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Saint Paul, MN 55114
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Meggie Wittorf is a marketing and strategy leader and a lifelong equity advocate, who has a passion for politics and improving our communities. Meggie brings nearly a decade of experience as a finance professional and brand manager at General Mills, where she managed P&Ls, developed strategic plans, and led cross-functional teams.
Meggie holds an undergraduate degree from Drake University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. While at the U of M, she led the Women’s Mentorship program where she focused on addressing challenges in the opportunity pipeline, improving gender balance in higher-education programs, and securing mentors in underrepresented fields. Meggie is also a board member of OutFront Minnesota, where she works to protect and strengthen LGBTQ rights.
Meggie lives in Minneapolis with her husband Steve. They enjoy spending time with their family, trying new foods, and imagining that the Vikings will make it to the Super Bowl in this lifetime.
Jillia has extensive experience working as a community organizer and fundraiser as well as campaign experience on the local, state and national level. At Project 515 and OutFront Minnesota, Jillia advocated for the passage of marriage equality and the Minnesota Safe & Supportive Schools Act. Jillia served as the Finance Director for womenwinning-endorsed candidate Ilhan Omar’s historic 2016 campaign. In 2017, Jillia was the first woman to run for the Ward 1 Minneapolis City Council seat, challenging a two-term incumbent. She was endorsed by over 16 organizations—including womenwinning—and came within two percentage points of winning. Originally from Duluth, Jillia graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts and lives in Minneapolis with her partner Monica and their beloved mutt Romeo.
Nevada Littlewolf is a leader with more than 20 years of experience working across sectors of community, government, philanthropy, non-profit, and business. She is a former elected official, serving on the Virginia, MN City Council from 2008-2018. Nevada understands that people are all on their own journey and loves being a part of other’s growth and development. She has spent her life working for equity, especially on behalf of women, children, communities of color, and indigenous people. Nevada's leadership includes service on the boards of Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, ClearWay MN, and Minnesota Urban Debate League. She is a citizen of Leech Lake Nation. Nevada holds a BFA from University of Minnesota Duluth, is currently an MPA graduate student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and is a 2016 Bush Fellow.
Liz Young has worked in politics for almost a decade and brings nearly nine years of fundraising experience with her to Women Winning. She has fundraising experience at all levels of government: federal, statewide, legislative and municipal. Most recently, she served on Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s transition team where she helped to organize his week of inaugural activities. Prior to that she spent five years with the MN Senate and served as the Senate DFL Caucus’ Finance Director in 2016.Liz has spent much of her career working to elect people of color and women to office. She served as Deputy Finance Director for Margaret Anderson Kelliher’s historic gubernatorial campaign when she became the first woman to be endorsed by a major party, a career highlight for Liz. An avid reader and baker, before working in politics she spent two years teaching English in Japan. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Syracuse University and holds a dual degree in Political Science and French.
Taylor grew up in the Twin Cities and thinks of herself as a champion for the great state of Minnesota. She discovered her passion for politics as a volunteer for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign for president and an intern for the Minnesota DFL. While enrolled at Mount Holyoke College, the first women’s college in the United States, she served as an intern for Elizabeth Warren’s campaign for U.S. Senate. She stayed involved in politics throughout her college career as a leader in student political groups. Taylor graduated summa cum laude from Mount Holyoke and was then employed as Curatorial Fellow and Guest Curator at the college’s art museum, where she gained valuable project management and communications experience. Upon her return to the Twin Cities, she joined the development department at a social services nonprofit on the East Side of Saint Paul. In that role, Taylor oversaw the planning and execution of special events and fundraisers, cultivated and engaged donors, and contributed to the organization’s communications and outreach initiatives. As Communications and Advancement Manager, Taylor supports Women Winning's communications, marketing, and fundraising efforts.
Shannon Holloman has been involved with Women Winning since she began as a PLOT and Executive Office Intern in 2018. A graduate of Hamline University with a B.A. in Sociology, she has spent the past several years involved in community outreach, education, and issue-based advocacy. Prior to joining the Women Winning team, Shannon served as the Volunteer Resource Assistant and Advocacy Assistant at a nonprofit organization that builds financial wellbeing through free tax preparation and financial services, products, and coaching. In these dual roles she assisted the volunteer department with recruitment, on-boarding, and scheduling of more than 500 volunteers, and maintained on-going strategic legislative initiatives to promote financial stability and equity for individuals and families. Shannon brings her excellent organizational skills and outstanding commitment to advance social and reproductive justice to our team.
