Alumni Spotlight: Domonique Clemons

March 24, 2025

PLS has thousands of alumni, working across Michigan, the US, and the world, in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to promote change. We highlight the contributions of these PLS Spartan alumni, in our newsletter and on our website.

Domonique Clemons is the Genesee County Clerk & Register of Deeds. Previously, he served as director of government affairs for the Flint & Genesee Group. Domonique has also served as a Genesee County Commissioner and worked as the director of diversity and staff development and legislative director at the Michigan House of Representatives. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Public Policy from MSU in 2016 and earned a master's degree in Political Management from George Washington University in 2019. We recently sat down with Domonique to hear more about his time in Political Science at MSU and his paths since. 

Genesee is one of the largest counties in the state of Michigan? How did you come to be its Clerk & Register of Deeds? 

My path to being elected as Genesee County Clerk & Register of Deeds was certainly a unique one.  During my time as an undergrad [at MSU], I actually changed my major 5 times before I came to the College of Social Science. Once I recognized my interest in government and public service, I knew PLS was the right fit. After graduation, I worked various roles in the Michigan Legislature and multiple political campaigns throughout the state, all while completing my master’s degree in Political Management from the George Washington University. In 2019 I was approached about running for County Commissioner. I was hesitant to run, as I believed my path was that of a legislative staffer and campaigner. I quickly realized that my community lacked representation on our county board, and there were no young voices advocating for the issues that I believed in. In 2020, I was elected as one the youngest County Commissioners on the board, and by my second year on the board, had been appointed as chair of the board. When the County Clerk-Register position became vacant, I was asked to consider going for the vacancy. I was unanimously appointed to the Clerk-Register position by a vote of our Circuit court and was elected to retain the seat for a full 4-year term in 2024. I am now serving as the Youngest County Clerk in the State of Michigan. 

How did MSU PLS prepare you for this position? 

PLS not only gave me the academic knowledge to understand governance, policy, and community, but it also helped me build a strong network of public sector staff and officials from across the state. I believe the network of people around you is one of the most important assets of any career. Thanks to the connections I have built from PLS, I have been able to work alongside many people from various backgrounds and viewpoints to get many major initiatives accomplished, and to simply learn and gain more insight. 

What are your favorite memories of PLS?  

The Michigan Government Semester Program. This program was unlike anything else in my academic career, and by far was the most useful in preparing me for public service. I specifically remember the assignment where we had to prepare and provide testimony on a legislative issue in front of a mock legislative committee that included actual legislators, lobbyists, and industry professionals. It was one of the most intimidating experiences having to debate toe to toe with the Governor’s Chief of staff over a policy bill in front of my entire class. That experience gave me the tools to confidently advocate for policy and understand legislative research. 

 What advice would you give students considering a career in public service? 

Public service is one of the most rewarding career paths, in that the work you do can positively impact thousands of people on a regular basis. Government is, however, a slow and deliberate process, and change and progress takes time. It is often easy to get frustrated or discouraged during the process, as it often takes years for a good policy to be crafted, approved, and implemented. 

Any advice for those seeking to run for office? 

While we need more good people to run for office, especially young people, running for office is no easy feat. Anyone who is running for office needs to examine carefully their “why” for wanting to do so. It has to be something you are passionate about and ready to go all in on. The most successful elected officials are those with a passion for public service and a genuine desire to advocate for policy and advance their community. Those who do it simply for prestige, notoriety, or because it looks fun or easy will quickly learn that being in the public eye is a big challenge. It is important to understand just how much of your personal life and freedom you are giving up to become a public official. 

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.