Her Story
About Monique
Monique Field-Foster is an Executive Partner in Government Affairs at Warner Norcross + Judd, where she serves as strategic counsel at the intersection of law, policy, and business. Based in Lansing, she advises corporate and institutional leaders navigating complex regulatory and political environments that impact growth, investment, and operational risk. Her work spans economic development, energy and infrastructure, state procurement, public-private partnerships, and emerging policy issues tied to technological readiness, with a focus on helping clients anticipate change and engage effectively with policymakers.
With more than 25 years of experience in Michigan government and regulatory affairs, Monique is a licensed attorney and registered lobbyist known for building trusted relationships across all levels of state government. Her career includes work with gubernatorial administrations, the Michigan Legislature, and state agencies, providing her with deep institutional knowledge and policy insight. She has contributed to significant public policy outcomes, including criminal justice reform efforts, affordable housing development through brownfield redevelopment, and recent legislative initiatives addressing public safety and regulatory modernization.
Monique holds a Juris Doctor from Western Thomas M. Cooley Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. She is actively involved in civic and professional leadership through roles with organizations such as the Citizens Research Council of Michigan and the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Foundation. Her approach to government affairs emphasizes clarity, credibility, and long-term strategy, grounded in the belief that effective policy solutions are built through collaboration, trust, and informed engagement.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Monique
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my faith, my family, and never taking myself too seriously while always pushing myself to do more. One of the most important things I've learned is that you're smarter than you think you are. We always compare ourselves to other people and unfortunately tend to say we're not good enough, but at some point I had to learn to do the exact opposite and say, well, if they can do it, so can I. There's nothing stopping me but myself. That realization, combined with my dad's advice to never let an opportunity pass you by, has challenged me to do more. I really have to consider that there is always someone in the room watching you, and you're their inspiration. Somewhere, somebody is looking at you, comparing themselves to you, and you want to make sure that you leave a good example. That's what drives me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My dad gave me the best career advice I've ever received, and the gist of it is: never let an opportunity pass you by, no matter how scared you are about doing something. Never let an opportunity pass you by.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do it while scared. Someone is always going to be a naysayer in the room, always someone who is going to make you feel less than. You do not have to bow to that, because you're not. If you got as far as wherever you are in that moment, then that means you've overcome something. Use that knowledge to take the next step to get you in the direction that you want to go. Sometimes there will be mentors, and sometimes you've got to be your own mentor. But whatever happens, at the end of the day, don't let someone's lack of expectation in you keep you from becoming the best that you can.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Politics. The vitriol and the rhetoric and the political environment are the biggest challenges. People don't trust each other, people don't like each other, people don't communicate with each other anymore. An environment that was already difficult is now almost impossible to move forward in. We have gone to so many extremes, so far in the extreme, that people forget that all someone wants is for them to listen to them, to hear them, and be able to provide for themselves and their family. In the political arena, we've lost that. We've got to figure out how to get back to the space where we can have conversations, build trust, and develop relationships with each other again. It doesn't matter if you have differing views. At the end of the day, the best decision is based on people with differing views coming together and figuring out what a solution could be, because you can learn things from people if you just listened to them. And we stopped listening.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.