Alana Petersen is Managing Director of Federal Relations at Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP. Previously, she served as Senator Tina Smith's Deputy Chief of Staff and State Director and coordinated the work of the Tina Smith for Minnesota campaign. Alana brings a wealth of knowledge and a sharp political instinct through her 20 years of Congressional experience and through her involvement in every Minnesota election since 1998.
Alana was born and raised in Minnesota. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1991, she moved to Washington, DC to work on Capitol Hill for a Minnesota House member, David Minge. In 1998, Alana returned to Minnesota to run his re-election campaign. She followed this by a U.S. Senate campaign in 2000, and a congressional recount in the fall of 2000. To broaden her political experience, Alana served as Executive Director of a statewide non-profit organization, Target Market. With an annual budget of $6 million dollars, Target Market promoted an anti-tobacco message to high school students. In 2002, when Minnesota used their tobacco endowment as part of a budget fix, Alana began consulting for a national political consulting firm, Grassroots Solutions. There, Alana worked with national labor unions, congressional candidates, and the pro-choice community to develop plans for the 2004 election cycle. After having her first son, Alana took a job closer to home in northern Minnesota. She worked for Minnesota Congressman, Jim Oberstar, and ran his congressional re-election campaign in 2006, and joined Al Franken’s U.S. Senate campaign in September of 2008. After the election, Alana served as a Director for the 2008 statewide hand recount. In July of 2009, when Al Franken was sworn in to the U.S. Senate, Alana joined Senator Franken’s staff as the State Director. In the 2010 election cycle, she was asked to serve as Field Director for Mark Dayton’s recount for Governor. In 2014, Alana served as Senior Advisor to Senator Franken’s re-election campaign where she oversaw the Organizing Department of the campaign. The Organizing Department had a political, field and training sections with a total of 87 employees. Senator Franken had the largest paid organizing team in the state in the cycle and was recognized as being a well-run campaign. “I’ve got to give the award for best [campaign] to Al Franken because guess who we’re not talking about today. Closest Senate election six years ago - Al Franken, recount all of those things. How did this guy survive? Six years of a well-run campaign.” –Chuck Todd, MEET THE PRESS 11/2/2014
Alana and her husband Thom reside in Pine City, Minnesota with their two sons Dylan and Waylon. The Petersen’s play and watch a lot of baseball, and raise and show both miniature and large horses at county fairs across the state and in the Minnesota State Fair. The family is active in local Farmers Union where Alana serves as the County Treasurer. She also serves on the East Central Regional Arts Council Board.
Emma Faris was born and raised into a political family that taught her that “showing up” was the duty of every woman. She has been attending Women Winning events since she was a little girl and understands the importance of putting her strengths to work. Since 2010 (when she became one of the first members of Women Winning's LAUNCH Committee), she has simply continued to put one foot in front of the other, showing up to support all of the powerful and impactful things Women Winning does to protect our reproductive rights in the state of Minnesota and beyond. She has been a Realtor for 18+ years and is very honored to be in a leadership position with this organization! Emma is currently a Real Estate Agent with Re/Max Results.
Luchelle Stevens is a senior strategist and advisor to national and local campaigns. She has led winning progressive issue battles at the state and national level including healthcare reform, comprehensive immigration reform, raising the minimum wage, and voting rights. An expert political and community organizer, Stevens served as the Campaign Manager of Our Vote Our Future, the coalition campaign that helped Minnesota become the first state in the nation to defeat a voter ID constitutional amendment.
Stevens previously served as chief of staff for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Prior to that, she held numerous leadership roles with Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Earlier in her career, Stevens served in the U.S. Navy as an air traffic controller and as an aerographer’s mate (meteorology). Stevens is a Gulf War Veteran.
