspiration to Saunteel and served as a true example of how a public servant should govern with integrity and the people’s best interest in mind".[3]