About Sylvia Rhodea - Ottawa Impact

Sylvia Rhodea

Sylvia is a nonprofit leader, elected official, and creative strategist who loves America. She and her husband, Dave, have three awesome boys, and attend Chapel Pointe. Her personal relationship with Christ inspires her to defend religious freedom and the ability of parents to raise their children consistent with their faith.

Sylvia’s early professional work in child welfare shaped her lifelong commitment to protecting children and families, including childhood innocence. After starting a family, Sylvia worked in photography and design from her home for a decade.

When Sylvia’s youngest child was vaccine injured at birth, she began doing legislative research for a nonprofit organization, learning how to advocate for her child and navigate difficult cultural issues. As a MAHA mom and vocal advocate for health freedom, Sylvia has stood firmly for informed consent, medical transparency, and individual rights in health care decisions.

In 2018, a push for radical sex-ed came to her conservative school district. Building on her work with parental rights and health freedom, Sylvia helped parents defend their schools. As sexuality content began to spread in schools across Michigan, Sylvia worked to educate and support parents statewide in the protection of their children.

After Covid-19 hit our nation, it became clear state and county leaders would not stand to protect freedom. In 2021, concerned with health orders impacting children and families, as well as the county’s promotion of progressive DEI ideology, Sylvia co-founded Ottawa Impact with Joe Moss. The Ottawa Impact team educated and organized the people countywide to preserve the county they love, with Sylvia taking the lead on research and writing.

Sylvia was elected as an Ottawa County Commissioner in 2022. Sylvia served as the Board Vice Chair from 2023 to 2024, during which time she authored numerous Resolutions passed by the Board, on foundational subjects such as DEI, being a constitutional county, protecting childhood innocence, vaccine waivers, and promoting life. Sylvia continues to work to restore integrity and accountability in local government—defending parental rights, health freedom, and constitutional governance, while promoting Pro America priorities to cultivate a county where freedom rings and families thrive.

Sylvia is passionate about building a freer, stronger, more principled future for Ottawa County, Michigan, and beyond. Serving in county government has provided a bird’s eye view of government bureaucracy and the outside influences of NGOs which exist down to the local level.

Sylvia is dedicated to protecting freedom, preserving faith and family, and reclaiming culture through principled leadership, citizen empowerment, and government accountability.