Julie Strother is the Government Relations Director at the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Prior to working at the Secretary of State's office, she was an attorney at Lockridge Grindal Nauen in Minneapolis. At the 2013 DFL Women's Summit, Julie was inducted into the DFL Women’s Hall of Fame as a “Rising Star."
Ashleigh is a lawyer at Best & Flanagan LLP and focuses on labor and employment law, appellate advocacy, and general civil litigation. She has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the Minnesota Supreme Court. She was recently recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers. Ashleigh graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School and the College of Saint Benedict. She got her start in politics by interning in the White House during the Obama Administration, for Senator Amy Klobuchar, and for the City of Minneapolis. Ashleigh also serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Justice Foundation.
Kate Bryant has served as Chair of the Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation and her community work has earned her many recognitions including the Minnetonka Public Schools' Spinnaker Award.
Chanda Smith Baker has over 20 years of experience working in, for, and with underestimated communities. In 2017, Chanda joined The Minneapolis Foundation as the Senior Vice President of Impact where she oversees the Foundation’s grantmaking programs, provides strategic direction to community initiatives and partnerships, and is the event and podcast host of Conversations with Chanda.
Previously, Chanda was at Pillsbury United Communities where she led the complex community-based nonprofit to pursue bold strategies to address systemic inequities. She spent 17 years at the organization and served in a variety of leadership positions before assuming the role of President and CEO in 2011. Under leadership as CEO, the organization launched several impactful efforts such as the purchased and relaunched North News and the opening North Market, a full-service grocery store in North Minneapolis.
Chanda’s civic leadership has been recognized with several awards and commendations, including Minnesota Business Magazine’s Real Power 50 (2018); Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal Women in Business Honoree (2017); Hubert H. Humphrey Leadership Award (2014); and Minnesota Vikings Hometown Hero honoree (2011).
Chanda has served on numerous nonprofit and philanthropic boards throughout her career. Today she serves as a Trustee at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, board member of Regional Chamber of Commerce, CommonBond Community Inc, and Public Allies.
Chanda is a proud native and current resident of North Minneapolis.
Lisa Byrne is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services. She has been with UBS for 4 years, and was previously with Merrill Lynch. She has an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and holds certifications in several specialties including non-profit management and financial mediation for divorce. She has served as the Chair of Zenon Dance Company for six years and served on the board of The Ordway Circle of Stars. Previously, she was very active with Planned Parenthood and served as silent auction chair, gala chair, and on several other committees.
KaYing Yang is a social justice advocate who has built and led community development efforts in the US and in Asia. Over twenty years ago KaYing began her career as a community organizer and nonprofit leader providing social services and advocacy to refugees and immigrants. Nationally and globally, KaYing worked in coalition with civil rights groups and international development agencies to address educational, economic and gender inequities. In 2013, she became the co-founder and President of RedGreen Rivers, a social enterprise working with women and girls in the Mekong Region to build sustainable communities. Today, she is the Director of Programs for the Coalition of Asian American Leaders. She is also a recipient of a 2019 Bush Fellowship from the Bush Foundation.
Mary is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Giving Voice Initiative, a community chorus movement for people with dementia and their care partners. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging, Director of Aging Programs at the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, and Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association MN-ND Chapter for nearly nine years. Mary served on the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group formed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2009 which led to a call to prepare Minnesota for the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and the creation of ACT on Alzheimer’s collaborative - she is former chair of ACT’s Executive Leadership Council. Mary is a founding member of the Women Against Alzheimer’s, a national coalition of women focused on increasing research and awareness for Alzheimer’s.
Kathy Murphy is a retired business consultant with Andersen Consulting and Accenture, and a former account representative for a software company based in Silicon Valley. Kathy holds a BS in Economics and Statistics and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.
With a passion for community, Kathy is an engaged leader and volunteer. Kathy has assumed leadership roles with University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Minneapolis Institute of Art Friends Board, and the Wayzata and Minnetonka Garden Clubs.
Kathy has two adult daughters and lives in Woodland with her husband, Norm Rickeman.
Andrea Mokros has spent a career in communications, strategic planning, and event production at the local, state, and national level. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President in Weber Shandwick’s Minneapolis office. Previously, she served as Vice President of Communications and Events for the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, hosting one of the world’s pre-eminent sporting events in Minnesota – creating and promoting Minnesota’s brand as ‘The Bold North.’
