LENA EPSTEIN

“Proven Leadership for the University of Michigan”

Republican Nominee for Board of Regents

Lena Epstein is a fourth-generation University of Michigan graduate, a Ross School MBA, and a Michigan business leader. Her family’s ties to the university span more than a century, beginning with her great-grandmother, Josephine Winkelman, one of the first women to earn a master’s degree from U of M. She is running because too many Michigan families are being priced out of their own state’s university, and a U of M education should be within reach for the students who grew up here.

The University of Michigan stands at a crossroads, facing rising campus tensions and mounting financial pressures. Lena is running to ensure Michigan’s flagship university remains focused on its core mission: educating students, advancing world-class research, and serving the people of this state. She brings a commitment to protecting academic excellence, ensuring financial accountability, and expanding career pathways for every student.

A Record of Executive Leadership

Lena’s signature strengths — leadership, collaboration, financial competence, and the ability to navigate complex, multifaceted challenges — were forged in the private sector and tested in public life.

As a Co-Owner, Board Member, and Executive of Vesco Oil Corporation, Lena helps lead one of Michigan’s most respected enterprises and one of the top women-owned businesses in the state. Her executive record reflects a consistent ability to drive growth, expand key business lines, and navigate complex transitions that require both strategic vision and interpersonal skill.

A Lifelong Commitment to Philanthropy

Lena is a lifelong philanthropist dedicated to supporting organizations that fight hunger, alleviate poverty, and strengthen Michigan communities. Her civic engagement reflects her ability to work across the political spectrum to advance economic growth and educational access.

Core Priorities for the University of Michigan

Lena’s platform is built on common-sense priorities that put students and families first:

Affordability: Keep a Michigan degree within reach. Hold the line on tuition through disciplined budgeting, bring down the cost of student housing, and expand need-based aid, so cost never closes the door for Michigan families.

Access: Michigan’s university, for Michigan’s students. Open more seats for in-state students, since too many qualified Michigan applicants are passed over for higher-paying out-of-state enrollment, and build pathways that turn a Michigan degree into a Michigan job.

Accountability: A university that answers to the people who fund it. As a business leader, Lena knows budgets must balance and every dollar must be accountable. She will demand transparency and real oversight, and keep every student safe, including protecting Jewish students from harassment and intimidation.

Confronting Today’s Challenges

Protecting Jewish Students and Combating Antisemitism

Lena believes the Board must hold administrators accountable for maintaining safety on campus. She is committed to ensuring that activism never crosses into harassment, and that Jewish students are never intimidated or marginalized. Free expression is a cornerstone of the university, but no student should fear for their safety because of who they are.

Strengthening Global Partnerships

Expand Israel Partnerships: Strengthen research collaborations with Israel in medicine, cybersecurity, and technology to keep Michigan at the forefront of global innovation.

Oppose BDS: Strongly opposes divestment campaigns that politicize the university’s endowment and restrict academic engagement. Universities should advance knowledge, not make geopolitical statements.

Lena’s record of public service demonstrates her ability to earn the confidence of Michigan voters and deliver results at every level:

Education

B.A. in Economics, Harvard University

M.B.A., University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Earned Public Trust

• Earned over 1.9 million votes statewide as the 2022 GOP nominee for U of M Board of Regents
• Co-chaired President Trump’s 2016 Michigan campaign, helping flip the state
• GOP nominee for U.S. Congress (MI-11, 2018), endorsed by President Trump
• Served on President Trump’s National Finance Committee (2020)
• Finance Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party (2024)

Lena Epstein offers the experienced, steady, and independent-minded leadership required to keep Michigan’s flagship university globally respected, financially responsible, and focused on the students and families it serves.