Prior to returning to Minnesota, Andrea served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Planning for the First Lady. In this role, she oversaw the strategic planning process for all aspects of First Lady Michelle Obama’s engagement, including managing an active scheduling and advance team that took all of Mrs. Obama’s events from inception to completion. During her tenure, Andrea led the First Lady’s trips to China, Africa, the 2012 Olympics, as well as countless other domestic and international events; created programming for the spouses of world leaders at U.S.-hosted summits, including NATO and the UN General Assembly; and produced major national tours on behalf of the First Lady’s Let’s Move!, Joining Forces, Reach Higher and Let Girls Learn initiatives.
Prior to joining the White House, Andrea served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the office of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, where she led communications and outreach efforts; serving as spokesperson, crafting and executing communications strategies in support of the Governor’s initiatives, and leading major events from the State of the State address, to press conferences and bill signings. She has also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); as lead advance for Senator John Kerry’s Presidential campaign; and as Director of the Executive Offices at the Washington, DC, offices of Kissinger McLarty Associates. Andrea also headed her own consultancy, Mokros Strategies LLC, providing strategic and communications guidance to non-profit and political organizations.
Andrea is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota. She currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kathy Heltzer serves as the Director of BSW/MSW Field Education in the Department of Social Work at the University of Minnesota Duluth where she has been on the faculty since 1998. Prior to this Kathy was a social worker for the Professional Association of Treatment Homes (PATH) working with children and families in the foster care system. Kathy grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota and moved to Duluth after spending a year in New Zealand as a Rotary Exchange student. She graduated from UMD with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Development and then worked two years in child protection before attending graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where where earned a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW). She is active in the Duluth community and was recognized in 2014 for her community work with the Chancellor's Award for Public Service by UMD. Prior to this she received the College of Education and Human Service Professions Outstanding Service Award. Non-profit board work has included serving as the President of the Duluth Family Area YMCA, a trustee for the Duluth Area YMCA Foundation/Board of Trustees and the Human Development Center. She received the Albert and Louise Ordean "Making a Difference" Award in 1991 for her volunteer work as a long-term mentor with the Mentor Duluth program. She is a graduate of the Blandin Community Leadership Program. More recently, she is working on a collaborative effort, "Dementia Friendly Duluth" and has been involved in launching an initiative for people with dementia and their care partners to participate in the "Victory Chorus". She can often be found emceeing community events and helping raise money through live auctions for a variety of non-profit organizations.
Christine Lindblad is a trial lawyer with Fox Rothschild LLP, a national Am Law 100 firm. She specializes in complex commercial disputes, insurance coverage disputes, and lender liability lawsuits and remedy enforcement procedures. She is the Fox Women’s Initiative connectivity liaison for the Minneapolis office. She was recently recognized as The Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation – 2015 Edition. She and her husband have three children, ages 14, 12 and 2.
Betsy Sitkoff is a consultant with Process for Peace, LLC, a practice she founded in 2013. Process for Peace provides leadership to organizations, community groups, and schools addressing a broad range of needs including support for immigrant and refugee families, and family and community violence.
Betsy is community activist and a past board president of the National Council of Jewish Women MN.
Betsy holds a BS in Child Psychology and a Parent Education License from the University of Minnesota, and a MA in Public Administration from Hamline University. In 2016 Betsy completed her 230-hour yoga teacher training certificate.
Betsy has two children and lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Steve.
Babette Apland is a senior executive with a proven track record in launching new and innovative health care solutions. Her passion is creating patient-centered health care and developing successful strategies for organizations to grow and succeed in complex and changing marketplaces. Babette began her career building new and innovative health care delivery services. After studying international health care systems in Sweden, she joined HealthPartners, an integrated health care financing and delivery system serving 1.5 million members and 1 million patients with over 1,700 physicians. During her career at HealthPartners, Babette launched and grew several divisions including provider relations and partnerships, population health and behavioral health. Most recently Babette joined American Public Media Group to lead a new national initiative to measurably raise the American public’s and key stakeholder’s awareness and understanding of mental health. Her goals include activating public conversation and creating a platform for change through leveraging APMG’s innovative media and convening capabilities including new on-air programming, on demand programming, digital content, civic engagement and live events.
Susan Shields is the President and co-owner of The Airtex Group, a $23M home textile and OEM manufacturing Company. Through her vision and leadership, she has developed an organization which has become a leading name in the private label home textile industry among the most trusted national retailers. As an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader, Susan has created opportunity in the whitespaces of her industry – spotting trends, visualizing saleable concepts, and bringing them to life in a way customers will buy. Susan’s innovative ideas have helped change the retail landscape nationwide. Susan is a savvy business leader in decorative home textiles with years of experience in sourcing and manufacturing. She has built business partnerships in China, India, Pakistan, the U.S. and Europe, and developed strong and lasting relationships with textile mills and weavers, textile printers, fabric converters, and factory owners. Her relationships and reputation with some of the most prestigious home retailers in the U.S. have opened opportunities for exceptional growth for her company. Throughout her career, Susan Shields has brought thoughtful leadership and entrepreneurial vision to startup companies and has a passion to help and guide young women who want to start their own businesses. Prior to The Airtex Group, she created a successful women’s travel accessories company, Bags and Baggage, and grew it to a multimillion dollar brand with both national and international distribution.
Kim has significant political, policy and advocacy experience. She works with healthcare advocacy organizations to maintain open access to life saving therapies for people living with rare disease. Kim’s career began in youth leadership development. Her passion for working to make a difference led her to a career in public policy. Kim was a candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1992. Her past positions have included roles in federal and state government, the University of Minnesota, pharmaceutical associations, biopharmaceutical manufacturers and public relations firms.
Suzan McGinnis is the Director of the Ethics Team at Target Corporation. Suzan is responsible for the design, implementation, and management of the company’s ethics program, and related processes, including the creation and maintenance of relevant policies and procedures. Before joining Target, Suzan worked in ethics and compliance at another large retailer based in the greater Minneapolis metropolitan area. Suzan currently serves as a Steering Committee and an Advisory Board Member for the Program in Organizational Ethics & Compliance at University of St. Thomas School of Law. She also serves on the Executive Team and Board of the Friends of the Hennepin County Libraries. Suzan has a B.A. in English from Augustana College, a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from UW-Milwaukee, and a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law. Suzan lives in Minneapolis with her partner and their two Siberian huskies.
Sahra Odowa is a candidate running for State Senate District 55, which includes, Shakopee, Prior Lake, Jordan, and the Townships. Sahra is a first- generation American. Sahra was born in the Bronx, NY and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Sahra has attended and graduated from the University of Southern Maine in (2012) with a Bachelor’s of Science in Natural and Applied Science, Biology and Health Illness Concentration. Sahra, then obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Heath from the University of New England and moved to Minnesota in 2015. Sahra was a member of the Shakopee Diversity Alliance and is currently a board-member of the Scott County Mental Health Local Advisory Council. Sahra's efforts in the Minnesota Senate will be to serve the citizens of State Senate District 55 first, uniting people together for the common good and to advocate for the needs of our communities.
Addie Miller is running for an open seat in the Minnesota State Senate, District 47, which includes the majority of Carver County. Addie is a former horse trainer, a lawyer, and a Committee Administrator at the House of Representatives. She uses her past campaign experience, legal career, and farm-raised upbringing to bring a unique voice to the Capitol and support DFL Representatives in their work. Her priorities include fully funding public education, expanding mental health into schools and rural areas, and tackling the insane cost of healthcare. When elected, Addie will represent the residents of Carver County with her strong homegrown roots and "DO SOMETHING" attitude to better the lives of Minnesotans.
Nancy McLean is running for State Senate in District 39, which includes Forest Lake, Stillwater, Lake Elmo, and the St. Croix Valley. Nancy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who owns a private practice with two twin cities locations. She first honed her leadership skills in the corporate world where she worked for 3M for over 20 years before leaving to start her own business. Nancy is also the former President of the St. Croix Valley Alliance - a chapter of the National Organization for Women, and is a tireless advocate for healthcare reform. She is a bold leader with a proven track record of getting things done. Nancy will bring real leadership and real solutions to the challenges facing our district and our state.
Sarah Kruger is running for the Minnesota State Senate to represent District 28, which is comprised of Fillmore County, Houston County and the southern part of Winona County, including the City of Winona. Kruger is a marketing and public relations consultant, working primarily with medical professionals. Her legislative priorities include greater access to affordable health care, with a primary concern for safeguarding access to reproductive health and wellness care; public education funding; and economic prosperity for rural communities, specifically incentives for farmers and small businesses. Kruger believes that we can overcome challenges only when everyone’s voice matters, and she will work hard to make sure all people’s voices are heard.
Erin Preese is running for the Minnesota House of Representatives from Lakeville, District 58A. As a mom, a teacher, and a gun violence prevention advocate, Erin has the passion, energy, and experience to work across the aisle for common sense solutions. Now more than ever, we need leaders like Erin who will work to end partisan gridlock and to create solutions that address the real issues Minnesota's working families face. Erin believes we all deserve access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs, high quality public schools, and common sense gun safety laws to protect our children and communities.
Heather Keeler is a candidate for Minnesota House, District 4A. She lives in Moorhead with her two sons. Keeler has worked in the tri-state region for 20 years to improve community healthcare, nonprofit projects, and education. As a passionate advocate for equitable and inclusive practices, she serves on the Fargo Native American Commission, and on the Moorhead Human Rights Commission as Vice Chair. Her most recent community initiative was spearheading the movement for Moorhead to officially recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday of each October. Keeler graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a bachelor’s degree in project management and a master’s degree in educational leadership. She worked for six years as a Native American Liaison in the Moorhead Area Public Schools and is currently the assistant director of Multicultural Recruitment at North Dakota State University. When elected Heather will work endlessly to continue to be a voice of advocacy for inclusive decision making.
Elise Diesslin is running for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 21B, which includes parts of Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, and Dodge counties. Diesslin serves her community as a City Council member in the City of Elgin, Minnesota and as a member of Elgin's Economic Development Authority. Growing up in a family of teachers, Diesslin values the importance of education for all. She is employed at the University of Minnesota Rochester and will graduate with her Masters in Advocacy and Political Leadership in the spring. Diesslin's leadership style is to listen thoughtfully and ask follow up and clarifying questions -- no topic is off the table for discussion. Her priorities include a focus on fully funding education, advocating for farmers' interests, accessible mental health care, and affordable and inclusive housing with women's rights at the forefront of these issues. Once elected, Diesslin will not only be a strong rural voice for her district, but a strong female representative for her constituents.
Tamara (Tami) Calhoun is running for the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 14A, which includes northwest and south St. Cloud, St. Augusta, and Waite Park. Tamara is a retired music teacher who served 34 years in the St. Cloud Public Schools. She has been a leader with ISAIAH for 17 years, working on education, policing and transportation issues in the St. Cloud area. She is on the boards of the St. Cloud Educational Rights Advocacy Council (SCERAC) and the Friends of Presbyterian Education Board, which raises funds for schools in Pakistan, primarily supporting girls' education. Tamara has traveled on mission trips to Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas and internationally to Brazil, Costa Rica, and Pakistan for teaching, church and community building projects and rebuilding after natural disasters. When elected, Tamara will continue to work for the St. Cloud community on educational funding, health care rights, and quality jobs in an inclusive community.
Michelle Lee is a DFL candidate for Senate District 11, which includes Carlton, Pine and portions of Kanabec and St. Louis Counties. During her career as a TV journalist and news anchor in Duluth, Minnesota Lee covered social and economic issues. Her ability to actively listen, seek out both sides and provide fair and balanced reporting made her one of the most trusted journalists in the market earning her multiple awards and honors. After retirement Lee joined her local DFL Unit and was recruited to run for the state senate. She is a wife, mother and recently became a first-time grandmother adding to the urgency to fight for the equality for all Minnesotans regardless of their gender, race or zip code. When elected as the next senator representing SD 11 Lee plans to cast one of the deciding votes in the process of allowing voters to add the ERA to the state's constitution.
